According to its seller, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Zimmer is one of only four powered by a Chevy LS V8, and, of those, it is potentially the last man standing. Let’s see if this wild Fiero-based boutique car is well-priced despite that exclusivity.
In the original Star Trek series, the stated mission of the USS Enterprise was to “boldly go where no man has gone before.” The Enterprise also counted a number of women among its crew, but they were forced to dress like go-go dancers, which, it could be argued, is a very bold move in the cold depths of space.
In the 1960s of that initial Star Trek series, Germany’s Mercedes-Benz was charting a course that was not so bold. It instead chose to make products that embodied a sense of purpose unfettered by excess. That was exemplified by the 1972 Mercedes-Benz 250 we looked at yesterday. Simple and elegant, it was, at the time, one of the most innovative cars Mercedes built. Its attraction can still be felt, all these years later, and at $9,500, our candidate proved a relative bargain. At least that was the takeaway from the healthy 70% Nice Price win you all awarded the car.
Meet the Zimmers
The stately and simple elegance of a classic Mercedes-Benz might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Some may gravitate to the baroque or lurid excesses of the bygone era of pre-war classics. It was just such a niche that the father-son duo of Paul and Bob Zimmer sought to appease with the introduction of the Golden Spirit neo-classic coupe in 1980. Reportedly designed on the back of a napkin and based on the Fox Body Ford Mustang, the Golden Spirit proved a sizable success for the pair.
The Zimmers set up shop to build the cars in Pompano Beach, Florida, and offered sales globally, with the cars proving particularly popular in the Middle East. While the Golden Spirit model line expanded to include convertible and Lincoln Town Car-based four-door limousine models, the company’s next car would be something completely different. That second model was the Quicksilver, a mid-engine luxury coupe that eschewed neo-classic styling for something more reminiscent of 1960s personal coupes, such as the Cadillac Eldorado and Lincoln Continental. This was based on the Pontiac Fiero, from which Zimmer stripped all its original bodywork, replacing it with the company’s own fiberglass skin on an architecture that was lengthened both at the front and rear.
Sole survivor
While records are sketchy at best, the consensus is that approximately 170 Quicksilvers were built during its 1986 to 1988 model run. Most of those were powered by the Fiero’s stock 2.8-liter Chevy V6. According to the seller, this 1986 Quicksilver is one of four that tossed the V6 in favor of an LS-series 5.7-liter V8. They claim this car to be the only one of those left on the road.
What they don’t say is exactly what motor this is, nor how it was wedged in the Fiero’s engine bay. There are several kits available to do just that; the most well-known of these is the V8 Archie conversion.
Regardless, the install looks to be tidy and is matched with an automatic transaxle. Per the seller, the car recently received two grand in suspension upgrades and has been kept in a garage when not out classing-up the town. It’s said to be in “very good original condition” and “runs perfect.”
People magnet
Zimmer didn’t just completely rebody the Fiero, it also undertook a major revamp of the car’s interior. That’s awash in leather and wood, and touts a further step up from its Pontiac base by including an actual glove box ahead of the passenger bucket rather than a punky little sleeve. The cabin looks to be in good shape, although the carpet appears a bit grungy and in need of some floor mats. What that pigtail hanging under the dash goes to is anybody’s guess.
The exterior appears to be in solid shape as well, and the seller warns that its extroverted styling draws curious onlookers at every opportunity, making this a poor choice for shrinking violets. Truth be told, this is probably a car with a very narrow audience. On the plus side of the equation, the title is clean, and the car sports a mere 12,345 miles on the clock.
Motivated seller
The seller’s reason for putting the Quicksilver on the market is the need to raise cash for a new home project. You know, those things cost money. One has to wonder, though, whether the house the present owner is building has a similar over-the-top styling as the car, or if it’s something a bit more mundane. Not so mundane is this Quicksilver’s $12,950 price tag. That could be seen as either excessively high or surprisingly low, depending on whether you’re on Team Zimmer or not.
What’s your take on this rare V8 coupe and its $12,950 asking price? Does that seem like a deal to get swamped at every stoplight by questioning onlookers? Or is that too much for a car that’s just too weird?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Phoenix, Arizona, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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