The maker of extraordinarily rare cars, Zimmer was an American automaker based in Syracuse, New York. It was originally founded in 1978 as Zimmer Motorcars Corporation by a man named Paul Zimmer, and its cars are hard to get ahold of, to say the least. However, one lucky buyer may get their hands on one, thanks to a man in Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania, according to TribLive.
To put things into perspective, only around 1,500 of the cars were produced between 1978 and 1988. After that, the company had declared bankruptcy and ended its run. So the fact that someone is choosing to part with their Zimmer is certainly incredible.
Carl Harvey, a former homebuilder and retired nursing home manager, has been passionate about luxury cars his entire life. The Zimmer in his garage is surely not the first luxury vehicle he has owned. He actually had the pleasure of owning Rolls-Royces and Bentleys too, reports TribLive. The Zimmer, however, is the one that has stuck around the longest among the list.
Rare Maroon 1986 Golden Spirit Coupe For Sale
, Carl Harvey is preparing to part ways with this hard-to-find beauty. , Matthew Medsger – Tribune Review“I’ve had it for 31 years,” Harvey told TribLive. “I’ve had a lot of adventures in it.” He goes on to explain that it is the purest example of a “real automobile” you could ever find, something that is rare to come across nowadays.
He has spent 84 years in the Sarver section of Buffalo Township and says that his maroon 1986 Golden Spirit coupe is only one of a pair of Zimmers in the Butler-Allegheny-Westmoreland tri-county area, according to TribLive. The other one is owned by a friend of his. Although the car certainly looks like it has come off the earliest manufacturer’s lines, it shares similar mechanics to that of a 1980’s Mustang. The Zimmer cars are actually built off a Mustang frame and drivetrain base, with 1930’s incorporated styling for the sporty body and interior cabin.
When all of that crafting comes together, the result is a unique car that looks as though it came before the Great Depression. It includes hood-side spare tires, an elongated front end, and exterior engine piping. Even with that, the Zimmer still has modern safety features and mechanical improvements of a more recent time.
Carl Harvey Posing Next to his Beloved Zimmer
, They make quite the pair, don’t they?!, Matthew Medsger – Tribune ReviewAccording to TribLive, Harvey’s Zimmer was mostly used to show at car events. He also used it to treat high school students on the way to their special prom night, certainly something they will remember forever.
“My favorite memories have to be the proms. Just the look on the kids’ faces when they see what they get to ride around in for a little while, it makes it all worth it.” Harvey reminisced.
Janie Harvey, Carl’s long-term companion and wife, said that her husband was the kind of man who enjoyed sharing his passion and toys with those around him. She too felt great to see the reactions of people when they saw his car on the road. Janie also admits that she will be sad to see it sold, TribLive writes.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to see it go,” she said. We, as car enthusiast, can relate; we know all too well how much cars mean to us and grow on us.
Bittersweet Moment Of A Car Enthusiast and His Toy
, Carl Harvey, luxury car buff, pictured with his rare Zimmer. , Matthew Medsger – Tribune ReviewCarl explains that his goal is to find a new owner who will take care of it and love it as much as he did. Since he cannot drive it as much as he used to, he just wants to let someone else enjoy it. TribLive
reported that the couple has not attended a car show in over a year, and cannot just let the car idle and sit unused.
“I just want to see it go to someone who can look after it,” Carl said.
If you are interested in seeing the car or possibly purchasing it, you can search for the listing online. It has not yet been advertised with a price or scheduled for the auction block so sit tight!