The Zippo Car
The Zippo Car
Zippo car at the Zippo/Case Museum
Zippo car at the Zippo/Case Museum
Zippo car at Niagara Falls
The Zippo Car
The inventor of the Zippo lighter and founder of the Zippo Manufacturing Company, George G. Blaisdell, loved cars as much as he loved his world-famous windproof lighter. As a young man, Mr. Blaisdell was impressed by a parade of "product mobiles": incredible vehicles that resembled the products they represented. After the great success of Zippo following World War II, he came up with the idea to design his own "product mobile" featuring the iconic Zippo lighter.
On June 16, 1947, Zippo purchased a 1947 Chrysler Saratoga for $2,048. Blaisdell envisioned a car that looked just like a Zippo lighter. He left the design of the vehicle to Gardner Display of Pittsburgh: a 1947 Chrysler Saratoga with two larger-than-life lighters protruding from the roof, complete with removable neon flames. The lighter's lid is closed while driving. The word Zippo is painted on the side in 24-karat gold. The total cost of converting the vehicle into two tall, windproof lighters came to $25,000. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Zippo car traveled to all 48 contiguous states and participated in special events, trade shows, county fairs, and leading parades. Unfortunately, the Zippo car regularly had flat tires due to the weight of the modified chassis. The car was taken to a car dealer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for repairs, but due to the estimated cost of fixing the problems, the project was suspended indefinitely. The car remained at the dealership, awaiting its fate.
In the early 1970s, Mr. Blaisdell returned to Pittsburgh to retrieve the car, but unfortunately, the car dealership had closed, and there was no trace of the Zippo car. To this day, the fate of the original Zippo car remains a mystery.
In 1996, Zippo purchased a gray 1947 Chrysler New Yorker and began restoring another Zippo car that closely resembled the original, but with additional features. Eighteen months later, the transformation was complete at a total cost of $250,000. In 1998, the Zippo car hit the road again and traveled across the country. The Zippo car now participates in parades, company-sponsored events, trade shows, and more.
The Zippo car continues to spread a classic message of style, quality, and reliability as it travels coast to coast across the United States. When the Zippo car is not on the road, you can find it at the Zippo/Case Museum in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
FUN FACTS:
- The "new" Zippo car was delivered on May 10, 1998, and was unveiled on July 16 at the international Zippo/Case swap meet.
- The car had approximately 180,000 miles on the odometer when purchased in 1996.
- There have been 11 Zippo car drivers.
- The Zippo car has visited countless famous landmarks, including Mount Rushmore, the St. Louis Arch, The Alamo, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the Las Vegas Strip, Niagara Falls, the Hollywood Sign, and Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Features of the Zippo Car:
- Removable 5-foot fiberglass double flames
- 17-inch fiberglass wheels
- Custom-made steel cab (5 x 6 feet)
- Power windows
- Manual spring-loaded lid
- 250 hp, 350 cubic-inch Chevrolet Small Block V8 engine
- 12-volt electrical system
- 24-karat gold-plated lettering
- Keyless entry doors
- Heavy-duty suspension system
- New chrome grille and bumpers
- Length: 17 feet, 11 inches.
- Weight: 4,920 pounds
- Height: closed lighters - 8 ft. | open lighters: 12 ft.
