1947 Chrysler Saratoga Zippo Car

The Zippo Manufacturing Co. built the Zippo car in 1947 by adapting a Chrysler Saratoga. However, the weight of the lighters kept causing the tires to blow out. So in 1952 the car was sent to a Pittsburgh garage for repairs and re-adaptation. It was never seen again. To this day, no one knows what happened to the Zippo car.

It began life as a 1947 Chrysler Saratoga New Yorker. Then came a melange of modifications, most notably a pair of exaggerated eight-foot Zippo lighters adorned with neon flames.

In 1948, the Zippo Car arrived to enormous fanfare. Over the next several years, it would tour each of the then 48 states, appearing in every major parade in the country.

The original cost of the car was estimated between $25,000 and $30,000.
The Zippo car was a popular attraction, but not without problems. The weight of the huge roof lighters put stress on the tires, which blew out easily.
Also, the armour-plated fenders made it impossible to jack the car up to change the tires.

In 1996, Zippo purchased a grey 1947 Chrysler New Yorker and began restoration of another Zippo Car to mirror the original with additional features. Eighteen months later, the task was completed with a price tag around $250,000. By 1998, the Zippo Car was back in action once again traveling the country. The Zippo Car now participates in parades, corporate sponsored events, tradeshows, and much more.

The Zippo Car continues to drive home the classic message of style, quality, and dependability while traveling the United States coast to coast.