1953 Dodge Zeder Z-250

One of the numerous experiments of Bertone’s “American adventure” in the 1950’s was the Zeder Z-250, an imposing coupé created for Chrysler, which aimed to give the US market a car with Dodge mechanics and bodywork created by the Italian master craftsmen.

The model reflects the Bertone style of the period, with particular attention to the lines and design of the American car, especially with regards to the long streamlined front bonnet, smooth wings and imposing horizontal radiator grille.

Zeder Jr. envisioned a dual-purpose car with swappable bodies. His goal was to create a two-seater race car wearing a lightweight fiberglass body that could be given an aluminum coupe top by attached four rubber-bushed nuts. The mechanical components of the car included a Dodge HEMI V8 truck engine offering 260 horsepower and 330 ft-lbs of torque. Other parts were sourced from Plymouth and Dodge vehicles, including the brakes, radiators, clutch, fuel tank, rear axle, and steering system. The transmission was a new unit developed by the Spicer Division of Dana Corporation.

The rest of the car was built solely for the car, including the tube space frame (built mostly by Butterfield in his basement), suspension, and the two bodies.

The car, called the Zeder Storm Z-250, was taken to Chrysler’s design headquarters in Hamtramck in April of 1954. His uncle, Jim Zeder, was the Chief engineer at Chrysler at the time. Fred loaned the car to Jim in hopes the car, or possibly parts of the car might enter production. For reasons unknown, Jim had the car locked up in the factory’s storage for two years. Fred could only guess that Jim was afraid he would be responsible if the project failed, or would not receive credit if it had succeeded. The official reason was that the car was too expensive to produce and would not be profitable.

The Z-250 did not reach production because high production costs would have made it too expensive to sell in profitable quantities. If the Z-250 would have gone into production it would have competed with the Ford Thunderbird, Chevrolet Corvette and the Kaiser Darrin.

Zeder drove the Z-250 of 16 years. He loaned it to Northwood University where it would stay until 1992. By this point in history, water had somehow leaked into the cylinders. The engine was removed and replaced with a 1965 Dodge V8 with two four-barrel carburetors. After the work was completed, Zeder continued to drive the car in his home in California.