If you’ve been looking for a bizarro-redesigned 1980s Buick Regal, your chance is now, via the ad for this 1982 Zimmer Baroque seen here on ebay. The price is cheap, at just past four grand with Sunday as the auction’s close and seven bids having been proffered. If you win the auction, you’ll need to get to Las Vegas to collect your new toy. You’ll probably fit in just fine driving this car around Sin City. Things might be a bit different when you get home.
The idea of the Zimmer is to replicate the looks of the coach-built era of what are now often called “Full Classics.” Well, not replicate the looks exactly as catch the styling cues, including the long, swoopy body, externally latched hood, wire wheels, partial vinyl top, and header pipes coming out from under the hood. (Commenters, here’s your chance: What are those things called, if there is a special name at all?), and the faux-spare-tire trunk. Ultimate grand luxury that is shouted for all to hear is the idea. I think. This car is actually a Buick underneath, redone in the era and having been garaged un-driven for the past seven to eight years. It is motivated by a 3.8-liter Buick Turbo engine, the same as what was dropped into the Buick Grand National and GNX.
With this particular example, one of 11 made, you’re going to have to get your contradiction detector out and turn it up high, because there are a lot of crossed wires in this ad. The car is said to be ready to go into a museum but also said to be perfect for your next restoration project. It is also claimed to be recommissioned with a rebuild, but that might only be of the carburetor. Read every line of the ad and come to your own conclusions, but it seems like the car was sparingly used (just over 40,000 miles) but needs a good spit-and-polish to be presentable. In fact, it needs a lot more than that. Images of the top side show perished paint and trim, and a lot of sun damage both inside and out.
One funny thing that kind of puts everything in context is what ebay labels as “similar items” in the ad. These are a Corbyn Sparrow and a 1953 Kaiser Manhattan. I can’t imagine three cars more dissimilar, but perhaps they unite under the category “bizarre oddballs.” If that’s your jam, then get your bidder’s paddle waving. Your heart can take you to the next level if you fall in love with this car and feel like spending money to make it really nice. Is that an endeavor you would like to undertake, or is this to you what it is to me: a beat up 1982 Buick with some funny stuff added to make it what the seller labels, appropriately for Vegas, “Luxorious”?
Some may look towards me, since I have such an affection for the Excalibur, what say me? I think it’s really cool. I think the Excalibur was more of a full classic, cars generally from the 20s-30s and more like Imperial, Packard, Caddy, or the MB it copied, this is more of a modern rendition with the Buick body and the swoopy fenders, really, not sure what it is. I read, some call those hood exit pipes, “Screamer Pipes”, specifically for turbocharging, but most sites just called them “exhaust duct ports”, which appear to be fake as well. Unlike most Excaliburs, I bet this car was driven a lot, and for good reason, like an Excalibur, I bet it’s a fantastic cruiser. They certainly weren’t cheap. I read, this car cost almost $62,000 new, the cost of almost THREE Corvettes( ($18,360). I don’t know, 3 Corvettes, these weren’t that nice.
Gag me with a spoon again.
What a POS,
“Excalibur a full classic”? Don’t you know the defintion of a classic?!
It ain’t one of these barges..
I had a hard time finding the Buick under all the modifications until I saw the C pillar. I prefer the T-Bird that was modded to look like a post war Ford personally. Where this car fails is the interior. It’s just the standard Regal inside, but that turbo V6 is intriguing.
Besides the T Bird version, I thought I remembered them making one out of the early 80’s Cougar as well. I liked them. But yeah, it takes a minute of looking to figure out what it was made from.
This is one unique (Buick) Zimmer. When I read the title I couldn’t help but think of the old bad Dad joke…… “If it isn’t Baroque……. Don’t fix it!!!!) Ok. Sorry. Maybe one more cup of coffee will get my brain filters functioning better.
Overall I like it. I have to admit, when I first saw this I thought, oh brother I sure hope it doesn’t just have the 3.8 V6. Then as I was reading this write up and started seeing 3.8 I said Good Grief….. But then saw the rest of the sentence with GNX in it and said ok, thats better. Its a shame the clear coat peeled. My only other thought is the size of this thing, it isn’t going to fit in a typical garage and I know I’d like to have a place to work on it out of the elements and store it to preserve it. I’m wondering if this sat outside with the dash board cover on it and the clear coat peeling.
This is a great find nonetheless and I enjoyed your write up Brian K. Very nice job. I always appreciate the time you all put into researching everything you have in your write ups.
What’s your thing against 3.8s? I had an ’87 Buick LeSabre, and I put over 200k on that thing. Everything broke over time (the transmission twice) except the engine!
Absolutely nothing, They’re fantastic engines . In fact, I think They’re bullet proof. I was Just saying that with the extra weight of the car it would be quite overwhelmed without a turbo. Which I’m sure you’d agree.
They’re good unless they have a plastic intake manifold. If so and it gets a little too hot it will blow the engine.
Ask me how I know.
Don’t let the author fool you. That’s not a Grand National or GNX motor. That’s the carbureted 1978-83 version unlike the Fuel injected and/or intercooled 84-87 engines. Same basic bottom end but totally different Turbo setup.
Now Zimmer down before attacking! It’s ALMOST as OTT outrageous as Yesterday’s Eldorado. And OF course I Love it. Back later to see the chatter!
Well, if it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it! It’s a good thing this car isn’t FWD because that front end would run right out from underneath, it’s so far forward. How does it steer? Not a bad looking custom though, if that’s your thing. Just make sure you don’t hit something. Where could you get body parts?
I’d like to get a look at the person who buys this. I’m visualizing a mustache, shiny silk suit, heavy gold chains, Gucci loafers, and several rings! Not that there’s anything wrong with that outfit.
I worked at Zimmer in the early 80’s and we only made Golden Spirits at that time on a Mustang chassis and it was in pompano beach Florida so I’m not sure why they call it a Zimmer. The only other car they built after I left in 1983 was a Quicksilver based on a Fiero.
Reckon the listing only says Zimmer because that’s a name people interested in neoclassics might be searching for, or maybe the seller just took a wild guess at who the maker might be with “Baroque” being the only badging on the car.
Turns out Baroque is the marque, not the model name. Did some Googling and figured out the actual creator was Knudsen Automotive d/b/a Baroque Motorcars, of Omaha, Nebraska. They offered coupe, cabriolet, sedan, and limousine versions, all with variations of this same nose and tail treatment.
I love the rear styling of this. Kinda 1982 Cadillac SeVille, only better.
I’m always disappointed with the rear of these neo-classics. Especially the taillights. It’s like they never put any thought into them. Just some round things they pull out of a parts bin. Wall to wall horizontal lights would look cool, ala Thunderbird or ’66 Dodge Charger. Even ’69 Cougar.
If they have to go retro, Packard and Studebaker had some interesting lights from the 30s & 40s as did Cadillac.
I had a Buick regal in 1988 a 1978 model which would blow its coolant out after a highway run turned out the right rear cylinder had become porous allowing coolant into the cylinder and putting on a steam show from the overflow bottle !
“Neoclassic” is a category of automobile I could live without ever even knowing about.
I wouldn’t confuse this Turbo V6 with the Grand National or GNX. This appears to be a common carbureted Turbo 6 like one would expect in a 78-81 Regal, Century, or LeSabre.
Too bad it doesn’t have the GN engine in it.
It might actually get some decent bids from people who will pull it out of this monstrosity and put it into something more worthwhile.
SOLD for $3,950.