Zippo Car 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Multi-Cut Armor Case Lighter - Rare For Sale

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Description

This Authentic Collectible Zippo lighter is limited to 1,000 pieces, and this is number 408. Zippo's dimensional 360° MultiCut engraving process brings this classic Zippo Car design to life!

By the end of World War II, Zippo had become a national treasure. Seeking to capitalize on that fondness for Zippo lighters, founder George G. Blaisdell decided to take to the streets of America selling Zippo lighters - with a car that looked like this lighter

On June 16, 1947, Zippo purchased a 1947 Chrysler Saratoga for $2,048. Blaisdell envisioned a car that looked like a Zippo lighter. He hired Gardner Display of Pittsburgh to design the vehicle, a 1947 Chrysler Saratoga with larger-than-life lighters stretching above the roof line, complete with removable neon flames. The lids of the lighters snapped shut for travel. The word Zippo was painted on the side in 24-karat gold. The total cost to transform the vehicle into two towering windproof lighters was $25,000. Through the late '40s and early '50s, the Zippo Car traveled to all 48 contiguous states, participating in special events, trade expos, fairs and leading parades. Unfortunately, due to the weight of the modified chassis, the Zippo Car experienced frequent tire blow outs. The car was sent in to a dealership in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for repairs, but due to the projected cost of resolving the issues, the project was put on hold indefinitely. The car remained at the dealership, awaiting its fate

In the early 1970s, Mr. Blaisdell went back to Pittsburgh to retrieve the car, only to find that the dealership had gone out of business, leaving no trace of the Zippo Car. To this day, the fate of the original Zippo Car remains a mystery

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. Numbered 408. Comes packaged in a gift box.

• Genuine Zippo windproof lighter with distinctive Zippo "click"
• All metal construction; windproof design works virtually anywhere
• Refillable for a lifetime of use; For optimum performance, we recommend genuine Zippo premium lighter fuel, flints, and wicks.
• Made in USA; Lifetime guarantee that "it works or we fix it free?"
• Fuel: Zippo lighter fuel (sold separately)

LighterSpecs:

Height:2.25"
Width:0.5"
Depth:1.5"
Weight:0.18 lbs.