Dodge Storm Z-250 Zeder

The Dodge Storm Z-250 Zeder 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. The Dodge Storm Z-250 Zeder was fitted with a 250 Hp Dodge engine. Dodge Storm Z-250 Zeder. Zeder’s idea was to create a sports car that could compete with Ferrari and Jaguar, especially on American race tracks. Thanks to his knowledge at Chrysler, a modified version of the Hemi V8 engine from a Dodge truck was used for the v, which delivered 260 horsepower. This would propel the car from 0 to 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds. Other parts of the car such as the brakes, radiator, clutch, steering, rear axle, fuel tank and electronics came from the shelves of Plymouth and Dodge. Styling of the Dodge Storm Z-250 was the work of Giovanni Michelotti revisiting the first sketches of Hank Kean, who was also a Chrysler employee. When the three-dimensional scale clay model was ready, Virgil Exner, Chrysler’s Head of Advanced Design, also wanted to contribute some suggestions. But Zeder wanted more, and he wanted it in short order. During a visit to Turin to meet Dante Giacosa, chief engineer at Fiat, he was directed by the latter to Carrozzeria Bertone. There they were busy with the B.A.T. series based on Alfa Romeo, so it took longer than necessary to finish Zeder’s car. Bertone turned it into a two-seater instead of the original 2+2, because some things that worked on paper turned out to be impossible to translate into reality. The car was presented at the 1954 Turin Motor Show, then aboard the Andrea Doria returned to America. The car was presented to Chrysler’s engineers so they could consider a mass production build, but the Dodge Storm Z-250 after being kept under wraps for two years was resoundingly rejected. The official reason was that the car was too expensive to produce and then sell in profitable quantities. In reality it is thought to be a family struggle, in that Fred Zeder’s uncle, Jim Zeder then Chrysler’s chief of engineers, did not see eye to eye with his nephew and would not have wanted the latter to make him look bad. It was a poor choice because before long people would decry the success of the Corvettes and the new Ford Thunderbirds, not to mention Nash-Healey, Kaiser-Darrin, and Cunningham. Fred Zeder drove his Storm for about 16 years, then donated it to Northwood University in Michigan. The car today is at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.