The companys problems were magnified by repeated disagreements between Messrs. Kaiser and Frazer until finally Joe Frazer had enough and left the company in 1951, which then became Kaiser Motors. The Great Depression hit the two very hard and in 1931 Darrin took a design position with General Motors, working under Harley Earl. This body was then fitted to the chassis in secret, the car was finished off and Darrin unveiled it to company boss Henry J. Kaiser. The K-FXP was a big hit at the Motorama show with its beautiful fiberglass body and unique sliding doors described by show reports as real crowd-stoppers.. Dutch and his crew refurbished the Darrins with many being upgraded with new engines, triple-carburetor manifolds, and superchargers. As a result of these issues and some bad luck with a freak snowstorm, the Kaiser Darrin would be produced for one year only, 1954, and just 435 would be made. In early 1952 Darrin made a mock-up out of clay which he then commissioned Bill Tritt to turn into a running prototype. Carl learned to drive on the farm driving what his dad drove which were Kaisers and a Willys Jeep.
It was truly one of Americas unique sports cars, and just one year behind the introduction of the 53 Corvette as Darrin production began in January 1954. In this one year production run, a scantly 435 production Darrins and six prototypes were built. As a kid growing up he drove many Kaisers which stayed with him for years to come. Carl has driven his red Darrin over four thousand miles since he has owned it. It has a 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Although off topic a bit but important to Kaisers future auto building, Kaiser formed his HMO because many of his workers were not eligible for active military duty due to 4F rating, as 4F is the classification given to those trying to join the military but are unacceptable due to medical reasons. Carl thinks so too. Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2022. all rights reserved. His healthcare company still exists to this day and insures over 8.5 million people and is called Kaiser Permanente. In 2018, his blogCars We Lovecame home with a Bronze Medal in the Best Blog or Column category. For Carl, that day came in the late 1970s when he found a Pine Tint Darrin in the Philadelphia area. KAISER PERMANENTE: https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/our-history/kaiser-built-1954-sports-car-delights-todaye28099s-collectors Frazer, who wanted larger, more powerful cars, left the company in 1951 after one too many disagreements with Kaiser. However, they indeed looked great. The complete procedure calls for unlocking the trunk, yanking a handle which releases the top lid, rushing forward and pulling the top lid up, in the meantime allowing the trunk lid (which has no prop) to fall back into place.
The doors snap into place with an overhead hook type of lock and no provision has been made for opening the doors from the inside. By keeping the weight down to less than 2200lb, Mr Darrin and Mr Kaiser have been able to consider the F-Head Willys engine as the powerplant and with that set-up and standard transmission, the K-D will move out briskly, and set a difficult pace for cars which are attempting to keep up. Those lucky to own a Kaiser Darrin have a very unique piece of automotive history on their hands, be it a 6-cylinder or the rare V8. Following careers as an engineer with a major automobile manufacturer and as a lawyer in private practice, Bruce discovered the joys of writing and has never looked back. If youd like to read more about this car or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing on Mecum, its being offered with no reserve at the Indy Auction in mid-May.
After all this he sent his Darrin to an expert in Buffalo, NY to touch up the fiberglass body as a refreshing was needed. He also owns a 1953 top of the line Kaiser Dragon. The back fastens down, from inside the cockpit, by three turn screws. Born and raised in New Jersey, he and his wife Cindy now live in bucolic central Virginia with Max, a prescient stray cat who wandered into their lives several years ago and decided to stay. But it wasn't especially user-friendly as getting in and out via the narrow door openings was a pain, plus the doors could jam and eradicating leaks from the roof was all but impossible. Darrin persisted and finally a meeting was set, during which the response from Henry Kaiser himself was that his company existed to make family cars, not sports cars. Contact him at greg@gregzyla.com or at 303 Roosevelt St., Sayre, PA 18840. Darrin, meanwhile, created a clay model of the new sports car in 1952 with full backing from Kaiser. What Darrin did was design a body to fit the wheelbase of the Henry J, he then had it made from fiberglass by Bill Tritt, a man who had pioneered the use of fibreglass in sports car bodies. Another pride and joy is a 1952 Kaiser Manhattan Club Coupe which is only 1 of 263 made, and a 1951 Willys Jeepster. Other magazines came up with much the same conclusions as Motor Life, so the reviews were generally positive over all not that this did much good. Tritt's bodyshell was mated to a Henry J chassis to create a running prototype, which Darrin then invited Kaiser's top brass to view, but his offer was rejected. 91 hp F-head Willys 6-cylinder engine, 3-speed manual transmission with overdrive, and correct interior. KAISER PERMANENTE: https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/our-story/our-history/howard-a-dutch-darrin-kaiser-frazer-car-designer Although the car was intriguing in every manner, the Kaiser car company gave up on car production entirely in 1954 to concentrate on non-car vehicles, especially Jeeps. Kaiser also couldn't compete against the marketing might of GM and Ford, and after just 435 Darrins were built (all sold as 1954 models), production was stopped in August 1954. Available Darrin colors at the time were Champagne (white), Yellow Satin, Pine Tint (green), and Red Sail. Carl says he always liked older cars in his youth, and of course still does. As designer Howard Dutch Darrin was demonstrating` the prototype of his dream car to Henry J. Kaiser and his entourage, including Mr. Kaisers wife Alyce, the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation chief had a major meltdown! The Kaiser Darrin was costly compared with more mainstream rivals, and it wasn't that quick although it was well equipped. The most common color for the Darrin was white and the red interior certainly suits it well, this car is one of the nicest examples of the rare model weve seen in recent years so itll be interesting to see what it sells for. As a boulevard cruiser it is ideal. Today the surviving examples of the unusual car are a highlight at any auto show they attend, people love to comment on the unusual fan shell front grille and the doors that disappear into the front fenders are a major highlight. Reportedly, he told Darrin in no uncertain terms that a sports car was a scatterbrained idea. Dr. Sidney Garfield also receives credit in assisting Kaiser in the HMO initiative.
Once back, Carl was then ready to put his car back together, then a new top was in order to complete his project. In 2020, his storyThe Day Corvette Became a World Class Sports Carwas awarded a Silver medal in the Best Heritage Motorsports Story category. The first Kaiser Darrin prototype appeared at the Los Angeles Motorama in September 1952. He writes with an understanding of what truly makes cars and car people tick. Production of the Kaiser Darrin started in January of 1954 and lasted until August of that year.
And for a time following the introduction of the Frazer and Kaiser models in 1947 they were flying pretty high. Delays meant that although people could order their car, none were delivered until 1954. This particular Darrin is the second he has owned and enjoyed. At speeds of up to 70mph the car snuggles into the roadbed like a well run-over bottle cap. I dont think there will be many automobile companies that wont go into the sports car business after seeing this car.. Greg Zyla writes weekly for More Content Now and GateHouse Media. Above Image: Here you can see the Darrins unusual doors that slide forward into the front fender rather than swinging out as with regular cars. At speeds over 70 a vibration is set up in the chassis which is transmitted to the fiberglass body and the cockpit. Heading up Kaiser-Frazer's design studio in the post-war years was Howard 'Dutch' Darrin, who had formed a coachbuilding company in Paris in 1923, with designer Thomas Hibbard; both men were American. In 1986 the unthinkable happened, Carl found a red Darrin in Western PA. Now this new automobile discovery put Carl in a tough predicament, a highly coveted red Darrin showed up for sale, but Carl wasnt sure if he would be able swing the purchase of the red Darrin and keep his Pine Tint Darrin. When Motor Life tested the Kaiser Darrin in autumn 1954 it stated: The Kaiser 'sports' car is really that, except in the true competition sense. Other, established car companies who had devoted their factories to war materiel production could offer only warmed-over 1941 and 1942 car designs.
This completely changed Kaisers mind, he cautiously agreed to the project, much to Darrins relief. Not to be deterred, Darrin added more power to the remaining 100 Darrins via superchargers and multi carburetors and then installing powerful 331-inch Cadillac V8 engines in six Darrin V8 Specials. Once you start reading his lead, you cant stop. Martyn Schorr Editor, CarGuyChronicles.com. Each year the Kaiser Frazer Owners Club has a National Convention, meaning that every three years it is held in the Eastern Division which Carl oversees. For about $3,700 buyers could have a Kaiser Darrin in any color they wanted as long as it was Champagne (white), Pine Tint (light green), Red Sail (red), or Yellow Satin (yellow). Approximately fifty cars were assembled by Darrin before production was again transferred, this time to Kaisers plant in Jackson, Michigan. In 1955, Kaiser bought Willys-Overland and by 1956 Kaisers new company built only Jeep utility vehicles. In 1945 Kaiser formed a partnership with Joseph Frazer, president of struggling car maker Graham-Paige, which resulted in the formation of Kaiser-Frazer. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. Sold as Darrin-Cadillacs, the chassis were also upgraded to handle the increased power. The name Dragon came from the vinyl upholstery claimed to resemble dragon skin. WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Motors She persuaded her husband that his company should put Darrin's plastic-bodied convertible into production and Kaiser relented, going so far as to name the new arrival the Kaiser Darrin. TireBuyer The Internets Best Tire Deals, Cars We Love: Dutchs Dreamthe 1954 Kaiser Darrin, Study Shows What Matters Most to Consumers When Shipping a Car, Cars We Love: The 1963 1964 Studebaker Avanti, The Jaguar XK120 A Spark of Passion for the Corvette, MG TC and TD Breathe Life into the First Corvette, Corvette Corner: 2004 C5 Corvette Le Mans Commemorative Edition, Corvette Corner: A Corvette for the Whole Family. (2.6 litre) F-head 6-cylinder engine. Darrin was known for being difficult and despite his rocky history with Kaiser and Frazer, he took it upon himself to design a sports car for the Kaiser Corporation, based on the chassis of the compact Henry J. saloon that had been introduced in 1950. However, Henry Kaiser's younger wife was also in that meeting and she was rather taken by the roadster, proclaiming that it was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. This top arrangement, because of its complexity, should be a sales deterrent to many would-be buyers. His enjoyment comes from showing and more importantly driving his automobiles. What drew Carl to this particular roadster is the color red. Take part in one of our fiendishly tricky three-minute quizzes, The Darrin was supposed to save Kaiser, but instead it killed off the brand altogether, Henry J Kaiser (1882-1967) was an American industrialist who made his fortune in constructing roads and buildings, before then moving into shipbuilding. Even though the Darrin was in nice condition it needed some fiberglass work to bring it up to what this car is worthy of. Construction of the glassfibre bodyshells was outsourced to California-based Glasspar, while power was courtesy of Kaiser'sHurricaneF-head 3.7-litre in-line six which was rated at just 90bhp. Ultimately Carl sold his Pine Green Darrin to make room for the Holy Grail, a red Kaiser Darrin. Darrin designed the body to fit on a Kaiser-built Henry J compact car chassis with a 100-inch wheelbase, wishbone and coil spring front suspension and semi-elliptic springs supporting a live rear axle. The K-FXP name was an abbreviation for Kaiser-Frazer Experimental. 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According to our friends at Hagerty, the average value of a Kaiser-Darrin is $87,500 ranging between $174,000 for a Kaiser-Darrin in number one concours condition to $54,000 for one in number four fair condition. SOURCES: Carls first car was a Kaiser Dragon, however he says if you are a Kaiser fan the car to have or the Crown Jewel was always the Kaiser Darrin. That is until his wife took him aside and said This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Why a Jeepster? By 1946 Darrin was working for Kaiser-Frazer as a design consultant, but the company was very conservative with its designs and chose to disregard Darrin's input, which is why he worked for Kaiser-Frazer for just a few months before walking out. The Kaiser Darrin was the brainchild of the late Howard Dutch Darrin, Kaisers chief designer and personal friend of company founder Henry J. Kaiser. Many of these same workers were employed when Kaiser started his car business in July 1945 known as Kaiser-Frazer Motors. 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The Eastern Division travels from the state of Maine to the state of Florida and all states in between. After the end of WW II hostilities, Darren worked with Kaiser-Frazer Corporation to oversee the creation of their 1947 to 1950 models. He also took off all the chrome along with all the accessories and attachments that enhanced the exterior and interior of the car. Howard A. The front fastens across the windshield with a series of snaps. Darrin was aiming for the K-FXP to be produced by Kaiser-Frazer, but at the time of the Los Angeles Motorama show, production was still a Darrin dream. He has participated in numerous vintage car rallies and is a concours veteran. So, Darrin purchased the last 100 Kaiser Darrins directly from Kaiser. It was an ominous beginning for the Kaiser Darrin. This was an event founded by Hot Rod and Motor Trend publisher Robert E Petersen in 1950 to cater for hot rod and custom car enthusiasts. By this time the top is in a true coup de ville position, but neither the front nor back have yet been secured. Howard Dutch Darrin the designer disliked conventional doors; he had taken out a patent on the sliding auto door concept in 1946. In the years after World War II, America's car manufacturers quickly saw the value of adding a sporting model to their regular line-up. At this point, the Darrin V8 would easily outrun a 1954 Corvette, which still relied on a Chevy Stovebolt 6-cylinder engine while his 6-cylinder Darrins would now easily top 100 mph. Noted automotive designer Howard Dutch Darrin designed a low, sleek body made of fiber-reinforced plastic, better known as FRP or fiberglass, to attract attention of the increasing number of potential buyers in the burgeoning American sports car market of the early 1950s. COACHBUILT: http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/d/darrin/darrin.htm His enjoyment comes from showing and more importantly driving his automobiles. Sign up to our newsletter to hear first about what's new on the website. 2022 www.statesman.com. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. He established a working relationship with Packard and designed a series of successful Packard-Darrin convertibles that competed with the Lincoln Continental into the early 1940s when all automobile production was halted by World War II. His expertise in storytelling has been recognized by the Automotive Heritage Foundation in their annual journalism competition. UNDISCOVERED CLASSICS: https://www.undiscoveredclassics.com/forgotten-fiberglass/the-1952-petersen-motorama-an-automotive-smorgasbord-auto-sport-review-march-1953/ Darrins dream had come true and the Kaiser Darrin, nee K-FXP, went into production during January of 1954. The company would be renamed the Kaiser Jeep Corporation in 1963, which in 1970 was sold to American Motors Corporation (AMC, itself the result of a merger between the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Company in 1954), and in turn in the 1980s AMC would be bailed out by Renault, which then sold AMC to Chrysler, which is how Chrysler came to own the Jeep brand. The car corners flat, but does have a tendency to lift the inside rear wheel on very tight or hairpin-type turns. Press Esc to cancel. Dutch Darrin was a multi-talented inventor and serial entrepreneur born in Cranford, New Jersey in 1897. About fifty unsold Darrins were stored on the grounds of Kaisers Jackson, Michigan plant late in 1954. These delays coupled with the somewhat disappointing performance capabilities of the car led to it not being particularly popular the top speed was just 95 mph and it took 15 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. Carl has been known for traveling thousands of miles for a show or meet. As the Great Depression decimated luxury car sales in Europe, Darrin packed up and returned to the United States in 1937. The Darrin was the first mass-produced fiberglass-bodied sports car in the world, meaning of course that it was also the first composite-bodied production car.
The first twelve cars were built and assembled by Glasspar, an early maker of fiberglass car bodies, then assembly was transferred to a facility leased by Darrin in Santa Monica, California. However, only one pre-production 1953 has even been documented, so if there were four other 1953 models, they were most likely upgraded to 1954 specs. Since ownership, Carl has done a frame off restoration, much of the work he completed himself. The plastic top is then unfolded, the thin chrome landau bars are locked into place and utilized to tighten the tension of the top. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I dont see why you arent in the business of building sports cars. With that done the driver-operator then inserts the plastic side curtains which come with this windowless roadster. Thanks for your letter Charles and have a nice upcoming holiday season. By 1954, production was underway for what would be the first and only year of Darrin assembly. The name, came from the vinyl upholstery claimed to resemble dragon skin. This was a tough decision, but it had to be done in a timely manner. U.S, production of the rest of Kaisers cars, the Henry J, the Manhattan, and the Special, ceased in 1955, but production of the Kaiser Manhattan continued in Argentina until 1962. In retrospect, this was not a great choice for a new performance-oriented sports car as they were slow and unimpressive. By 90mph the vibration is almost unbearably uncomfortable. Not astounding performance specs for today, but not bad for the mid-fifties. Performance took a back seat to style, as these new cars were meant more as image enhancers to boost showroom traffic. This was the first American car equipped with a fiberglass body and doors that slid on tracks into the front fender wells. Bruce Troxell, however, is unique. in. and it is powered by a 161 cu in (2.6 L) F-head six cylinder producing 90 horsepower. At the time, Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Pinterest Reddit Email This is the new Shinola Monster Automatic, its a full-featureddive watch assembled in the United States and powered, We launched the first official Silodrome apparel store in 2020 grab yourself a t-shirt and help support a truly independent publication, every single sale matters.
Using steel for the new body would be out of the question as it would require expensive stamping equipment, aluminium alloy would prove similarly expensive due to the intensive craftsmanship each panel would need so Darrin pursued fiberglass. Unfortunately, all fifty cars were stored outside during a particularly harsh Ohio winter and when they were uncovered in early 1955, they were too water-damaged to be sold as new cars. Despite Darrins attempted explanations, Kaiser was adamantly against the new sports caruntil his wife spoke up. The Darrin was conceived to compete head-to-head with European roadsters currently being imported to and sold in the United States in the postWorld War II period. As much as he enjoyed this Pine Tint roadster it still was not red. Tritt had only recently set up Glasspar, to kick-start the glassfibre car industry with its Glasspar G2, which would soon after evolve into the Woodill Wildfire. Another pride and joy is a 1952 Kaiser Manhattan Club Coupe which is only 1 of 263 made, and a 1951 Willys Jeepster. Kaiser raised the headlights on the production cars to make them legal in all states and replaced the show cars split windscreen with a one-piece curved windshield. Carl is the Eastern Division Director of the Kaiser Frazer Owners Club International which includes the marques Kaiser, Henry J, and Willys. All rights reserved. Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with millions of readers around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Kaiser Darrin 161 chassis #1 - engine bay, The original experimental prototype, called the D-X100 Aeron-Fiberglas, Front-mounted, 226.2ci (3705cc), 6-cylinder, 3-speed manual, optional overdrive, rear-wheel drive. The steering, at 2.75 turns lock to lock, is as good as any available on the imported models. Can you give your memories and info of the 1954 Kaiser Darrin? He brings a unique perspective and an engaging conversational style to all his writings. Other domestic two-seat vehicles developed were the, Carl is a real Kaiser guy. Other domestic two-seat vehicles developed were the Ford Thunderbird and the Chevrolet Corvette. When Dutch Darrin became aware of the plight of his cars, he bought all fifty Kaiser-Darrins from Henry Kaiser at cut-rate prices and had them shipped to his shop in California. Carl is a real Kaiser guy. This cloak and dagger approach was taken because it had been made clear that Kaiser wanted to focus on selling an affordable every man car in post-WWII America, the Henry J sedan. Futuristic for its day in every sense, the Kaiser Darrin featured a two-seat fiberglass body, Cyclops style front radiator opening, sliding doors, one piece tinted windshield with wipers and washers, and a three-position Landau hood (to name but a few of Darrins many innovations). Darrin was certain that his car had potential so he had already decided that if Kaiser wouldn't make it, he would go it alone. In this one year production run, a scantly 435 production Darrins and six prototypes were built. The classic pictured here is owned by Carl Hering of Cayuga, NY.