1954 Kaiser Darrin Sport Convertible

The Kaiser-Darrin was designed by Howard 'Dutch' Darrin and was America's first production fiberglass sports car. Its prototype was built before the Corvette, although production did not begin until 1952. Power was from Willys six-cylinder engine. Design cues included sweeping front fenders that plunged behind the doors into a 'Darrin dip' and a unique 'rosebud' grille. One special feature were the beloved 'pocket' doors, which slid forward into the front fenders to permit entry and exist. Darrin had a long history of promoting the sliding doors, claiming it was a safe alternative as they did not open into traffic.

With all of its unique features and impressive design, the Kaiser-Darrin was a one-year-only offering, with just 435 examples produced. Of these, six were fitted with Cadillac V-8 engines by Dutch Darrin himself, at his shop in Santa Monica, California.

This particular example is a Darrin-inspired Cadillac conversion that has been professionally engineered by its present owner to high standards. This car was the 23rd Darrin built, and it was totally disassembled to facilitate the addition of a cross-member to the factory-boxed frame, which increased its stiffness. In the back, the springs were beefed-up, and mounted in the chassis to a correct 1954 Cadillac V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and custom headers, which is mated to a Getrag T-5 five-speed manual transmission through a custom cast-aluminum adapter. The electricals were also upgraded to a 12-volt system.

This car rides on knock-off wire wheels that were custom-made for the car by Dayton. The body is finished in an original factory color of Pine Tint Green. The top is the same color as the upholstery by Haartz. There is a correct jack and hammer, and it still wears its accurate chassis and body tags.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2014