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. Cars We Love Dutch’s Dream–the1954 Kaiser Darrin Darrin’s dream had come true and the Kaiser Darrin, nee K-FXP, went into production during January of 1954. It wasn’t until Februat the New York Auto Show that Kaiser-Frazer announced that it would produce a fiberglass-bodied sports car called the Kaiser Darrin. 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. The K-FXP name was an abbreviation for Kaiser-Frazer Experimental.
![kaiser frazer car kaiser frazer car](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/76/3a/48/763a48da72a572b21b5cb837989a83f4.jpg)
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.” Darrin’s Dream Enters Production One of those ventures was a two-seat sports car that made its public debut in November, 1952 at Petersen’s Motorama in Los Angeles as the Darrin K-FXP. While remaining active with Kaiser-Frazer, he tried several times to launch various small car and coachbuilding ventures of his own with mixed success. Cars We Love Dutch’s Dream–the1954 Kaiser DarrinĪfter the end of WW II hostilities, Darren worked with Kaiser-Frazer Corporation to oversee the creation of their 1947 to 1950 models.
#Kaiser frazer car series#
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. As the Great Depression decimated luxury car sales in Europe, Darrin packed up and returned to the United States in 1937. After serving in the American Expeditionary Forces in France as a pilot during World War I, Darrin settled in Paris and established his car design bona fides by working with Parisian design houses and French auto manufacturers.
#Kaiser frazer car serial#
“Dutch” Darrin was a multi-talented inventor and serial entrepreneur born in Cranford, New Jersey in 1897. Ahead of its time, the Kaiser-Darrin could be equipped with options such as seat belts, power brakes, power steering, air conditioning, whitewall tires, and tinted glass. Standard features included a padded dash, an under-dash heater, a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, and removable side curtains. 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. Not astounding performance specs for today, but not bad for the mid-fifties. Powered by a Willys flathead inline six-cylinder engine displacing 161 cubic inches and producing 90 horsepower with 127 pound-feet of torque, the Darrin could go from zero to sixty miles per hour in 14.6 seconds, cover the standing quarter mile in 19.8 seconds with a terminal speed of 70 mph, and had a top speed of 117 mph. 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). The Kaiser Darrin set itself apart from other cars on the road with unique features such as a three-position convertible top, doors that opened by sliding into the front fenders, and bucket seats. 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. The Kaiser Darrin was an eye-catching two-seat sports car that went on sale in January of 1954. “Oh Henry” she said, “it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” Following Alyce’s remarks, Darrin’s sales pitch carried the day and the Kaiser Darrin went into production in 1954.
![kaiser frazer car kaiser frazer car](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/MKPGMW/1950-kaiser-frazer-henry-j-sedan-MKPGMW.jpg)
Despite Darrin’s attempted explanations, Kaiser was adamantly against the new sports car–until his wife spoke up. Kaiser’s wife Alyce, the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation chief had a major meltdown! Reportedly, he told Darrin in no uncertain terms that a sports car was a scatterbrained idea. As designer Howard “Dutch” Darrin was demonstrating` the prototype of his dream car to Henry J. It was an ominous beginning for the Kaiser Darrin.
![kaiser frazer car kaiser frazer car](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6d/0c/3e/6d0c3eb410aa02c649c68dabebda117c.jpg)