Americas first fiberglass bodied Sports Car
1 of only 435 total production
Exceedingly Rare Robins Egg Blue
1 of 2 or 3 in this color
Beautifully Restored
Single family ownership for 18 years
A FULL CATALOG OF PHOTOS WILL BE ADDED TO THE GALLERY SOON
In the bustling years after World War II, American manufacturers quickly saw the value in adding a sports car to the standard lineup. Sports cars were rapidly gaining in popularity, but none of America’s automakers had the time or resources to develop a vehicle from the ground up car to compete with the ever-increasing number of European examples. Ford and GM started work on their own ideas to compete in this market, based on existing passenger car platforms. Performance seemed to take a back seat to style, as these new cars were meant more as image-enhancers to boost showroom traffic.
In the early 1950s, the famed industrial designer Howard “Dutch” Darrin, who had previously been employed by Kaiser, now operated out of his own showroom in LA where he took it upon himself to design a sports car for the Kaiser Corporation based on the compact Henry J. chassis. He invited top company brass to view the car but instead received a rather brusque response from Henry Kaiser himself. He informed Darrin that Kaiser was in the family car business and not the sports car business. However, Darrin persisted and finally a meeting was set to view the prototype. Upon seeing the car for the first time, it was actually Henry Kaiser’s wife who insisted the car go in to production.
Mrs. Kaiser got her way and the first prototype appeared at the New York Auto Show in 1953, just beating Chevrolet’s Corvette to become America’s first fiberglass production sports car. Beyond the sweeping profile and heart-shaped grille, the Kaiser-Darrin 161 was most famous for its innovative pocket doors that disappeared into the front fenders on sliding tracks. Construction of the fiberglass bodies were outsourced to Glaspar of California, who had previous experience with making a sporty car under their own name. Power was courtesy of the Hurricane F-head inline six producing about 90 horsepower. Unfortunately, Kaiser Motors Corporation could not compete against the marketing might of GM and Ford, and after just 435 Darrins were built (all sold as 1954 models), Kaiser dropped out of passenger car production altogether.
Our featured Kaiser-Darrin, chassis number 161-1071, is a beautiful example that highlights a number of rare options. The car is presented in the rarest of Kaiser Darren colors, Robins Egg Blue. This exclusive livery is further verified by its trim tag showing special order paint code 999 and trim code 888. It is commonly believed that these cars were reserved for the Kaiser family or top executives. Though conclusive evidence of total production is lacking due to limited surviving records, it is believed that only 2 or 3 of these cars were produced in this color. This historic Darrin had been treated to a full restoration to concours standards approximately 20 years ago. This took place under previous ownership and remains in lovely condition today with the expected minor areas of aging over time. Its ownership history is known and traces back to the Kaiser family. Features include its original 80 hp, 161cid L-Head 6 cylinder Willys engine, 3-speed manual overdrive transmission, 3-position landau top, wire wheel hubcaps, wide white wall tires, heater and patented ‘Pocket’ doors.
The calling card of the Kaiser-Darrin is of course those unique forward-sliding pocket doors, which function properly on this car, revealing a beautifully restored interior. Part of the design brief by Darrin was that the interior would remain simple and elegant, not to overpower the purity of the body design. This car’s off-white upholstery complements the soft blue paintwork, while the black carpets provide some contrast. The instrument panel is finished in white fiberglass, with an upholstered blue pad covering the rest of the dash as original. Beneath the fiberglass hinged body panel resides a folding soft top in white vinyl, as original.
Lifting the hood reveals Kaiser’s robust “F-Head” inline six. The engine is fully detailed to a very high standard, and presented with correct colors, labels and fittings. As a passenger car engine, the Hurricane six was strong, reliable and reasonably efficient. The engine mates to a three speed manual transmission with overdrive.
Without a doubt one of the best Kaiser Darrins available, car number 71 benefits from long-term care in a major collection of important automobiles. It benefits from being expertly restored a number of years ago, and remains ready for enjoyment in any number of concours events or out on the road where the truly unique style and character can be appreciated by all.
