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John Ford - Ford Publishing 5/05/03 johnford@2fords.net |
1954
Kaiser
Howard 'Dutch' Darrin had designed the projected Frazer and Kaiser sedans for 1946, and the 1951 Kaiser sedans only to depart Kaiser in disgust on both occasions when he saw how his creations had been altered before production. On his own account he then designed a 2 seater glass fibre bodied sports car based on the Henry J drive train - including the 161 cu.in. 6 cyl. L head engine, which was eventually adopted for production by Henry Kaiser and called the Kaiser Darrin. Among the unusual features of the new car were sliding doors which slid forward into the front fenders creating a rather narrow entry and a completely removable rear deck lid, from seat back to bumper. As well as the running gear, production Kaiser bumpers, steering wheel, and dash controls were employed, the bodywork being made by Glasspar, several prototypes were built during 1953 and 435 production examples in '54. Listed at no less than $3668, which was more than the contemporary Cadillac 62 or Lincoln Capri. Following Kaisers departure from the US car making scene in late 1954, Darrin himself marketed the 100 or so remaining unsold cars, fitting a Cadillac V8 engine, for which the price was upped to $4350. It is believed that over 300 Kaiser Darrins survive to this day.
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