1954 Kaiser Darrin Roadster

[jake]

 

[Aeroman]

Interesting car, appears to have 1950 Studebaker headlight rings built into the fenders and a 1955(?) Ford steering wheel and hub cap. Anyone know what that horn-looking thing is coming off the cylinder head below the carb? The ads claims "easy restoration" - I don't think so. But it would be a neat car with those Stewdee headlights. I'm sure Dutch is rolling over in his grave...

[Fid]

Anyone know what that horn-looking thing is coming off the cylinder head below the carb?

It looks like a "Wolf Whistle" or something similar which were available in the '50s.  The cable going to it indicates that. You pull the cable, it lets in hot air and the horn lets out a loud shrill whistle. They were outlawed because they sounded too much like a siren and confused drivers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ORIGINAL-HOLLYWOOD-WOLF-WHISTLE-HORN-WORKS-1950s-HOT-ROD-RAT-ROD-/391470201955?hash=item5b25713c63:g:uF8AAOSwAuNW5nzF&vxp=mtr

That's what it looks like and I think the ebay ad confirms it.

[joefrazer]

It looks like someone was trying to stiffen the frame - check out the large angle iron brace behind the engine. Russ Spalding, a photographer for Kaiser-Frazer, had a Darrin that had an x-member added to stiffen the frame. He claimed it made the difference.

[warren]

Is this the Darrin for sale up in New York for $56.5k?  That car had the same angle iron frame behind the engine with strut running fore and aft. I considered buying that car and made a reduced price offer which the seller did not accept, thank god, i would have been unhappy if I had paid what I offered for a car in as poor a shape as it was.