Author Topic: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors  (Read 1478 times)

mims

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Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« on: March 24, 2019, 09:29:49 PM »
https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/kaiser/darrin/2246317.html?refer=alert
Gullwing Motors has a yellow Darrin for sale in Hemmings for $69,500, but the ad does not say what # the car is.

pjkaiser

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2019, 08:32:41 AM »
Doesn't look too bad for the price.

54 Darrin # 81
53 Kaiser Traveler Deluxe
51 Custom Henry J (Concept Car?)

Roadmaster49

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2019, 06:11:15 PM »
Wheel correctness?  Or could Darrins come with various wheel or cap options?
No old cars owned.

jake

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2019, 03:40:58 AM »
https://www.orlandoautomuseum.com/vehicles/1212/1954-kaiser-darrin

Remove the fuel bowl before you drive it.. FYI..
« Last Edit: March 31, 2019, 03:42:47 AM by jake »
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joefrazer

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2019, 07:11:22 AM »
Darrins could be equipped one of three ways...full size wheel covers borrowed from the 1952-54 Henry J or wire wheel covers with a removable center cap. The wire covers were also used by many other manufacturers as well, a couple that come to mind are Nash and Plymouth. Lastly, on the early Darrins a wire wheel cap with a small spinner was available. Few cars were so equipped and today, fewer have them because they were fragile and easily curb damaged.

Wire wheels themselves, like those pictured in the ad, were purportedly also made available late in the run to use up stock, but I'm not sure that's true. I'm sure someone will chime in with a better answer. In any case, the center caps on the pictured car are incorrect - they're from a Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth and are much more common than the correct units which are actually modified Henry J poverty caps.

This car has the early style cap on it - https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25593/lot/499/

The Orlando museum car linked in this thread has the correct HJ wheel cover on it. Note that the filler valve is positioned above the K in the 12 o'clock position. In 1952, the valve position was changed from the 6 o'clock position to the 12 o'clock position because of the 1952 HJ Virginian's continental spare. The filler valve on it needed to be at the 12 o'clock position so the valve position was changed to keep the K upright when the wheel cover was placed on the external spare tire.

kaiserfrazerlibrary

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2019, 08:47:47 AM »
One oif the more interesting aspects of the Darrin is that the company made dozens of running changes during production.  Some were structural (chassis) others were right out in the open.  When a change was made, the change was charted on the "Big Board" at Jackson MI showing what production number the change occurred AND which prior production cars were upgraded at Jackson, Experimental Engineering or ???.

The changes off the board were documented in a series of memos issued by the Darrin's production engineering team.  I acquired a set of the memos and transcribed them for KFOCI HANDBOOK.  The contents of the memos with all the engineering notes on cars involved is in Version 5.0 in the section on 1954 Kaiser Motors products.

Roadmaster49

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2019, 08:08:10 AM »
Thanks. Always like learning.  I prefer the basic chrom-ey wheel cover from the Orlando car.  It compliments the Darrin without taking your eyes away from it.  The 1st thing my eyes went to on the Gullwing car were the wheels. 
No old cars owned.

njpatera

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2019, 09:42:53 AM »
I recall one Darrin owner that mentioned his was ordered (I would assume fitted at the dealer)with KH wire rims and not the standard steel wheel. If so, I would think the KHs would be chromed and not painted.
Regards,
Noah

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Gordie

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2019, 03:28:51 PM »
Chrysler products offered wire wheels as late as 1934 while Ford and Chevrolet used them through 1935 and all were painted.   Around 1951 a couple of wheel manufacturers had already started making them again as a high end luxury item to compete with foreign manufacturers and by 1952 Kaiser offered them and by 1954 most manufacturers had them available but they were an expensive option.  Soon wire wheel hub caps were on the market for a similar look and a much less cost.  Kaiser offered them both in 1952 and they were available until the stock ran out in about 1954.  The wheels on this green car are not original Kaiser and were probably painted because they were rusty and no longer looked good in chrome.
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rialto

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Re: Darrin for sale by Gullwing Motors
« Reply #9 on: April 09, 2019, 07:02:50 PM »
Plymouth and Dodge used the same Detroit Motor wire Wheel as Kaiser. Kaiser only offered chrome wire wheels. Plymouth and Dodge offered both chrome and body colored wire wheels. Chrysler,DeSoto and Imperial used a different spoke pattern than Kaiser.