1954 kaiser Darrin Is this correct??

[jake]

 

[darrin145]

 The story I always heard is you get the emblem with regular wheel covers, no emblem with wires!
 I'm sure there'll be more comments. Gary.

[joefrazer]

That is correct. Regular caps meant the car was equipped with fender and trunk lid medallions.  Many cars have had wire caps added over the years.

[Gordie]

Were wire wheels ever an option for the Darrin?

[Gordie]

Were wire wheels ever an option on the Darrin?  I guess if they were they would also be available on the Henry J.

[pnw_oldmags]

[http]
http://circlekf.com/sourcesliderb.php?usr=jbetts&yr=all&mk=alls&cls=all&typ=PA&pub=KF&nbr=025b&modID=none&srcID=513&pag=000&action=go

This Accessory Bulletin says yes to the Henry J

Page 81 of the Darrin Parts Manual say Yes to the Darrin

[http:]
http://circlekf.com/kflit/PM//kfpm790//kfpm790081.jpg

[Gordie]

Thanks, that is good information to have especially for the Henry J but these references are for the wire spoke wheel covers not for wire Wheels.  The Henry J also had accessory stainless steel wheel trim rings also as well as the full size wheel cover.  They must be scarce.  Accessory Bulletin32 A.

[Terry T]

The wire wheel covers for the Darrin were a dealer installed option to help with sales.  Two types were available, with and without the emblem in the center.
Therefore, all Darrins were made with the full size hubcaps, same as 1952-54 Henry J's.  1951 caps were different and not correct for the Darrin.
Continuing with the "therefores", all Darrins came with the emblems on the front fenders.
One more therefore. Even if one upgraded a Darrin in restoration to include wire hub caps, fender emblems should remain if one wants to have the car "as it was built", which has been the mantra for Club judging.

Unfortunately, for years the Club has maintained that if you have wire hubcaps w/emblems, you cannot have emblems on the fenders, and would "dock" points in judging accordingly.

Granted, the car appears to look "busy" with emblems when both fenders and caps have emblems, but that is the way they would look back in 1954 unless the dealer or owner elected to take the fender emblems off, patch holes, and spot paint.

[DTort96646]

I own Darrin 357. Our dealership sold the Darrin new. The Darrin did not have emblems on the fenders when new, as it was ordered with the wire wheel hubcaps. The original customer wanted Kelsey Hayes Wire wheels and that is what was installed. I bought the Darrin from the original owner in 1968. The Kelsey Hayes wires are still on it although the original center caps are new.

[Terry T]

That indeed is a different wire than the wire hubcap.
The car your speak of  must have been a special order since the wire wheels were not common to the Darrin.
And being a special order, one could have removed the emblems on that order.

The wheels that you show do not have the typical Darrin medallion--looks like the HJ/Darrin horn button.

[DTort96646]

The wheels are real wire wheels with stainless steel hub caps. The hub cap has a K on a red background, not a HJ/Darrin horn button. Darrin 93 has wheel covers and fender medallions. Darrins 352, 354, and my 357 all do not have fender medallions. These 4 Darrins are Massachusetts cars. Darrin 352 was sold new in Springfield, MA and Darrin 357 was sold new in Westborough, MA. I also believe that if the vehicle was ordered with hub caps then medallions were on the fender, and if wire wheel covers were ordered then medallions were deleted. I seem to recall Andy Schroyer mentioning that bit of "therefore".