Stahl's Automotive Foundation Pictures

[shadetree77]

Spent the day at the Stahl's Automotive Foundation in Chesterfield, MI yesterday. Amazing collection!! Highly recommend a stop here if you're ever in the area. Make sure you check with them first because they are only open a couple of days a week. Anyway, here are some of the MANY photos I took. Few of them aren't specifically Kaiser/Frazer but are KF related in a way being either Graham-Paige or Darrin designed. Notice the '54 Darrin has a Cadillac V8 in it! Enjoy!

[shadetree77]

More.

[shadetree77]

More..

[joefrazer]

Great pictures of great cars!

About 15 years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a '39 Graham Spirit of Motion (Sharknose). It ran and drove but needed brakes - the seller wanted all of $3000 for it. I passed and now regret that decision!

[shadetree77]

I would imagine so! Very unique car. I was talking to the curator Bill and he was telling me that it's a blast to drive. He said you can hear the supercharger whine when it kicks in and that there's nothing quite like it. While I'm at it, I forgot to add these two photos.

[DTort96646]

That Darrin was the one sold at Amelia Island in January of 2014.

[Gordie]

Thanks for sharing these great cars with us.  Another reason to have a National meet again some time soon in the greater Detroit area.  There are many wonderful museums there and lots of automotive history.  You couldn't see all of the fine museums there in a week!

[Terry T]

The Darrin in Stahl's Museum is S/N 430.  It had a Chevy 283 in it prior to the Caddy engine. 
The one sold at Amelia Island, was S/N 23.  It was an unrestored original car with  an original Willys 161 in it prior to the re-power.  I drove that car prior to it being  purchased.
The same man bought both cars and re-powered them.
Stahl's people claim that the Caddy was put in by Dutch.

[DTort96646]

 Well, if you say so, but by looking at the pictures posted by Shadetree77, that is Darrin #23. The wheels, the shifter, the air cleaner, the color, and the dual tailpipes all identical to the car sold at Amelia Island. Darrin #430 is listed as Champagne and belonging to Fred Roth. There must be 2 perfect copies out there.

[joefrazer]

Darrins built before S/N 50 used "X" stitched upholstery. Either the pictured car was swapped to the later style, or it isn't #23.

I had car #30 it had the "X" stitch style in it.

[DTort96646]

The photos posted for the Amelia Island auction show the ID plate with the number 161-1023. The car was originally champagne with the X-stitch upholstery etc. but was all redone in pine tint with green upholstery and the Cad engine with updated suspension and a Tremec transmission. Google [1954Kaiser Darrin Amelia Island 2014] and see the photo display. I'm just stating an observation not fiction.

[Terry T]

Fred Roth sold the car.
I called Fred after my visit to Stahl's and mentioned to him about the false claim of the Dutch provenance.
Here are pics of Fred's car before sale and at Stahl's after restoration.

Understand that the man who bought both of these cars, as well as a third, did not restore true to the cars.
He restored them for resale, not get judged by KFer's.
Of course they are "perfect copies"--work done at the same shop--paid for by the same man.

I personally watched these cars get redone on a weekly basis just down the road from my home.

I might not have the years behind me as some of you "experts", but I know of what I speak, at least in this matter!

No foolin' in this new year.

[DTort96646]

Thank you for the photos. Documentation speaks for itself. It's always nice to see Darrin's on display. Now there are  at least 2 Pine Tint Darrins that have Cad engines.

[Gordie]

It is nice that Terry maintains a history of all of the known Darrin's.  Some of these buyers will get a shock if they join the club and inquire about their cars.

[Terry T]

Thanks Gordie.

Here are some interesting pics of the other Darrin, #23, that was part of this thread.
Understand that this was an unrestored/original car when I documented it... after a 4 1/2 hour drive each way, I might add.

The direction of the door handles will surprise those that think other wise.
Note reinforcements of hood and deck lid long before these improvements were put into production.  My #39 did not have them.