Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Darrin Forum => Topic started by: Gordie on May 08, 2010, 01:18:26 PM
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Hi, My copy of the Darrin owners manual is marked first edition, copyright 1954 Was there ever another one issued? In earlier Kaiser and Frazer owners manuals they could be marked first edition but there were actually differences in later printings even though they were all marked first edition. Frazer used up left over GP manuals for months after the GP cars were out of production.
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Supposedly a preliminary owner's manual was printed for the Darrin. I was told this by the late Ray Tomb. I wroted an article on OMs for the Quarterly years ago and it is on my website in slightly different form.
http://www.kfnut.com/articles/OM.html (http://www.kfnut.com/articles/OM.html)
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Thanks Ben, I will check it out. Was there a separate Facts Book for the Darin? There is no mention of the Darrin in the 1954 Kaiser Facts Book I did read this great article that Ben wrote for us. If you want a complete history of K-F owners manuals check this article out easily with the link that Ben provided!
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As far as I know, there was no facts book or other related publication issued for the Darrin. There are some Service Bulletins and those, combined with the owners manual and Darrin parts book (called Parts List), issued May, 1954 comprise the available non-advertising literature for a Darrin.
Several years ago, the Darrin owners manual was reprinted. It's an excellent copy and the only notation of the reprint is on the back page.
I've not seen the preliminary OM mentioned, but given that KF did this for some of their other models, it would make sense that a Darrin version could exist.
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One note on the reprinted Darrin OM. The only indication that it is a reprint is on the back or last page. I know of instances where these have been on ebay with notation that the last page is missing. I wonder why :)
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There were two different "fact books" of sorts issued by Kaiser-Willys sales Corporation dealing with the Kaiser-Darrin at least that I know of. The first came out in early 1954; it has a green cover and black lettering, called 1954 KAISER FEATURES. It lists 1954 Henry J, 1954 Kaiser Early Special and Manhattan models, and the last section covers the Kaiser-Darrin 161 Sports car with sales features and specifications. The other item I have is called KAISER-WILLYS SALESMANSHIP. It was a "textbook" for Kaiser-Willys dealer salespeople attending factory sales training courses. It has two pages in it covering sales points on the Kaiser Darrin sports car with a separate section (in with Willys branded vehicles) on the F-head 6. The Kaiser-Darrin section of this book was written by KFOCI member Guy Hadsall who was once a field sales rep for Willys-Overland and a sales trainer (plus rep) for Kaiser-Willys into 1956.
While there was a third book for Willys and Kaiser cars, I don't know if it contains a Darrin section as well. There were no Darrin-specific books like there were for the Kaiser in 1954.
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I have the 1954 Willys data book and there is a mention and small picture of the Kaiser and Darrin and says "Kaiser today offers a new line of six passenger cars and the first full production line all plastic bodied sports car". The 164 page data book contains no other mention of the Darrin or full size Kaiser but has much info on the Willys products. The two variations of the '54 Kaiser Facts book makes no mention of the Darrin at all.
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Gordie, I am in Yreka. Expected you would show as it is in your state!
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I am saving my money for Texas and San Diego. I do not have a running K-F product in CA at this time. Hopefully I can get the GP Frazer to CA soon. Thanks! I would love to be there.