Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum

General Category => Darrin Forum => Topic started by: joefrazer on April 01, 2019, 08:29:45 PM

Title: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: joefrazer on April 01, 2019, 08:29:45 PM
Everyone is aware of the Darrin Jr pedal cars that were available at the same time as its bigger cousin. Here's a link to the Studebaker version. This one appears to have been motorized. While it's not about a Darrin, I found it an interesting read anyway.

http://www.jrcentral.com/studebakerlarkette.html
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: pjkaiser on April 01, 2019, 09:53:02 PM
Let's remember that the Darrin Jr. was a coaster car not a pedal car.   The originals had a brake only.   I have current pictures of the Pedal car that was in the 1973 Quarterly and is with the owner, Luis Salvarrieta, in Las Vegas, if there is any interest, they are in a previous post.   Those original Darrin Jr's were built by the Arrow company, the same company that built the Autopia rides for Disneyland.   
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: jake on April 01, 2019, 10:16:34 PM
Here is a picture.

That a kaiser member made.
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon) on April 02, 2019, 12:11:25 AM
Wonderful !!!  I wonder how many was Made ?
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: pjkaiser on April 02, 2019, 08:14:04 AM
According to the article there were 56 made by Arrow Development Co.   I have the history of Arrow but the file is too large to down load. 

I have an original unrestored Geon Rigid Vinyl body, The only one in existence as far as I know, that has all the original markings.  Luis's has been restored.

Fiberglass molds were made from these and quite a few were made.  Others will know how many there are out there.   I will have one done for the nationals.
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: joefrazer on April 02, 2019, 11:22:22 AM
I was the person who spearheaded the project to reproduce the Darrin pedal car bodies in fiberglass. I don’t recall the exact count, I think the number made was somewhere north of 30.

The mold still exists so if there’s enough interest, more could be produced.
Title: Re: Not a Darrin...but...
Post by: jake on April 02, 2019, 11:28:47 PM
I found the letter that was sent out to members to buy them..

What year was it? maybe 1983?