# 394

[darrin502]

Just got # 394 back from the paint shop looks great.
This will be restored as an original yellow Darrin.
It is still in the trailer so the color looks different in some of the pictures.
Now the work begins.
Lee

[joefrazer]

Looks great! One of these days, I'm going to get brave and take mine apart...

[darrin502]

Jim it’s more fun driving them. A darrin is a crowd magnet in almost any condition. Enjoying the car is everything.
Lee

[pjkaiser]

That's true, it is a money pit to take it apart and repair them correctly.  Not many know or want to work with fiberglass any more and do it correctly.   The original fiberglass is not very good compared to todays fiberglass and the body needs many points reinforced so that they don't crack after it's all put back together.   The body work is what makes this car expensive to restore.   If I knew then what I know now, I would never have done a frame-off restoration.   

[darrin502]

It’s a beautiful car when done, yes expensive to do right and a fair weather car but like all sports cars a true original. If it had come with a V8 with some horse power it might have changed everything. My white one with the Cadillac engine is more fun to drive then I can say. Nice to live in Arizona where I can drive it a lot.
If you are lucky enough to have one get it running and drive it and enjoy it.
I have been lucky enough to have owned, raced, restored, modified and enjoyed a Darrin since I was 16 years old I have collected 5 Darrins I am almost 74 and still race, restore, drive, and show them,it doesn’t get any better than this.
I have been a member of KFOCI since the 60’s and am having the best time of my life.
Thank you all for being so good to me and being my wife Carol and my friends. I have met a lot of great people through the club and hope to call all members our friends.
Lee

[darrin502]

#394
 is moving along again, just finished the chassis and mounted the body. Always feels good to be putting a car together to stay. Still have a ways to go but making progress.
This one will be original haven't done an original one before so I am learning about F head engines.

On another note cleaning the Darrin wire wheel covers,
 If your wife will let you put them in the dish washer and use the dish washer soap packets NOT THE POWDER. I put them all in at the same time and I do not remove the baskets. Do the centers by hand. I always found that cleaning the spokes was a real chore not any more.
They come out sparkling at least mine do.
I am in my new position now as Darrin registry director and with the help of many members I am finding many lost cars not really lost just not in the registry for one reason or another. I want to thank everyone for their kind well wishes and support.
Lee

[njpatera]

Just gorgeous!!