1954 Kaiser Darrin – Project Profile

Pull up a chair, dear reader. We’d like to talk to you about doors. No, not the legendary American rock band led by Jim Morrison, actual doors. Specifically car doors, because those featured on this Kaiser Darrin are pretty unique.

Now, as far as topics of conversation go, many would no doubt argue that discussing car doors is up there with weighing up the weather and debating the history of accountancy when it comes to tedious topics (we hope our finance department isn’t reading this), but to those of us afflicted with this fanatical love of all things classic cars, it’s actually pretty interesting.

Normal car doors are just so mundane, don’t you think? Opening and shutting in the most humdrum of ways. Pull the handle and the door opens outwards. We’ve all seen it a thousand times before. How uninspiring. But what about those doors that open in unique and unconventional ways? It’s what makes cars like the Lamborghini Countach, DeLorean DMC-12, and BMW Z1 so alluring. With scissor, gullwing and drop down doors respectively, these cars are exciting. Yes, they have other redeeming features that contribute to their overall appeal but those funky doors play a huge part in that charm.

And that’s exactly the case with this Kaiser Darrin. Like the aforementioned Beemer, the doors slide rather than operate on a hinge but unlike the Z1, these doors slide sideways rather than down, fitting neatly into the front wings when open. It’s a characteristic unique to the Darrin and was included due to designer Howard “Dutch” Darrin’s aversion to conventional doors, and along with the beautifully penned fibreglass body, they remain a standout feature of the car.

What is it?

With only 435 examples being produced in a single year (not including a handful of prototypes), the Kaiser Darin could easily be included in either our Have You Ever Heard Of or Cult Classic series, but seeing as how this one needs finishing off we thought we would make it the focus of this week’s Project Profile.

Along with the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet’s Corvette, the Darrin was produced by Kaiser Motors as America’s answer to the new wave of European roadster imports that were beginning to take hold in the US.

Fitted with a 2.6-litre six-cylinder the Darrin was more about looks than outright performance, although thanks to that fibreglass body it was a light car and so the need for a whopping great V8 wasn’t necessarily warranted. The fact that the company couldn’t afford to either develop one itself or buy a bunch in from Oldsmobile is besides the point. The fact remains that the Darrin is an incredibly handsome slice of ’50s automotive Americana. The keen-eyed sci-fi fans among you will also no doubt recognise it as Cooper Howard’s whip in the recent Fallout TV series.

Why is it a project?

One of just two UK examples, this Kaiser Darrin (previously a California car) was treated to a full body restoration and complete engine strip and rebuild in 2022, meaning that a large portion of the work to see this car back on the road has already been completed.

There are obviously some things left to finish, however. Whilst most mechanical parts are reportedly present for completion it will all need bolting back together. The engine and gearbox need to be fitted, the bumpers, although re-chromed, will need to be installed, the wheels require refurbishment and the seats need re-trimming and fitting, along with the rest of the interior. Up to the challenge?

What should you look for?

The condition of the car thanks to the restoration work, as well as the reported engine rebuild, means there’s likely little to be concerned about when it comes to the powertrain and body. The main issue we would have is the inclusion and availability of parts. This is an incredibly rare, low production model and so sourcing the necessary bits and bobs to finish the build could be a prohibitive factor when it comes to taking it on as a project. With that in mind do your research. Find out exactly what’s included in the sale and what is still required and whether or not parts from similar era cars can be used in place of original OEM equipment.

The body, chassis and underside of the car look to be in great shape, as evinced by the numerous pictures included with the listing, as well as the walk around video that’s also provided but you can contact the seller directly should you require any additional info by using our auction comments system and you can easily request a viewing too.

What should you do with it?

For those of you that crave a little exclusivity you can do a lot worse than this hen’s teeth Kaiser Darrin. Not only is it a super rare slice of American automotive history but it really does look the business, especially with those sliding doors. All you essentially need to do is refresh the parts that still require a little bit of TLC and then put the thing back together.

Before you know it you’ll be turning heads and sparking conversations wherever you choose to drive it. Way more evocative than a Ford or a Chevy the Darrin dared to be different, and so should you by bidding on this beauty.