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Kaiser Darrin |
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fiberglass bodies and were made by Glasspar, a boat manufacturer who had the
equipment to properly produce the bodies. All were done in white gel coat with
the final color coat being applied at the factory, located in Jackson, Michigan. The 300 lb bodies were shipped via rail car where they were finished and
mounted on a modified Henry J chassis
which was modified by cutting off the rear section just ahead of the spring
mounts and then adding a special box frame section in its place. This
procedure was
done to make room for the Darrin body and the suspension used. All cars used
Henry J steering components and front suspensions. The car weighed in at
2175 lbs. |
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Modifications
to the Henry J Comparison Study |
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Americansportscars.com |
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Darrin History |
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Just in case it helps, the Darrin body was made from a Glasspar G2.
Bill Tritt told me "Dutch" Darrin bought a G2 and set it up on
stands and starting adding clay to get the shape he wanted. The
point being, it might be the same as a G2 on the inside, so any
frame mods made for a Glasspar might be the same as the ones for a
Darrin.
- Harold Pace |
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What Dutch Darrin used the G2 shell
for was to build a concept car on a Henry J chassis that was open
to re-design and re-engineering prior to the final pre-production
Kaiser Darrin. Henry J Kaiser's wife told HJ to build it after
seeing Darrin's first idea and sketches. Dutch was doing the new
body for the 1951 Kaiser sedans at the same time. - Hugh
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Note the windshield is about like
the Glasspar G2. - Hugh |
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I am in
process of restoring my father's Darrin. Here are two pictures of
my
frame after restoration. - Terry T. - |
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I took another look at Terry T's chassis.
Note the four round tubes in an X pattern over the rear Axel. That may
have been a factory up-grade to resolve twist problems with the 'Z'd
stock Henry J frame. The parts book photo does not have them.
Usually the illustrations in parts books are done from prototype photos
to get the books to the Dealers when the new model is introduced.
- Hugh |
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The modifications
performed on my Henry J frame to allow more seating height. |
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Henry Kaiser did not loose the
Willow Run Plant (former Ford B-17 factory) Kaiser merged with Willys.
At about the same time 2 GM plants burnt. GM bought the Willow Run site
to re-build the Hydra-matic manufacturing facility. Kaiser moved to
Toledo OH into the Willys plant. The original Kaiser Frazer company was
a merger of the old Graham-Paige factory (which Joe Frazer owned and the
Willow Run plant which Kaiser got from the government) [about the same
deal Tucker got] Kaiser also set up in South America once the Willys
merger was in place. In 1955 Henry Kaiser sold the car division to his
South American managers. Then sold Jeep to American Motors later. He was
not making money, but he did not go broke. Kaiser Industries lived on.
========== Harley Earl did not invent auto design - He started the first
in-company styling department in the auto industry at GM. Up to that
time car design was done by body companys or free-lance designers like
Brook Stevens. Stevens actually got started on a larger scale at Willys
Overland doing the Jeep wagon and 1st Jeepster. The first Detroit
International Airport was at Willow Run, too It used the old Ford
runways. As a kid I remember all the unfinished Kaiser sedan bodies
that were left on the site. When Kaiser made the deal with GM, they
left in a hurry.
- Hugh |
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