Henry J. Kaiser was a great industrialist and organizer who made a fortune in cement and aluminum then revolutionized ship construction during WWII with the Victory and Liberty ship programs that supported the massive transfer of supplies to Great Britain, Europe and the Pacific. Following the war, Kaiser turned his talents and his organization to automobile construction both to utilize the industrial empire he had established and to fill the pent up demand for automobiles. His cars, like his ships, were functional and simple, built to do the job of transporting people much as the Liberty and Victory ships had transported supplies.
-----They also, however, lacked much stylish appeal, so in 1952 Howard "Dutch" Darrin convinced Kaiser management to put his fiberglass-bodied roadster into production to create a sporty image. Considerably lighter than Kaiser sedans, the Kaiser Darrin got decent performance from Kaiser's 161 cubic inch F-head six-cylinder engine and its design was both attractive and innovative, featuring a distinctive grille and a three-way landau top with an intermediate half-up position. Particularly notable were the doors which instead of opening conventionally on hinges slid forward into the Darrin's front fenders.
-----The Kaiser Darrin entered production in 1954 and only 435 were built, making them particularly rare and intriguing cars for collectors that will always draw interested spectators.
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-----This car retains it's original rebuilt 6 cylinder powerplant and 3 speed transmission with overdrive and is equipped with original Kaiser Darrin wire wheelcovers.