Emperor Darrin
| Emperor | |
|---|---|
 Emperor Darrin (1954). Note the door that disappears in the front fender.
|
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| Darrin | |
| Production period: | 1953-1954 |
| Class : | Sports car |
| Body versions : | Roadster |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 2.7 liters (66 kW) |
| Length: | 4674 mm |
| Width: | 1725 mm |
| Height: | 1295 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2540 mm |
| Empty weight : | 987 kg |
| successor | Darrin |
The Kaiser Darrin was an American sports car that the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation of Willow Run, Michigan , brought out in November 1953 as the "Model 1954". The vehicle was designed by Howard “Dutch” Darrin from Darrin Automotive Design . The Kaiser Darrin was presented on February 22, 1953.
Emperor Darrin
The two-door, two-seater convertible in the shape of a pontoon was one of the first cars to have a body made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic . The frame came from Henry J . The doors were designed as sliding doors and could be retracted into the front fenders for opening. The relatively small grille was shaped like a piece of cake and was attached with the point down. The tin roof could be locked in three positions.
The car had a six-cylinder in-line engine installed lengthways at the front with changeover control , 2639 cm³ displacement and 90 hp (66 kW) power at 4200 rpm , supplied by Kaiser-Frazer's subsidiary, Willys-Overland . The engine power was transmitted to the rear wheels via a manual three-speed gearbox.
Production was stopped in mid-1954. By Type 161 only 435 pieces were manufactured. Of these, 349 existing vehicles were known in April 1985.
Successor: Darrin
After the discontinuation of Kaiser Darrin, which was only offered for a short time, Howard Darrin produced this vehicle in a modified form on his own.
Model year 1955
Instead of a convertible, the new Darrin was a two-seater coupe. The remarkable door mechanism - an invention of Howard Darrin in 1922 - has been retained. Instead of the somewhat powerless Willys engine, the V8 of the Cadillac Eldorado was used. The overhead engine had a displacement of 5426 cc and developed 270 hp (198.5 kW) at 4600 rpm.
Model year 1956
In the following year, the otherwise unchanged Darrin received the 1956 Eldorado V8 engine with 5981 cm³ displacement and 305 hp (224 kW) at 4700 rpm.
Model year 1957
This year only one new engine came, again from the Cadillac Eldorado. It still had 5981 cm³ displacement, but developed 325 hp (239 kW) at 4800 rpm.
Model year 1958
In the last year of production, a more powerful Eldorado engine was used again. With the same displacement, it now developed 335 hp (246 kW) at 4800 rpm.
After four years the 50 bodies Darrin had bought from Kaiser-Willys were sold. This ended production.
literature
- John Gunnell (Editor): Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. 4th edition, Krause Publications Inc., Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87349-461-X .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Automobile Quarterly Volume 32, Issue 2.