1954 Kaiser Darrin VIN 161001105 History Records



# Car ID 2057193 Internal Car Identification Number
Make Kaiser The name of car manufacturer
Model Darrin Model of a car
Trim Car Trim
Production Year 1954 The year of production
Wheel System Type of Wheel System
Body Type Body Type of the vehicle. Like Convertible, Hatchback, Sedan, etc.
Maximum Seating Total number of seats available.
Transmission 3-Speed Manual Type of Transmission: detailed description
Engine Type The engine configuration. Eg: I4, V6, etc.
Engine Displacement The measure of the cylinder volume swept by all of the pistons
Fuel Type Dominant type of fuel ingested by the vehicle.
Fuel Tank Volume Fuel tank's filling capacity in gallons
Wheelbase Wheelbase in inches
Width Width in inches
Height Height in inches
Back Legroom Back Legroom in inches
Power Power and RPM produced by an engine.
Torque Torque produced by an engine.
Horsepower Horsepower is the power produced by an engine.
City Fuel Economy Fuel economy in city traffic in km per litre
Highway Fuel Economy Fuel economy in highway traffic in km per litre
Listing Color UNKNOWN   Dominant color group from the exterior color.
Exterior Color Pine Tint Exterior dominant color of the vehicle
Interior Color Pine Tint Pincrush Interior dominant color of the vehicle
Is New False If True means the vehicle was launched less than 2 years before 2020.
Owners Counter of previous owners
Salvage False Shows if a car was salvaged
Theft Title False Shows if a car was previously stolen
Has Accidents False Shows if a car had accidents in the past
Frame Damaged False Shows if a car has damaged frame
Days On Market 293 The number of days a car is on the market
City Saint Louis City where vehicle has recently been located
Dealer ZIP 63114 ZIP code of a dealer
Seller St Louis Car Museum The entity name selling a car
Seller Rating 5        The rating of a car seller
Mileage 61138.0 mi. Mileage of a vehicle
Price US$ 119000.0 Last price of a vehicle in US$
URL Kaiser Darrin VIN decoder Decode this VIN and get a complete report.
VIN 161001105 Vehicle Identification Number is a unique encoded string for every vehicle.


Major Options / Build:

Additional Description: Only two documented owners from new, with the last maintaining possession since 1957! Having been cosmetically restored in 2005, this 61,000-mile gem has received all the right attention mechanically by Bob Dunn of Custom Auto in 2008 to be an outstanding road car! This represents #105/435 produced! Superb blue-chip investment from the design legend, Dutch Darrin! As the European sports car market invaded the United States after WWII, American auto manufacturers took notice. Very few, if any, produced a 2-seater oriented sports car. By the early 1950's, Jaguar, Austin Healey, Triumph, MG and other small English sports cars were finding garages in the United States, not to mention Alfa Romeo, Porsche, etc. Pushing an effort to supply a unique 2-seater for the Kaiser brand was designer Howard "Dutch" Darrin, a renowned automotive stylist for Packard and Duesenberg. Although, the longtime sedan oriented Henry J. Kaiser was a tough sell on pushing such an automobile, his selection of traditional family style automobiles was a major focus to save his namesake in an ever-growing market where larger firms were eating up their competition. Darrin was able to push his stunning Roadster with disappearing doors that slid into the front fenders forward to production, some say with the prodding of Mrs. Kaiser after seeing the design, so it would appear at the 1953 New York auto show with many admirers. Kaiser Motors was struggling as whole to stay alive, so only 435 Roadsters would be produced, and today represent the last of Dutch Darrin automotive legacy. Offered here is a 1954 Kaiser Darrin 161 Roadster finished in factory code correct Pint Tint Green over Pint Tint Pincrush Vinyl upholstery with matching Vinyl Convertible Top. Powered by its original Continental 161ci Hurricane F-Head Inline 6 Cylinder Engine with factory Carter YF carburetion producing an approximate 90 horsepower, and 3-speed overdrive manual transmission. Features include wire spoke wheels, BF Goodrich Silvertown 6.50-15 wide whitewall tires, full dash instrumentation, wide turn signals, Plexiglas windscreens, engine oil filtration system, heat/defrost, tinted windscreen, front & rear bumper guards, fitted side curtains, and more! This example was sold new from Lettier's Garage, a Kaiser/Willys Dealership based in Hazleton, PA to a Pottsville, PA owner. After 4 years of ownership, an ad was placed in the local paper that attracted a new owner, Mr. Dixon. With only 7,000 miles on the odometer, he drove his new car home to show the family in 1957! It would never trade hands again until acquired by the St. Louis Car Museum! The Dixon family enjoyed using this Kaiser Darrin regularly through approximately 1967 before it would get parked in the garage. It would be in 1984, when the owner's son, John Dixon, would convince his dad to bring their special Darrin to their Fort Lauderdale residence to restore and enjoy once again. John would fly to their Pennsylvania home, conduct only minor maintenance to include new plugs & points, new battery, fresh engine oil and fuel, then drive some 1300 miles to Florida without incident! Once in Florida, it would be enjoyed only sparingly until the father's passing. It was then sent back to a PA restoration house in 2005 for a cosmetic restoration. This included new exterior paint in the correct, factory color, new interior upholstery material sourced from the Kaiser-Fraser Club, along with correct convertible top. Upon completion in 2008, it would come back to Florida and find its way to Bob Dunn of Custom Auto to ensure the mechanicals were in order. At this time, it had less than 57,000 original miles. Bob elected to replace the clutch & pressure plate, rebuild the generator & water pump, most engine gaskets, new voltage regulator, exhaust system, ignition system, and all fluids. Upon completion, John Dixon would enjoy seasonably for about 3,500 miles through April 2018. Today, the odometer reads only 61,138 miles! After arrival to the St. Louis Car Museum, we changed the engine oil/filter, heater hoses, rebuilt the bouncing tachometer along with replacing the cable, replaced the front kingpins, installed new transmission mounts, changed the transmission fluid, repacked front wheel bearings, both headlights, replaced fresh air ducting, adjusted parking brake, and topped off the rear axle grease. Overall, it was already largely ready to enjoy! Showcasing a 13-year-old restoration, it presents today as a largely original example. Complete with extra keys, all tire changing tools include spare tire cover, side curtains, and documented ownership history. Please feel free to call with additional questions or submit an offer before it's too late! Priced aggressively for the market considering its condition! Act quickly!

Recalls are a well-established global practice; from time to time they are announced by almost all manufacturers of not only cars, but also any other industrial products. But since a car is considered a source of increased danger, it is recalls in the automotive industry that attract the most attention and cause the greatest resonance. Check if your car is covered by a recall campaign. Sometimes manufacturers will recall their cars because of substandard parts or workmanship and repair them for free, regardless of the warranty. This is called a recall campaign. More information on 1954 Kaiser DARRIN recalls can be found in this database. It may be useful to use online problems resource that shows automotive defect patterns, based on complaint data submitted by vehicle owners. The problems are organized into groups with data published by vehicle, component, and specific issue. See also an updated list of 1954 Kaiser DARRIN problems before buying a used car. In most cases, the recall is initiated by the manufacturer. But it also happens that it is forced to do so. The largest and most scandalous recall campaigns were those that were initiated by complaints and lawsuits from consumers through controlling state structures.


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