$45,000 was one of the first bids for the Kaiser Darrin of the year, the first fiberglass-bodied car in California.

This Kaiser Darrin, with an exceptional finish that revives its great design from yesteryear, was auctioned off yesterday after an interesting offer with incredible results.

yesterday closed the Kaiser Darrin premium auction with number 91 out of a total of 435 cars produced on the Bring a Trailer platform.. This unique two-seater owes its name to its creators: Kaiser Motors and automotive designer Howard "Dutch" Darrin, who already had the first six prototypes by 1954. It was one of the greatest achievements of this short-lived partnership, the main purpose of which was to compete with European manufacturers and roadster dealers who had already come a long way in the post-war US market.

The Kaiser Darrin was the first car made in the US, especially in California, to have a fiberglass body.. Its sliding doors, one of its main features, retracted under the body of the car, remaining hidden in its own compartment located behind the front wheels. This auctioned specimen was purchased in 2016 by its last owner, who spent some time dedicating himself to its restoration until it was completed last year. It is powered by a 161cc Hurricane engine. see with a three-speed manual transmission, plexiglass windscreens, a retractable soft top and a roof rack that can be used with the roof down.

Its interior features a single rear-view mirror located in the center of the dashboard, body-matched mint green synthetic leather seats, a cigarette lighter and ashtray, two hallmarks of the time, and a heater located under a luxurious padded instrument panel. which displays a 120 mph speedometer, tachometer and temperature, water, battery and fuel gauges. As for the exterior, the most outstanding, in addition to the doors, are the wheels, also made to match the rest of the elements.which are fitted with BFGoodrich Silvertown 5.90-15 white wall tires.

Since its inception, the Kaiser Darrin has been distinguished not by speed, but by exceptional design. Despite the competition, for its time it was an expensive car, the price of which was about $ 3,000.. However, it represents a legend of the American auto industry and an important part of its proud history, so by midweek the auction bid on Bring a Trailer was about $45,000, and yesterday the issue closed at $103,000. .

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