1954 Kaiser Darrin 161 Roadster

Howard 'Dutch' Darrin was a car designer who left his mark on many fine cars, including some of the great custom-bodied Packards of the Golden Age. His swansong was a vision for an American sports car with truly remarkable design features for the 1950s. Known simply as 'the Darrin,' his two-seater sports car competed with Chevrolet's Corvette — both used fiberglass bodies — but Darrin's use of sliding 'pocket' doors that fully disappeared into the front fenders was a remarkable feat of engineering.

Long front fenders blend seamlessly into the low-cut doors, a signature of Darrin's designs. Several events conspired to doom the car and just 435 were built. This example, number 302 out of the 435 built, received a body-off-the-frame restoration and mechanical rebuild of the engine.

It remains in beautiful condition, kept in climate-controlled environments. Perhaps too far ahead of its time, the Kaiser Darrin remains a beautifully styled car and one that is seldom seen today.