Sportscar Specials Trend Book #196: 1960 Multiple Cars … Continue reading
Category Archives: Darrin and Kaiser Darrin
Plastic Bodies For Home Production Hop Up Magazine: April, 1953 First known photo of a Victress S1A sports car. Person next to car is Jim Byers. Most likely the First Victress S1. … Continue reading
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Hi Gang… I love the history of Howard “Dutch” Darrin and his postwar sports cars – most of them built in fiberglass. Although we mostly know him for the Kaiser Darrin sports car with sliding doors, he actually designed and … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re working hard here at Forgotten Fiberglass to compile and archive a copy of every postwar automotive magazine from 1947 to 1960. These are essential to documenting the era and the stories that abound on building your own … Continue reading
Hi Gang… I love vintage press release photos – and there have been some great treasure troves of information “found” out there on ebay as newspapers divest themselves of their silver nitrate based photo collections of many decades. Recently, I … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When good friend and automotive historian Bob Cunningham shared a photo he saw on the internet that featured the 1946 Darrin fiberglass car and Santa Claus – I was hooked and had to have it. The photo, that … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Sports Car Illustrated started out with their first issue in July of ’55 and met with great success. One year later they released a special edition (one issue only) titled “International Auto Salon.” While I’m still researching if … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re off and running for 2012 and Forgotten Fiberglass – and it’s only 11 days into the New Year! Earlier this week I posted information about an upcoming Concours d’ Elegance in the first half of the year … Continue reading
Hi Gang… What a long article this is – but worth the read in every way 🙂 I’ve been putting off sharing this article with you not because it wasn’t important – it is. The article was printed just after a … Continue reading
Hi Gang… When’s the last time you visited a Smorgasbord? I grew up in the ‘60s and it became a word our family used quite a bit. These were the first “buffets” that I can remember and this is exactly … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Appreciation of cars knows no boundaries. And that has led to a great friendship with Rik Hoving – Custom Car aficionado who lives in the Netherlands. Rik is one of the best sources out there on history of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… “King of the Coachbuilders” That’s what Motor Trend called Howard “Dutch” Darrin back in early ’53 – and with good reason. His accomplishments in design and coachbuilding in the prewar years was legendary and his connection with the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… John Bond, editor and owner of Road & Track Magazine was on the cutting edge. It was in February 1953 when official word was released from Kaiser-Frazer that the “Darrin Sports Car” would become the “Kaiser Darrin.” And … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Recently, I’ve begun to realize we have a new celebrity in the world of fiberglass from the ’40s and ’50s. I began to realize this, once I started to really dig into the research of Howard “Dutch” Darrin. It … Continue reading
Hi Gang… This is the first in a series of short articles about the introduction of the Kaiser Darrin sports car. I’ve been fortunate to be working with a great team on researching the early history of this car including: … Continue reading
Hi Gang… More neat stuff to share about the debut of the Kaiser Darrin…. Darren Swanson and I are working on an exact timeframe for all of the details of the debut of the Kaiser Darrin. We’re also working with … Continue reading
Hi Gang… We’re on a quest. A Kaiser-Darrin history quest. When did the Darrin sports car debut? And….when did it officially become the Kaiser Darrin 161 sports car? Inquiring minds want to know. I know we can look it up in … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Let no one say that vintage fiberglass is long gone and forgotten. Actually….I can’t think of a more exciting category of cars that is rising in fame, interest, respect, and celebration as quickly as our glass beauties. “Let no … Continue reading
Hi Gang… Rick D’Louhy and I are trying to paint a picture – a fiberglass picture – of the 1950’s. To do so we’re assembling all known articles big and small. And…. laying on top of the articles is the … Continue reading
Hi Gang… “Watch 1953…..Plastic bodies are not only the coming thing – they have come, and they are too good not to stay”. That’s what Jim Potter, managing editor of Motor Trend wrote in December 1952 – and he was exactly right. … Continue reading
Hi Gang… There’s so much information about vintage fiberglass cars – if you know where to look. One of my favorite pieces of information comes from the 1954 Trend Book Titled “Manual of Building Plastic Cars”. What a gem of … Continue reading
Hi Gang… As promised….a story a day for 2 weeks….then Rick and I are going on another cross-country road trip to save a number of fiberglass relics. I think Robert Frost once wrote about vintage fiberglass cars and the act of saving them…..”miles to … Continue reading