CLARENCE, N.Y. — A 1954 Kaiser Darrin convertible Model 161 #96 sped past its high estimate to take $48,600, including buyer’s premium, at Schultz Auctioneers June 14 auction of sports, postcards, music, antiques and more. The winner was a private collector bidding by phone. If Kaiser Darrin, or Darrin for short, doesn’t register as a household name from the 50s, there’s a reason for that. The American sports car was designed by Howard “Dutch” Darrin and built by Kaiser Motors for the 1954 model year. The car was named both for Henry J. Kaiser, head of Kaiser Motors, and Darrin. Conceived to compete one-on-one with European roadsters that were coming into the United States following World War II, it faced its own competition domestically against marques like the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette. Only 435 of the rocket-nosed cars were built, and their high price tag, lack of traction with consumers and practical challenges with their design combined to yield low sales. The upside to the car in this sale was in its brief catalog description: “Runs and Drives.” The lot included a roll of material to restore the convertible’s top. There were many more rarities in the 542-lot auction, and additional highlights will be discussed in a follow-on review.