My dad's old '48 Custom is for sale on ebay

[Fid]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1948-kaiser-manhattan-/332121393023?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4d53fa477f:g:KB4AAOSw3v5YnjOG&item=332121393023

This is the one my dad had. Super rare, with factory leather upholstery. We drove it to the national in Dearborn in '74 and  then to Toronto and onto Washington DC. We heard Nixon resign on the radio in this car. I've spoken of it many times on here.  It's a truly unique car.
I've got a home movie of it parked in the lot at the Dearborn factory in '74.  The ad says it's "Been in storage for 50 years" which is not true. Dad sold it in 1981 to a fellow in Omaha who owned it only about a year when  he sold it to the current owner in Des Moinse.  No matter, doesn't change what it is. It looks like the aftermarked hood ornament was removed at some point.

[MarkH]

Nice looking car.
Going to bid on it?

[r1lark]

Really really nice car!

[Fid]

Going to bid on it?

I'm not planning on it. About 10 years ago my dad was trying to buy it back but now neither he nor I am interested in acquiring any more cars. This one is a very unique example.

[flamingchariots]

Does the hood look sprung, or is it just maybe not closed completely?
I wish sellers would say whether it runs and drives...

[Roadmaster49]

Fid
That is interesting. It always helps to have forum members know about cars we spot.  I live in Des Moines, and try to attend car shows around here. I have never seen a KF at any car show in the last 17 years.  I take that back, a Darrin rolled through the Des Moines Concours in 2015, but not sure it was a local car. 

It amazes me that cars are right under our noses, that interest us, and we never know.  That's why I think cars are still around and will come out of garages and collections for years. 

The auction content is sad.  The seller has paragraphs of type to add if he wants and chooses to tell a potential buyer one line of information and asks that buyer to spend thousands of dollars on the one line of information and a few photos.

Yes you can call him, but this reads like a Craigs List ad that somebody said "let's put it on ebay". 

Love the Patina of that leather.

[Fid]

The auction content is sad.  The seller has paragraphs of type to add if he wants and chooses to tell a potential buyer one line of information and asks that buyer to spend thousands of dollars on the one line of information and a few photos.

Yes the ad should have a more of a description.  One thing the seller doesn't mention, and it could come back to bite him (or her) is  the front seat has been redone.  When dad had it fixed in 1979 or so, he could not afford to have it done back in leather so it's vinyl.  Here's what it looks like (picture taken from that ad)


Compare that do the back  seat which is still original (as is all arm rest in that front seat picture)



Somewhere I have a letter that Tom Rankine (KFOC founder) sent to dad advising him that if he ever have the upholstery redone to only do it in the correct type of leather.  It would have been nice but dad was not made of money in those days so he had to settle for vinyl on that front seat. He used to say if he ever got it back he'd have it redone right.

Still a worthy car no matter how you look at.

[Fid]

I found a picture of this :

That picture is  not the same car. The hood ornament on the one dad owned was a swan with red plastic wings.  Also, the car in that pic is not a Custom.  No rocker trim and no 'Custom' script on fender flank. A '48 Custom is super rare.

[Gordie]

I don't know if you guys noticed but this seller is selling two other cars also and one is a "Supercharged" '54 Kaiser Manhattan.  I have never seen that emblem on a '54 before.  It has higher bids than the '48.

[Carpenter]

Where is the 54 sale information?

[r1lark]

Where is the 54 sale information?

Go to the eBay ad for the '48, then click on the "See other items" just under the seller name and feedback rating. This will take you to a list of all the items that seller is running on eBay.

Looks like that '54 could be a really nice car with some small fix-ups.

[Roadmaster49]

Auction shows sold for $3550.  Believe that is a good price if it runs and drives well.  19 bids, that's good.  Can't be sure from how many bidders but that shows interest in what is a non main stream car.

Still kills me that this fellow was probably a KFOCI member and I never knew he was in Des Moines. 

[Fid]

The owner's name  was Ernie Mitchell. I don't know if he is still with us or not. I hope the new owner comes on here so he/she can be informed of how rare this car is. I also have some great stories about it.

[r1lark]

Auction shows sold for $3550.  Believe that is a good price if it runs and drives well.  19 bids, that's good.  Can't be sure from how many bidders but that shows interest in what is a non main stream car.

Still kills me that this fellow was probably a KFOCI member and I never knew he was in Des Moines.

Actually, the auction shows that it ended without the reserve being met. See attached screen shot.