Formal Introduction and Projects

[Cortes121]

I definately have trunk hinges, I have to check on the condition of the turn signal lever and if it has the chrome cap.

Having fun and enjoying your car are the most important things. 

[blackcat429cj]

Anthony,

Welcome to the club and good luck with your project.  I can remember being your age 30 years ago and starting out in the club.  A number of my lifelong freinds have come from the club.

Is your 51 also a 3spd?  my understanding is that the cranks are different if you have a hydramatic vs a 3spd - I'm sure somebody else can confirm.

Is what is the general condition of the 54 - from what I could see of the main body - I't doesn't look that bad. Could it still be a candidate for a future restoration?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The crankshafts are different for cars with Hydra-Matic.  This is noted in the 1951 Kaiser Parts List. 

If you are going to do the work on both the 1951 Kaiser and 1954 Kaiser, you really should have the following:

1951 Kaiser and Frazer Service Manual
1951 Kaiser Illustrated Parts List (orange and black cover)
1953 Edition, Kaiser-Frazer Hydra-Matic Service Manual (covers 1950-53 transmissions-1951 Kaisers have either a "50" or "51" type H-D depending on when the car was built.  The serial number plates begin K50 or K51 on the transmission case).

1954 Kaiser Parts List (green and black cover)
1952-53 Supplement to the 1951 Kaiser and Frazer Service Manual
The various Kaiser-Willys Service Bulletins specific to 1954 Kaisers
Supercharger Manual (if your car is equipped with a blower)
Note:  Parts of the 1951 Kaiser and Frazer Service Manual are still valid for the 1954 Kaiser; this is noted on the first K-W Service Bulletin issued for the 1954 Kaisers.

Directional Signal and transmission lever ends are plastic; there is one type for Hydra-Matic and another for manual/overdrive equipped cars.

[Cortes121]

I finally got the engine on my dads old engine stand he built 40 something years ago. It'll hold... for now




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Blackcat - If someone had the resources and time, both of which I have very little of, the '54 could be restorable. Its on the verge of being a money pit though. You would need a new trunk, hood, you would have to patch around the backlight, some of the rear quater and also buy 2 new rear tailights as well as rechrome everything and redo the whole interior and rebuild the engine as I am currety doing.

But , if anyone wants the chassis and body, you can have it for free when I'm done. :-p

kaiserfrazerlibrary -

I have some of that literature, but I would be interested  in all I could find.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Best suggestion is to run a WANTED ad in the KFOCI Monthly Bulletin.  You can email the ad identifying what you want to Barbara...if she gets it by the end of the week, it may still make the July 2010 edition, otherwise earliest will be August.  There is no charge for member ads.

[ben-tex]

I have all the lit items referred to by Jack on CD. Details at my site.

http://www.kfnut.com

[boatingbill]

Anthony: Back when I was your age with no skills or tools (My first car at 16 was a 51 kaiser Deluxe with a 3 speed and OD), I found a easy way to find the rear end ratio: jack up the right (block support the car securely) rear tire and put a chalk line across the tire treads. Then put a chalk line on the drive shaft parallel to the ground. Rotate the tire one complete revolution and count the drive shaft revolutions as you do so. If the drives shaft goes around 3 and 1/2 times to once for the tire you have a 3.50 rear end gearing. In your case of a stick with OD on the 54 the drive shaft should go around a little over four times (4.11) or 4 and 1/2 times (4.55). This will get you close as I don't know the exact gearing for the manual 54's. I'm sure other on this forum do. The great thing about these cars, is that you car work on the mechanicals without a lot of expensive tools. Good Luck!

[Fid]

If you get a shop manual, it will list the ratios for the different engine/transmission combinations. I had a shop manual for a 1951 Kaiser but it's now in the hands of Weas as he now has the car.

[Cortes121]

- boating bill, thanks for the good adivce!


Luckily, both differentials had their tags still

now, the '54 has a 43/13 rear end and the '51 has a 50/11.

My question is weather this difference matters with the '54 engine in the '51. If it does not matter, which is the better gear ratio to have in terms of performance, gas mileage, etc.?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The closer you get to a rear axle ratio of 1.00:1 the less work (lower rpm) for your engine and the better the gas mileage.  However, you need something at the rear axle with a higher number because it has to handle loading up for hills, heavier loads, getting up to passing speeds, etc. 

Kaiser ratios went as low as 3.31:1 in the dual range Hydra-Matic of 1953 (this was GM's first version of an automatic overdrive transmission).  Generally the manual gear ratios for 1950's Kaisers were either 4.09:1 or 4.27:1 for cars going into mountainous areas.  1950's overdrive ratios were normally 4.55:1.  There could still be the original spec tag on the rear end that was put on with one of the cover bolts to hold it to the axle.  There is a number followed by a line then another number such as "43/11".  Divide the smaller gear teeth # into the larger gear teeth # on the tag and you get the ratio.

[boatingbill]

Anthony: I may be wrong here but the '54 with a 43/13 (3.50)may be a automatic rear end put in at some time in the past.This would give better gas mileage (lower rpm's), while the '51 with the 50/11 (4.55) would give better performance (higher rpm's). I put a automatic geared rear end in my '52 Carolina as it had a three speed with no OD and would scream at 70 mph. After I put in the auto rear end, it would cruise nicely at 65-70 mph. I liked it because in town I could wind higher through first and second gears. With your OD equipped '51, and the '54 rear end, you could cruise at 70 all day long and still get decent mileage. I had a tachometer on my Carolina so I could watch my rpm's. I put on a Smitty steelpac muffler and split tailpipe just behind the rear axle so it had dual exhaust. I sounded awesome and I would drag race in town from 25 mph in second (called a "roller") and would beat Ford and Chevy sixes all day long. I kept breaking the right rear leaf spring until the junk yard guy told me, "that's from wheel torque because you drag racing ain't you kid?" That ended my drag racing, but I sure was good at changing that spring.

[boatingbill]

Anthony: I did not mean to imply that street racing was a good thing. I know that at 17, I had a lot to learn that I would hope not to do at 21 which is your age. That 4 years is a huge gap when you are young.

[Cortes121]

No, I'm definitely not interested in street racing my Kaiser, I definitely bought her to "cruise" but I love hearing stories like yours, with modern cars you don't have stories like that anymore.

Yes, the '51 gear ratio is 4.55

the '54 gear ratio is 3.31


My question to you guys was this: Should I swap in the '54 rear into my '51 when I put the '54 Engine into my '51?

I know those superchargers aren't meant to be over revved, so it seems to me if I had the '51 gearing, it would turn more, thus making the supercharger more susceptible to wearing out. If I am wrong and you guys feel the gearing is close enough, I'll leave it as is.

[boatingbill]

If you mean by cruising that you are driving around town, the 4.55 is fine. If you plan road trips and economy is important, then I would put in the 3.31. If you only do one trip or so a year it really doesn't matter. Your OD won't get much use in town driving.

[Cortes121]

Been busy at work, wish I was busy working on the Kaiser but oh well!

Also, I have some pictures of some '54 parts, if anyone is interested, e-mail me or send me a PM!

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