New Kaiser guy, lots of questions

[Logan]

Joe Frazer, that's a great project--51 Frazer hardtop is very cool.  Looks like a lot of work!  Wildcat, very cool convertible, sounds fun to restore.  Yes, it's dry in Utah but salty in winter, which can mean the end of an otherwise good car.  My '66 Pontiac's quarter panels were so rusted you had to be careful or you would lose stuff out of the trunk!

[Wildcat]

So are these original?  If not I think it has already been converted to 12 volt.  They are on the drivers side firewall and they say "Voltage Regulator 12 volts to 6 volts".  It is wired into another box on the fire wall that has a fuse on it and to the ignition switch in the dash, not the starter button, but the keyed switch.  Also I pulled the radio out and it is a 12V negative ground unit.  I am fairly certain it is 12v, but I also don't want to throw a battery in it and cook a car that cant be replaced.

[joefrazer]

Your voltage reducers are not original equipment. They probably date to the late 50s or early 60s.

[Wildcat]

Cool, thanks.  Probably take a break from body work and run this thing this weekend.  All of my pre-run checks and maintenance are done so we should be good to go.

[Wildcat]

Great news gang, one more Kaiser is going to be back on the road soon.  Got the engine running, didn't move yet though, still have to go through the brake system before that happens.  A few notes though, the fuel pump is an aftermarket electric job mounted on the frame, not original, so where does the original fuel pump go?  It looks like there is a block off plate on the right side of the engine.  I'll probably stay with an electric for the sake of, well lets just say electric fuel pumps are where it's at, no offense to any purists out there, but I would like to get an original and mount it for the sake of looks.  I tried the rest of the electrical system, and well I've got my work cut out for me on that one.  60 year old wires are no fun.  I almost burned my 69 Oldsmobile to the ground so I am a little leery about original wires after that.

[Fid]

Since Kaisers are notorious for vapor-locking on hot days, I'd say you were wise to leave the electric pump on it.  You are correct, the original mounts on the passenger side of the engine, toward the front

[Jim B PEI]

If you want the authentic look but modern drivability, might I suggest bolting on a dummy gas pump over the block off plate. A neat thing that a Studebaker guy did was have a hidden electrical pump with a hidden switch under the dash, then ran the gas line THROUGH the not working mechanical pump (it wasn't working, but he removed the actuator arm anyway) and out so that it LOOKED entirely stock. Never got caught out on judging as he set it up so that the gas went through the glassbowl as well. Means that he had to have working gaskets in all the spots necessary for a mechanical pump. Just a thought.

[Wildcat]

Fuel system work time now, hate it.  I have my tank out because it needs to be sealed and
I figured it would be a good opportunity to check my sending unit.  I am getting 82.5 to 85 ohms through the range.  Is this within the acceptable range for a Kaiser?  The thing also looks like it's 60 years old so I might just get a new one, is there any source for them?  Thanks, Zach.

[HJ-ETEX]

Wildcat: KF products use King-Seely guages like Ford and other independent car manufacturers.

[Wildcat]

Well a big update...  Finally painted and starting to attach trim.  The whole fuel tank thing went really well, looks and works like new, and no leaks so bonus on that.  Any tips on restoring stainless?  I have a lot of scratches and dings to work on.  Also I need to completely re-wire the car so that is going to be a project in and of itself.  I was thinking of using a painless harness, just need some new light sockets.

[Fid]

That's impressive. Keep us posted on the progress.

[Wildcat]

So I am trying to decipher this wiring thing and with the condition of everything it is proving to be a challenge.  I was wondering does anyone know how the overdrive system is wired?  From what I can tell there are two wires coming from a box on the firewall and there is a switch under the gas pedal that ties in somewhere.  Thanks in advance.

[Terry T]

To make your life easy, I suggest that you get a complete wiring harness from McBride.  He has a great product and excellent instructions.

[joefrazer]

Bob will also sell just the OD harness. I just replaced the one in my 50K and it made all of the difference.

[pnw_oldmags]

Hope your OD connecter that plugs into the relay on your Firewall is not broken.
Those can be very hard to find.