Barn find

[Kaiser Ranchero]

While looking for a Darrin I stumbled upon a barn find. Actually a club member called and ask " are you still buying Kaiser's ? ". Well he piqued my intrest when the description was of a 2 dr sedan or coupe. The cars is a one owner Business Coupe with a back seat fancy, chrome horn ring, day/night mirror and wind shield washer. All black and no trim but has a radio and clock with o/d. Guess what it has brakes and an ignition key. None of our others had either. Although the tires were flat they all pumped up and are holding air. Both windshilds are cracked, Will a one piece windshield fit ( like the Virginian )?  It has set in the barn since 1962 and after a family history lessons and $$$$ discussion, we aired up the tires put it in neutral with wife behind the wheel towed it out of the barn. It had a thick layer of dust all over and some goodies stored in side. Took the air blower to inside and out to remove the loose stuff. Next pushed it to the water hose for a soaking. And a few minutes later did a quick scrub down to see what we bought. The headliner is coming down front and back, but ok in the middle'', door panels are ok, dash and instruments look OK, and the steering wheel is purtty good. Some rust at right rear tail light and left and at top of rear wheel well. One spot in the floor, can't ck the rest until the mats come out ( could crawl under but my body will not cooperate ). The numbers located so far are: Model Tag 5113-1372 Other tag: Model 511 ; 3  140  1353 ; other numbers: 141  148  204 ; door jamb : K511  03867 . Tomorrow starts the ATF in the cylinders for a day or two of soaking, followed by lots of penetrating oil and some fogging oil if I can find it. Then comes the breaker bar and turning back and forth. Add a little Marvelous Mestry top and bottom and turn it over with the starter ( gas line disconnected ) to blow it out and get the oil pump working. Clean, gap the plugs, file the points, pour gas in the carb and see if she lights off. I do this with a jumper wire to the coil and jump the solenoid, that way one can see every thing going on and react accordingly. It a good idea to have a fire extinguisher on hand for a back fire or electrical problem, and I don't have the battry cables more than hand tight so one can come off easily.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Some of the K-F dealers having busines coupes at the end of the model year took out the burlap covered back panels and package shelf and made a kind of club coupe out of them with back seat and rear trim panels.  Business coupes did not have back seats and they were not a factory option. 

I know, I had one for a number of years.  It's currently on display at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum in downtown Ypsilanti MI.

[Gordie]

The club sells new windshields in either clear, tinted or tinted and shaded.  They are for '52-55 but a glass man can cut them to fit a '51.  I just bought one recently and am very pleased with the windshield.  Check with our manufacturing fund: the54darrinkid@hotmail.com or (262) 391-7919

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I thought that the windshields came with a template that a good glass man could use to cut out the small strip to make two halves of the proper size.  Is that what you mean?

[Kaiser Ranchero]

What is the difference between the 51 and 52 that made it so a one piece windshield could be used in the 52. If the 52 Virginians were left over 51's what was done so they could have the one piece windshield?

[Jim B PEI]

I thought the 52 Virginians came with the 2 piece windshields...

[Fid]

'52 Virginians do have two piece windsheilds.  As stated, they were just left over '51s that were retagged as '52s so they could be sold. Only difference is the black plastic on the hood ornament (instead of clear), a continental tire on the back and "Virginian" script on the side. There was Continental kit available for the 1951 cars so there are some which have it but are not '52 Virginians, just like there are  a number of Henry Js with tire kits on the back which are not '52 Vagabonds.

[Gordie]

The windshield openings are the same size for 1951 or 1955 but K-F decided to use a one piece windshield after 1951 except for the Virginians.  The windshield rubber is different on the early cars as they used a center divider for the glass.  GM did the exact same thing on their cars in 1952.  The one piece windshields appeared to be more modern and was an easy conversion.

[Kaiser Ranchero]

If I follow the answers correctly, it would mean that a 52 Virginian with a one piece windshield has been converted, right? Thanks to all for the good info.

[joefrazer]

Correct, a 52K Virginian would have had a 2 piece windshield factory equipped.

[Fid]

There was an article in the KFOC Quarterly many years ago which explained that the two piece windsheild that was used in the '51 Kaisers and '52 Kaiser Virginians, could be directly replaced with the one piece windsheild which was used in later cars.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

A one-piece will fit but tinted windows were not used on Kaisers until the later part of the 1952 model year.

[Kaiser Ranchero]

Thanks, will wait on the windshield. Good news the engine turns. Time to Change all the fluids. More good discoveries The rear windows roll down and there are ash trays in the arm rests in the back.

[Kaiser Ranchero]

More good news. the motor turns freely with the starter. Found Fogging Oil at NAPA and from Mercury Marine. Have used several doses with the trans fluid. Tomorrow with new plugs, wires, etc will see if it will run.

[Kaiser Ranchero]

A little excitement. With a little coaxing the car started. Squirted fresh gas down the carb and jumped it to the coil and it ran a few seconds. Repeated a second time and then tried the starter with out the jumper. It started a third and forth time. Tomorrow its clean the fuel system time.