Kaiser Home Coming

[DaveF]

Dear Club Members.......  I'd like to share some photos of my '52 Manhattan after many months being restored.......  Yes, it's a '52.  When I bought the car sometime during it's life it got a '51 front clip and 1-piece windshield.  I know to some of you Kaiser purists this may not be OK, but I much prefer the '51 front treatment and love the re-styled rear tail lights and bumper.  I have for the most part kept the very original.  Much to my surprise last weekend at it's first car show it won 2-trophies!

Thank you all who answered questions and helped with finding parts,
Dave

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

It is up to the individual owner as to how they want their car restored, modified, etc.  As long as they realize the impact on judging, there should be no problems.

[Mac_Frazer]

  Dave, very pretty car, the difference don't take away from its originality, its a very classy looking car. Nice Sunday cruiser.
Enjoy. Steve

[Fid]

It looks like a fine piece of work to me.  I have no problems with people modifying cars to their taste - they put in money and time they should have it as they like it. The only time I criticise is when something is misrepresented.
Your car looks nice, great color combination and I'm sure it turns heads as you drive and obviously makes a hit at shows. Congratulations on completing the work and getting it on the road! Now it's time to enjoy it and let others do so as well. Thanks for sharing.

[boatingbill]

DaveF: My dad had a '53 and I had a '51 and then several '52's. I was never a big fan of the
'53 chrome "fin". I love the clean look of your '52! A very classy color combination. The rear
fender line of the '52 with the restyled taillights gives the whole car a longer lower look.

[84RabbitGTI]

DaveF, your car looks great to me!  We will have to get together some time and compare notes.  I am down the road from you, I think and we talked on the phone a few months ago. My car ('51 Kaiser) is still having issues. I think your combo of the '51 front end and one piece windshield looks just great.  Congratulations on the trophies!!

[DaveF]

Hi Les;

Thanks for the feedback.......... Yes, we spoke a few months ago.......... Love to get together and talk Kaiser's.  (360) 752-3119.

Regards, Dave

[kdar353]

Dave,
You have done a beautiful job. Great color combo.
kdar 353

[Jim B PEI]

I think that is a simply beautiful car, and I also agree that you have chosen some of the best design elements of the 51-52-53 cars. My personal preference is just a wee bit different, and here it is with reasons.

51 front end. I'm not a terrific fan of the 'eye' shaped headlight doors on a 52-53 Kaiser, and think, as shown by a rather famous 51 Frazer, that those rings look PERFECT on a 51 Frazer with the matching fender creases, but look a bit laboured on other models. I also think that the 53 front end is slightly too much, and that the 51 is better--although I like the later integrated park lights over the earlier ones. The one piece windshield is a given, so put me down for a 52 ish front end, one piece windshield, integrated park lights, simple headlight doors, and no bumper bars front, or rear. If we are modifying, I also want a Lucite spear rather than a 'rocket/jet' ornament, and I want it to light up softly at night too, with the faintest pink tinge perhaps, or soft ivory white.

52 rear end. Here they got it just about right IMO. Large taillights, no chrome strip on top of the fender. The ONLY thing I think I would change is the exposed trunk hinges for the hidden hinges of the 53.

I'd love to have a '1952 Dragon' with all the trim with the 1953 Marie Nichols design material for the seats, in velvet black exterior, with maybe a Bambu padded roof in an Ivory or light tan or green tinge. Oh, and it should be a top of the line HATCHBACK utility 52 Dragon, and make it based on the 51 2 door hatchback body shell too. Throw in a 1954 supercharger and a manual shift with overdrive, power steering, and a Vintage Aire 6 volt AC unit, with a split manifold on the exhaust and twin exhausts, and I would be a happy camper indeed (and much poorer)

In any case, what a simply lovely car you have!!

[DaveF]

Dear Jim;

Thanks for your comments and input........ I agree with you on the '53-'54 headlight bezels......... It seems that Kaiser tried to 'dress-up' the ''53-'54 models with a limited budget......... Sometimes I see these cars and they look just right to my eye, other times they just look 'over-done' with the headlight bezels and rear fender spears.  Also, I'm not a fan of the heavy grill bar starting in '52 running along hoods edge, I much prefer the very clean grill treatment of 1951 styling.  I did keep all the original Dino-vinyl in my car, and replaced all the rest of the interior in a medium brown color.  I also installed 3-point seat belts front and rear.  One rear door on my car was a replacement and had factory original maroon paint, we tried to match as close as possible for lower body color.  The roof is metallic silver, my idea was to give this car a somewhat more elegant look with this color combination.  I went with Goodyear 4 1/4" bias-ply whitewalls, and am glad I did.

Regards, Dave #10113

[pnw_oldmags]

Would you mind sharing some photos and details on how you installed 3 point seat belts in a 53K?
I would be interested in doing that.

[DaveF]

Jim;

Regarding the installation of 3-point seat belts I'll try and get some photos posted in the near future.......... My car is a '52, not '53.
Dave #10113

[Jim B PEI]

Dave, I too am a fan of the Dinosaur vinyl. I had a Jade Green Metallic over Stardust Ivory 53 Manhattan at one time, and I loved the dash and door cards with the Bambu, but the seats not quite so much--ehhh. However practical, the cloth inserts weren't as nice as having solid Bambu would have been--or as in a friend's car, a 51 Deluxe, the solid Dinosaur.

Yes, elegant does describe your car very well! Kudos!!