54 Special on ebay

[rialto]

There is a 54 Early Special on ebay for $42,500.  Has anyone ever seen an interior like this one?

[joefrazer]

The seller says it's original, but it isn't. My guess is that the 8K mileage is really more like 108K. I'd like to see a pic of the engine bay...that usually tells the tale...

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Even if it was original and the info correct, these cars are hard pressed to fetch 25,000 let alone over 40,000.  You are better off watching the FOR SALE ads in the MONTHLY BULLETIN.

[Jim B PEI]

It has a lot of incorrect information from colour and transmission to what it is. It could very well be an 8,000 mile car, and from puzzling about the interior and the material on the seats, it looks rather Kaiser-ish but not as a reserialized 53 Manhattan (which is what the car is, not a Late Special). Something from another year, like 51?? The odd seat inserts remind me of a car that has had mouse or other damage skillfully and charmingly hidden, and repeated on the door cards. Or just updated after a repaint to match the exterior?

Still, it 'might' be a $5-20K car if it wasn't for those originality issues--its very pretty and some of the stuff is in gorgeous condition.

I agree, needs a lot of documentation, and especially a chassis and underhood picture as a start.

What colour do you think it was originally? The current colour is close to the new 54 colour "Powder Blue" isn't it? The one that replaced Cerulean Blue?

[Logan]

That's a pretty ugly interior.

[Fid]

The ad says "Borg Warner made the transmission..."  It sure looks like a GM Hydramatic to me. I'm not sure what is intented or meant by "Special II" because it's clearly an early '54 Special which means it was a '53 Manhattan which was converted to a '54. I don't believe a supercharger was ever optional on the early Special.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

From what I have from the factory, supercharger was only offered on Manhattans in 1954-55; GM Hydra-Matic was an option as was overdrive.  There is no information about ordering a Manhattan those years without the blower as a reverse option.  Specials (old and new) only came with the regular 118 dual manifold 6.

Yet another case where either uninformed sellers or deceptive sellers don't bother to find out what they actually are trying to sell.

[Doc]

$40K+ and not even a two-tone except the "unusual" seats. 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

This is a good example as to why I keep telling people to do their homework when looking at an old car--not just Kaiser-Frazer or Willys vehicles.  You need to know enough to spot the obivious fakes when it comes to correct details and equipment (like this car).  Sometimes the owner either goes by what the person who sold it to him (or her) told them, or just plain does not know (or does not know how important getting it correct is in terms of price).  Other times, people are out to make a buck on the stupidity of others.