The Last Kaiser Built

[Roadmaster49]

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/cto/3449065053.html

Members are familiar with this car from postings in the Bulletin.   Wouldn't the last Kaiser built be a special car that one of the KFOCI members would want to purchase and restore? Even if at a negotaited price lower then the asking price of $10,000?

Is the seller a KFOCI member?   Has anybody contacted them to gauge price firmness?

Is the car really not that historically significant?

[Fid]

I believe that's KFOC member Chuck Hucker from Lacross, Indiana.

[joefrazer]

There are at least 3 cars that are reportedly the "last Kaiser built". The one in the bulletin, another that the same owner had for a few years, and a third in Ohio. The two cars in Indiana were assembled from parts left in Toledo after KF decided to end car production and concentrate on the Jeep line. The Ohio car has been said to be the last off the regular production line.

The Indiana cars are rather spartan compared to the Ohio car. The latter has a supercharger, power steering, power brakes, an air compressor, under hood light, carpeted trunk and a three tone paint job, as well as a leather interior. It also sports wire wheels, although I don't know if they were installed at delivery or were added later. I've driven this car and if I ever win the lottery, will do my best to own it!

[Roadmaster49]

That this might be one of the assembled cars is important information as it would require better documentation.  Obviously a large part of the $10,000 asking price is it's perceived historical importance. However, any 55 is rare, ney 54's are rare.

I remain fascinated by the lack of big money KF collectors. Nothing wrong with that, just an observation.

As a member of many of other clubs, I know there's big money behind many "barn find" purchases of - and subsequent no expense spared restorations - "significant" cars.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The Huckers have several 1954-55 Kaisers and this is one of them.  The serial number tags indicate this was the last of the production 1955 Kaisers; 3 additional cars, set up like 1955 Kaisers were built between 1955 and 1957 and used by Willys Motors or Kaiser Industries (I don't know what cars went where) for company uses.  The last of the 1957 built cars is documented with correspondence reflecting inquiries to Kaiser-Jeep Corporation by the person who owned it in the 1960's.

I do not make it a practice to comment on prices.

[Roadmaster49]

Fair enough. Sellers can ask whatever they want.  Indeed, my issue is not with price either. You have to start somewhere and they have advertised it for sale, so there is a price it will sell at.

Beats "make offer". 

It was just an observation more on why someone in the KF community doesn't think "gotta have it" or doesn't have to be a KF community person. For instance, I have Velocity channel and recently they had a show called "Million Dollar Collections".  Well, the impetus behind it was that these collections were going to be auctioned off so it was like free advertising but nonetheless, they were multi make collections with owners with deep pockets that regularly bought the "1 of" or "last of" types of cars for restoration and display.

Supposed somebody bought the "Last Kaiser" and restored it properly and took it to a January Scottsdale auction and pushed it out there between 50's cruisers/convertibles and muscle cars.  I wonder what it would bring for being the "Last Kaiser Built" in a mixed high dollar crowd like that?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I can only speculate, but K-F products are not in high demand these days and if I understand the Editor of OLD CARS WEEKLY correctly, the forthcoming editions of OLD CARS PRICE GUIDE can be expected to show decline in many old car values other than high performance cars, exotic sports cars or unique vehicles (that includes 1930's classics).    I would expect that this in turn releflects recent sales.  I would expect that last one built in 1957 and documented as such might go for more than this car.

For those of you interested, my comments cover cars assembled in Toledo that stayed in the USA; the Argentine-built Carbellas are not covered here.