Nice looking '48 Frazer on ebay

[Fid]

Nice looking work on this one. And it's a real Manhattan, not a standard with Manhattan script added as we've seen numerous times.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1948-Frazer-Manhattan-/130797544475?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item1e7424241b
Blue always looks good on the slab siders.
Hard to tell in the pictures but it almost looks like a Buick hood ornament on it.

[Gordie]

That does look like a '46-48" Buick hood ornament and after market ones were made that could stand alone and not be a part of the hood center molding.  A crossbar was added to the late '47 and '48 emblems because kids frequently broke off the rings and wore them as bracelets.  After the kids could not steal them anymore they went after the '49 Mercury key hole covers which were a pretty red and black plastic emblem that would easily break off. 

[Fid]

It went for $5,500. I don't see how you could go wrong for that price. And it really is a Manhattan.

[Adam47manhattan]

I was out bid with 2 seconds left not cool

[Rchilds]

I just got this home on Tuesday.   Took the bus from Ann Arbor to Saratoga Springs, where I got got dropped off in the driveway of the Saratoga Auto Museum, where the car was purchased.    Being an extreme optimist, the plan was to drive home, stopping in Kitchener ON on the way back to pick up some dripless undercoatinin the back g from Monarch Oil.   As it turned out, that was as far as i got.   I started getting some untoward noises under the hood and parked the car and went to sleep in the back seat at 1:45 AM.    Called my brother in MI to come tow me home, after arrangin for a tow dolly with UHaul.  when he shows up after a 3 and a half hour drive,  they tell us we cant rent the dolly because his Tacoma PU is not worthy of towing the Frazer.    As a result I rented a dolly in Michigan on Tuesday and told them I was hauling a '61 Falcon.  No problem with the rental and the trip was uneventful.   
the .

Now we need and to diagnose the problem.  I originally thought I was losing a bearing, however the oil pressure continues to be around 35-40 , car idles perfectly, however when engine speed is increased there is a lot of rattling going on.   The car was also leaking about a quart of oil for every 125 miles from around the pan gasket.   Time for the winter projects to commence.   

The 370 miles that I did drive were very pleasant.  this car floats down the road, tracks well and stops as well as expected for 2 tons with drum brakes.   The ride reminds me very much of the 51 Chrysler Windsor Club Coupe  that I drove during my college days, which was 30 years old when I finished.  The fuel economy was also impressive, better than most of the quoted numbers I have found.
 
I'm looking forward to the helpful tips from other members and hope to meet some of you in the future.   This Frazer is happy to be back in its birthplace; I live less than 9 miles from the Willow Run plant.

Rich

[Fid]

Congratulations Rich. As I mentioned, I don't see how you could go wrong for that price. The early KFs (known as 'slab-siders') are among the best riding cars out there. There's lots of knowledge on these forums so there should be some help available for you. Regarding the rattling you're hearing, it could be broken piston rings, which would cause it to burn a lot of oil, except you say it's leaking oil which seems like a different issue. We once had one with cracked piston rings and it sounded like a spray can being shaken when you accelerated. Of course that car smoked a lot too. Wait and hear what others have to say - you'll probably get some good tips. A Manhattan is a nice model to have.

[boatingbill]

Nice car! You stated when the revs go up there is a lot of rattling going on. This sounds like a loose
connecting rod to me. Good thing you shut the motor off to prevent damage. I would suggest
dropping the oil pan and feel for any loose connecting rods. If you do not feel any play, the use a
micrometer for tolerances of the connecting rod bearings. The other end of the connecting rod is mounted to the wrist pin in the piston and this could also be the cause of the noise.

[Rchilds]

It seems the first project will be pulling the engine so I can get it on a stand and give a it a thorough rebuild.  I am a big believer in having serious drivers instead of show queens, so it will be appropriate to do it right the first time.    ON a side note that will probably mean selling my '71 Citroen, 602 cc 2 cylinder air cooled.  We put about 12,000 KM  on it this year, and I really enjoy driving it, however the Frazer will make a much better long distance  ride.  I've got a family reunion olong the banks of the Chesapeake Bay this summer and want to take the family in the Frazer. 

Other than comments I've read about the exhaust manifolds being tender castings prone to breaking, is there anything else in particular that I should be paying special attention to?  I have just purchased a copy of the 47-48 Service Manual.  I have seen mention of the blue manual which seems to be for 49 and later as well.  Are there tips in there missing from the earlier edition?

Thanks for your help?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The blue cover book was written in 1949 and besides covering the 1949-50 models, it includes the 1947-48 model years along with the information put in Service Bulletins after the Green/Black cover book was released.

[mbflemingkf]

The blue cover manual that covers 47-50 is the preferred one to have as it has all the updated material/learnings.

Mike