Well, let's see. I've owned 69 vehicles over the years and there are a few in the bunch I wish I'd have kept. The hemi Road Runner, the Darrin, and the 1971 Riviera are just a few.
Today, the KF stable consists of:
- 1954 Henry J. It arrived in pieces and I'm currently reassembling a big puzzle.
- 1954 Kaiser Manhattan. My father was the first titled owner...the dealership, Raymond Lake KF here in Cleveland kept the car until 1964 and used it as a parts runner for their Buick garage. The car has gone thru four engines and has about 317K on the odometer.
- 1953 Kaiser Manhattan. It sports a very nice, original interior and a paint job that was applied in my driveway. And it shows...but I don't care because it's fun to drive...and it's a Kaiser!
- 1950 Kaiser Traveler. Originally a Texas car, the first owner used it to pull a 40ft mobile home between his winter home in Odessa and his summer place in Bakersfield, CA. The engine was so worn I could move the pistons around in their bores. After a well deserved rebuild, I'll drive it anywhere...and have!
- 1947 Kaiser Special parts car.
Just a few KFWs that got away:
- The aforementioned Darrin
- A 12K mile 1954 Late Special that didn't have one straight body panel. Abused by every kid in the neighborhood, I rescued it and used it as a parts car.
- The first Kaiser I ever purchased - a 1949 Kaiser Special. I paid all of $50 for it so that should tell you what I got. I'm one of the rare ones though, I resold it for a profit...I made ten bucks.
- 1954 Willys Aero Eagle Custom. I sold it because I didn't have the storage space and then a few months later, bought a nice big barn that came with a house. Live and learn...
- 1952 Kaiser Virginian Traveler. So rusty that you didn't need to open the door to get something from inside. I liberated the few usable parts and today, I'm sure it's a fleet of Toyotas.
- Not one, but three 1950s Willys station wagons. A friend ran a gas station years ago and used them in the service business. They were worn out so we parted them out and sent them off to become yet more Toyotas.
Poll