1953 Kaiser Manhattan / Dragon in 1:18 scale (Highway 61)

[18 Again]

Hello!

I'm hoping the experts on this forum can help me.  I collect 1/18th-scale diecast replicas, but to reduce the number of cars on my "wish list" I only collect four-door models at this time.  A while ago, Highway 61 produced the 1953 Kaiser Manhattan two-door in 1:18 scale.  After a run of a couple of years and several colors, it was announced that they would follow it with a 1953 Kaiser Dragon four-door.  This really got my interest up, because I've always loved the excessiveness and grandeur of the Dragon.

However, they've now canceled their plans to release this model.  Someone on a diecast-collector forum offered some apparently "inside" information on the subject, and I wanted to filter it through this forum to see if it sounded kosher or not.

He claimed that Highway 61 contacted the owner of a Dragon to confirm some of the dimensions between that car and the Manhattan.  Confident that their Manhattan molds could be converted to reproduce the other car, they began retooling for production.  Then they discovered, somehow, that the dimensions were not correct.  The assumption was that the "Dragon" that had been measured was perhaps a Manhattan that had been altered to resemble a Dragon to increase its value or appeal.

I've checked some low-quality images of the '53 Kaisers on the internet and can't see any large discrepancy in general body shape or in individual panels that might result in this difficulty in converting one set of molds to the other.  I've also heard that the two cars have the same wheelbase, indicating that they ride an identical chassis, which makes it even more unlikely that any great differences exist between the two bodies.  Does anybody have any information that might tend to support or refute the story as I've described it?

I am, of course, very hopeful, that Highway 61 will find away to continue their plans to release the Dragon (that sounds ever so much more ominous than "release the hounds!," doesn't it?).  But if they choose not to, and the conversion is not a major one, I might try my hand at doctoring a Manhattan two-door into a Dragon four-door (since I'm 99.9% positive that the Dragon was never offered as anything else).

For this purpose, a links to a treasure-trove of high-quality images of these two cars would be greatly appreciated, along with any verbal descriptions of the differences.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

[Fid]

The bodies and frames on the 1953 Manhattan, Dragon, Deluxe and Carolina are all exactly the same. The difference between them is the trim. The Dragon had everything the Manhattan had with these additions: Hydramatic (standard on the Dragon optional on the Manhattan), Radio with rear window speaker, wire wheels, vinyl top, gold plated hood ornament, hood emblem and trunk emblem and the owners name engraved on a the glove box emblem. They also had a fancier cloth pattern / fabric on the seats. Chrome drip rails were also used on the Dragon.  There were other upgrades but those are the main ones.
The bodies are the same as a Manhattan so I'm not sure where they would've gotten the bogus information. There are plenty of "know it alls" out there who spread false info so it would be too bad if that was the reason for the model to be dropped. Maybe it was the cost of the gold plating!

[joefrazer]

The problem was that the Highway 61 molds are all 2 door and there were no 2 door production Dragons made. Perhaps a prototype or show car or two...but none for regular production.

[stroker70]

I pre ordered a year ago for the Dragon in dark red and then got the notice of cancellation about a month or more ago. I am dissapointed also.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Here is what I have come up with and "figured in" based on my 15+ years in die cast manufacturing (sorry, not scale models)...

I've seen the pictures of the 3 Dragon types and there are some glaring issues with the whole thing.  The easiest to spot is the color combinations.  There were NO Red/Red Top Dragons or Ivory/Green Top versions.  This may have been part of the 'misstatement' stuff referred to by the Chinese company that was to make the model for Highway 61.  Second, looking at the photos, there is a problem with the back doors.  Of course, they do not open as it appears the Chinese decided to make this by scoring the 2-door body tooling to add the appearance of doors....look real close and you do not see the "step" that you find down at the belt molding...it comes down straight to the bottom of the body.  This is another dimensional thing.   There could also be a problem with the "laguna fabric" pieces on the seats, especially if the company used a particular Ivory/Green top Dragon as their benchmark.  If it is the actual car I know of, the last time I saw it (which, to be fair was a number of years ago) had the Green Bamboo vinyl top and black vinyl inserts instead of the squiggle cloth. 

I did inquire to both Highway 61 and the Chinese company to see if there was any information I could supply to put the project back on track.  However, given the current state of the economy and (I am assuming here) reluctance on the part of the Chinese toy maker to allocate the resources to chenge the CAD file for correct 4-door dimensions and tool up new cavities, don't hold your breath, although I would love to be wrong on this one.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

PS:  The wire wheel hub caps used on one of the versions could be K-F correct.  Kaiser-Frazer offered the generic K-H product under part number 100327 (set of 4) per a P&A Bulletin dated 6/30/53 with the color broadside.  Likewise correct are the ventshades on the Green/White Top version.