Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Kaiser Forum => Topic started by: kingsgate on November 04, 2014, 11:32:47 AM
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Hi
I just bought a 1953 Kaiser Deluxe sedan from a guy in Scotland who imported it from the USA in Spring 2014.
Mine is blue, has the automatic transmission, and is in generally good shape for its age. Very "original" and unrestored.
I joined the owners club and have already exchanged a few helpful emails with other owners and the people running the club.
I have a bunch of small issues to sort out (wipers not working, drivers door will not lock, etc etc) but the car starts, runs and drives pretty well for a 60+ year old.
I am thinking of swapping it ove to 12v negative ground, if only for ease of installing stereos etc.
It really needs a respray but this will have to wait.
The car is listed on your club's register as chassis number K531-003154, and it used to have California licence plate 3EUF209.
Interestingly, TWO previous owners, when selling the car a few years ago, put videos of it onto Youtube, which are still on there:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_cJBluGsow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc78LgMhfnQ
I wonder, does anyone on here know any of my car's history?
Maybe a previous owner might be on here??
The car's mileage odometer shows 44000 or so miles ..... I wonder if this is "original" or its been around the clock once?
One of the guys on Youtube mentions it as having been stored and not driven for 15 years or more.....
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Good to see you've made it to the forum! Judging by the car's condition, I would say the 44K miles are original.
I can't help with history, but I can tell you that you've got a one-of-a-kind, especially in the UK!
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Welcome! Nice car. It's unique enough to own and drive a Kaiser in the U.S.A., what's it like in England?
Dave F. #10113
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I like the car. The '53 Kaiser Deluxe is often overlooked as the Manhattans and Dragons (both beautiful cars) tend to be favored. But a Deluxe is a unique and very fine car in it's own right. Keep us updated on what you do with it or if you just plan to drive it and enjoy it, keep us updated on that too. Automatic transmissions are unusual in Europe so that will certainly spark interest as well.
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Thanks for all the replies!
I find the car really gets people's attention in the week that I have had it so far - every time I stop in traffic, or park someplace, people ask me what it is, where I got it, etc.
Very few have heard of a "Kaiser" at all!
Driving it is OK - a bit tricky when overtaking and pulling out, due to me sitting on the left, which means I cannot see as well given that here, we drive on the left, with cars being right-hand-drive.
I need to invest in some more door and wing mirrors to help with this!
Auto transmissions are not actually THAT rare in the UK any more. For new cars sold now in Britain, around 25% are now automatics (thanks Google!)
Here's a few more pics of my car:
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Another pic - you can see it needs a paint-job!
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Love it! Until you can get it painted, just do what they are doing over here, wax it or spray it with clear and enjoy the "patina"!
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Pic of the front - now "wearing" its UK licence plate.
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Jake, thanks for the reply - do you think that this inline fuel filter could cause problems?
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I think he's pointing out its close proximity to the exhaust manifold along with the plastic filter could cause a fire if it melts.
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OK, thanks for the tip on this.
I just bought the car last week, and this is how it came.
The fuel pump on it is all bright new silver metal, so it looks like some previous owner fairly recently fitted a new one and probably put that fuel filter in at the same time.
Do you think I should take the fuel filter out then?
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The fuel filter will do more good if it's removing particles before they get to the fuel pump and clog it. A good place is spliced in the gas line under the front door where it is easy to get to if it needs replacing or back in the area by the back axle.
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I have my Kaiser back on the road. Got some electrical "updates" done - its now 12 volt, negative ground with a new alternator. New brake shoes and wheel cylinders (they were leaking). Lots of new steering and suspensions bits (it was a lot like steering a boat before). Waxoyled to stop it rusting. Electric fuel pump. Electric wipers. Screen washer kit. And, most important of all, musical air horns!
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Wonderful! Congratulations on keeping a great piece of history on the road. Not to mention conversation starter!
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It certainly is a conversation starter here in the UK!
Almost no-one has even heard of Kaiser as a make of car at all.
I am thinking of photocopying some "brief history of Henry Kaiser and Kaiser cars" guides to hand out.
But that would kinda kill those conversations, so I probably won't.......
My "Dixie" air-horn option (just installed) always raises a laugh as well!
(http://www.amherst.co.uk/kaiser/air-horns.jpg)
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Over the years I've been told that:
1. 1951 Frazers were Canadian-built cars made by Chrysler Corporation
2. The Kaiser Darrin's engine is a 161 cubic inch Continental industrial engine
3. All Graham-Paige Frazers were built at the Graham-Paige plant (that's from Richard Langworth in KFOCI HANDBOOK Volume 1 from the late 1960's)
And the list goes on. Handouts about your car don't work that well; I tried it years ago. As you noted, the best approach appears to be knowing as much as you can about the car & company so you can give people straight answers.