Topics

1

Kaiser Forum / Got my 53 deluxe resprayed and distributor problem

« on: April 24, 2018, 12:05:22 PM »

Hey everyone, its been a fair while since I posted on here, I have a Kaiser 1953 Deluxe automatic, and I live in London, England.

I had it resprayed red (it was faded blue with the remnants of a cheap metallic blue respray on top!).

http://www.amherst.co.uk/kaiser-53-resprayed-1.jpg

http://www.amherst.co.uk/kaiser-53-resprayed-2.jpg

http://www.amherst.co.uk/kaiser-53-resprayed-3.jpg

http://www.amherst.co.uk/kaiser-53-resprayed-4.jpg

I am getting her fixed up gradually. I have a problem - the guy at the garage trying to tune her up says that a part that the distributor mounts onto is broekn meaning that he cannot tune it properly (its running a like a pig now!).

Here is a photo of the faulty bit:

http://www.amherst.co.uk/broken-distributor-mounting-april-2018.jpg

Can anyone tell me what this is please? And if and where I might get a replacement for it?

Thanks in advance!

Giles

2

Kaiser Forum / Looking for a starter motor for a 53 Kaiser Deluxe (automatic)

« on: May 24, 2017, 01:03:40 AM »

I am continuing to have problems with the starter motor on my '53 Kaiser Deluxe automatic. Its been rebuilt and repaired several times, and is still not reliable.

The Bendix drive sticks so it doesn't engage properly, and I end up hitting it with a hammer to free it up. I have spent money time and effort on this unit, and now I would rather just buy another one.

Is there anywhere that sells "new" ones?

Either NOS, or rebuilt, whatever? Even someone breaking another Kaiser auto for parts and has a used one?

Any advice gratefully received!

Giles

3

Parts For Sale & Wanted / Need a starter motor for 1953 Deluxe automatic

« on: May 23, 2017, 03:49:32 PM »

I am continuing to have problems with the starter motor on my '53 Kaiser Deluxe automatic. Its been rebuilt and repaired several times, and is still not reliable. The Bendix drive sticks so it doesn't engage properly, and I end up hitting it with a hammer to free it up. I have spent money time and effort on this unit, and now I would rather just buy another one.

Is there anywhere that sells "new" ones? Either NOS, or rebuilt, whatever? Even someone breaking another Kaiser auto for parts?

Any advice gratefully received.

Giles

4

Kaiser Forum / Anyone know where to buy the door trim metal fasteners for a Kaiser please?

« on: April 11, 2017, 04:21:04 PM »

I just got new door trims made up because mine were ruined by damp and were just falling apart. When I took them off I noticed about half of the metal fasteners were either missing, or snapped on removal. Can I buy a set of these somewhere anyone know? I have looked on Ebay for door card fasteners but they are all the plastic type used on new cars.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

Giles

5

Kaiser Forum / Fitting simple deadlocks to doors

« on: May 20, 2016, 01:53:04 PM »

My Kaiser is parked on the street here in London, England. The drivers door doesn't lock properly, and anyway, any would-be car thief knows how to hook open the door locks.

A week or two back, I heard the sound of my "musical" car horn for a split second, late at night. So I get out of bed, go downstairs and look through the window. Sure enough, some youth is sitting in the drivers seat fiddling about with wires. He must have momentarily pressed the horn button by mistake. Taking hold of a conveniently positioned ax, I step outside, pull open the car door, and yell "out, ****". The kid gets out and I say "leave". He runs away, and just for show I ran after him a few yards waving the ax over my head and shouting "if I see you near my car again I'll cut your f***ing arms off". He hasn't been back!

This incident made me think of fitting a simple deadlock into the door and door post. You used to be able to buy these things everywhere, but I cannot seem to find them for sale online. See picture. Does anyone know if these are on sale anywhere? I found this pic on some web site about cars and security, and I remember around 20+ years ago when me and my schoolfriends first had cars, a couple of guys buying locks like these, and helping them to fit them. But now I cannot seem to find them on sale anywhere!

6

Parts For Sale & Wanted / Anyone have a flywheel for 1953 Kaiser Deluxe Hydramatic?

« on: January 18, 2016, 12:06:12 PM »

I am waiting for them to take the one off of my car, it appears to be in pretty bad shape, with stripped off teeth.

Anyone have one for sale at all?

If so, please message me on here or email me at: giles@amherst.co.uk

7

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser 1953 Deluxe auto flywheel teech damaged - what to do?

« on: January 08, 2016, 10:02:14 AM »

I have a 1953 Kaiser Deluxe with the Hydramatic transmission.

I had the car in at place that fits stereos just before Christmas, and it would not start - the starter motor spins but doesn't engage properly.

I am informed that quite a few of the teeth on the flywheel ring gear are stripped off, so essentially every time I try to start it, I am playing a kind of "Russian roulette" in the sense that if when the engine stopped, an area of damaged teeth are in line with the starter, it won't start!

And being an automatic transmission, I don't have the option of push starting it or anything.

What can I do? Can I buy a new part to fix this easily? And where from?

Any advice gratefully received!

I am in London, England so will probably have to get any parts shipped from the US of A.

8

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser 1953 heater fan stopped working

« on: December 15, 2015, 05:30:43 AM »

It did workk and now, annoyingly, just as the weather gets cold enough to want to run the heater and the windscreen demister in particular, it doesn't work any more.

Where is the actual fan located, and how do I get to it? Is it in the heater box under the hood? Or under the dashboard somewhere?

We changed my car up to 12 volts a few months back - are we likely to have burned out the fan motor? And is it possible to buy or fit 12 volt fans?

Any hints gratefully received to save me wasting time disassembling things where I do not need to!

9

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser 1953 6 volt generator - offered free

« on: September 24, 2015, 06:30:41 AM »

I have converted my Kaiser to run 12 volts.

So, I have a Delco Remy 6v generator that I do not need.

If anyone wants it, and they pay the shipping, they can have it.

Only catch is, I am in London, England, so the shipping will be a bit more than usual.

I don't want to scrap it if another owner could use it for their car......

Email me or send a message on here if you are interested: giles (at) amherst.co.uk

10

Parts For Sale & Wanted / 6v generator from a 1953 Kaiser free to good home

« on: September 24, 2015, 06:28:21 AM »

I have converted my Kaiser to run 12 volts.

So, I have a Delco Remy 6v generator that I do not need.

If anyone wants it, and they pay the shipping, they can have it.

Only catch is, I am in London, England, so the shipping will be a bit more than usual.

I don't want to scrap it if another owner could use it for their car......

Email me or send a message on here if you are interested: giles (at) amherst.co.uk

11

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser Deluxe 1953 Hydramatic - need starter motor (12 volt car)

« on: September 12, 2015, 10:44:35 AM »

Well, yesterday I drove my Kaiser 120 miles to visit my sister and brother-in-law. First time I have taken it for a longish trip since I bought it.

It drove just fine hitting 70mph on the highway (or "Motorway" as we call them here in England!).

But when I got in the car this morning, the starter motor isn't working properly. It spins but does not engage with the flywheel.

So, I called up the Automobile Association of which I am a member.

Their guy was very helpful. First time he'd ever seen or worked on a Kaiser though, they ain't common over here.

Took the starter off, noted that the cog is not coming foward far enough on its shaft to engage with the teeth on the flywheel.

He tried taking it apart and lubricating it, trying to "unjam" it. All to no avail. The starter is old and very worn in terms of the teetch, loads offree play where there shouldn't be any, and of course the jamming spline causing the problem.

So, I need a replacement starter motor. One further complication is that the car is now running 12 volts.

Can anyone tell me: what I need to buy for best results? And where I can buy one?

The car will have to stay on my sister's drive until I can get one, I will have to take the train back to London tomorrow and return with the part when I receive it.

Any hints, tips, pointers to options on what I can buy gratefully received!

12

Kaiser Forum / Changin bulbs - how to get in to front side light / turn signal

« on: August 18, 2015, 01:03:48 PM »

Silly question I know, but how do I get in to the front side / turn signal light fitting on a 1953 Kaiser so I can change the bulb?

Also, does anyone know what types of 12 volt bulbs to order to put in the courtesy and glove box lights. Mine don't work any more, and I don't know what model of bulb to buy. Has anyone else done this?

All hints gratefully received!

13

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser Deluxe 1953 - driver's door will not lock

« on: August 04, 2015, 09:19:56 AM »

I have the right key. It fits, and turns just fine. The little locking button goes up and down perfectly well.

So, the door "looks" locked with the button down.

However, when I pull the door handle, the driver's door still opens!

Anyone else had this issue and might save me dismantling the door etc to figure out what has broken?

All hints and tips / experience gratefully received!

14

Kaiser Forum / Heater and vent controls stuck 1953 Kaiser

« on: August 02, 2015, 03:48:05 AM »

I like driving my Kaiser but it's too hot in here. The temperature control knob is stuck solid pulled out. Which seems to mean "hot".

Anyone know how to get at the valve to free it off please?

15

Kaiser Forum / Kaiser 1953 Deluxe starter motor and also stalling issues

« on: July 02, 2015, 01:22:00 PM »

I have a 1953 Kaiser deluxe with Hydramatic auto transmission.

I collected it from having some work done yesterday.

On the way home, it ran OK when on a highway at speed. It was a pretty hot day (35 degrees Celsius or more). As soon as I was in slow-moving stop-start traffic, the engine began to misfire and stall out. To the point where it just refused to start for 10 mins or so. I had to keep on and on cranking the starter to get it to restart.

Eventually, in the middle of busy 2 lane road, I tried the starter again and this time all I got was a high pitches whining noise like the starter is spinning but not engaging with the engine flywheel. I had to get the AA to recover my car and truck it back to the garage who have been renovating it.

Do I now need a new starter motor do you think??

The guy has done work including:

12v conversion
electric fuel pump
carb. overhaul kit
cleaned out fuel tank and fitted new fuel filter

He has been starting it and driving it to and from his garage for a week or so and he says its been OK except for hesitating and spluttering if you floor the gas pedal.

What does anyone think or advise here?

I really want to get it back and usable whilst the nice weather is here!

Change the carburettor? Or is it likely to be something else?

Giles
London, England