Interchange List

[boatingbill]

Hello Everyone. I just joined the KFOC Club and wondered if the new members get an interchange
parts list? I have "51 kaiser and the rear springs are weak. I want to put on overload rear spring/
shocks, but need to know what other common makes used the same rear shocks as the Kaiser. It's weird that JC Whitney lists Gabriel Overload shocks for HJ and Darrin, but not Kaiser or Frazier!

[joefrazer]

Gabriel carries shocks that'll fit a Kaiser. 82026 (front) and 81318 (rear) are the part numbers. Both are standard duty units...the Gabriel website might  list a heavy duty. You can also get helper coil springs that attach over the shocks to boost and firm up ride height. I did that with my 54 and it did help.

[boatingbill]

Joefrazer: Where did you get the springs that bolt over the standard shocks? Gabriel dose not list
Kaiser on their website for shocks, that is why a crossover list would be nice (for example 51-55 Kaiser is same as 54-58 Ford). Then I would just look up Ford for those years.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

People can do what I have been doing for many years.  Go to swap meets and look through the catalogs offered by various vendors.  If you can find them still, you want the parts catalogs from the various companies (Gabriel, Monroe, Auto-Lite, United Motor Service, Borg & Beck, etc, depending on the part or assembly for shocks, electrical, clutches, etc) dated between 1954 and 1961 or later.  Be advised that many of the muffler books may list Kaiser, Frazer and Henry J, the parts are a "universal" replacement with a glass-pack muffler.

[HJ-ETEX]

It is commonly recognized that that 51-55 Kaisers tend to sag in the rear. It is rather  pronounced on 54-55s. The Tom Hoffman 54 (now owned by Hal Naumann) was fixed by John Parker when he overly re-arched the rear springs. Re-build/re-arched springs to factory dimensions look promising when installed but when the leaves get a chance to flex, they settle down to a disappointing stance.

[HJ-ETEX]

I would also warn against air shocks or coil boosters on shocks. There is a temptation to jack up the rear using only these devices and this puts much additional stress on the shock mounts. A broken/bent shock can be replaced and the lower shock mount is fairly easy to repair. The upper shock mount ain't so easy!