New '53 Manhattan Owner

[stich]

Good afternoon members. I just signed up here as I just bought a '53 Manhattan and want to learn as much as possible from all you members. First a little background on myself. I was born in '53 so it was a given that I chose this year as my first Kaiser. To be honest, it wasn't my only reason. It was also my dad's last car he owned before he passed away. I was only 7 at the time but for the next several months after his passing, I practically lived in his Manhattan parked there in the in the back. Up until my mom sold it, I must have put 10,000 miles on her, (all while never even starting it). I remember the car well though and vowed to one day own one for myself. That day has finally come. As a side note, he also had parked next to the one he actually drove, another Kaiser. I remember it was a Traveler because I used to open the tailgate and crawl in the back to play or whatever. I never saw it drive and it may not have run. I do remember that it was Maroon and had what I called Maroon Alligator vinyl upholstery. Was it really a "Dragon" interior? Maybe you guys can answer that. His driver was Australian Beige with a copper rust top. The one I just bough is just the opposite in color. It only has 50,000 + miles on it but has been sitting for some years. It ran when parked and I'm sure I can get it running again without too much work. I'll tune it and change the fluids, add new tires and carpet but plan on leaving it pretty much a survivor and just drive around in it with my beautiful wife beside me. That's the plan anyway. I do also have other projects that I'm working on as my tastes are all over the charts. I also have a '49 Willys CJ3A but it's a little modernized with a Buick V6 and CJ 6 running gear. My current project is a '67 GTO convertible that I'm totally turning into a monster. (my inner child is really coming out in me) All Pro Touring suspension and a pretty nasty injected 455 Pontiac with a Muncie 4 spd. A bit different than the flat head 6 in the Kaiser. As I start on the Kaiser, I'm sure I'll be asking plenty from you all so thank in advance for your help.









Not too bad of shape for $1500 and it was living only 30 miles from me for the last many years. Funny how that can happen.

[Gordie]

Congratulations on finding a good looking Kaiser for a reasonable price.  It should turn out to be a fun experience for you.  Our members are very knowledgeable on lots of K-F topics and we will try to help you as much as we can.  Most mechanical parts are available for your car and hopefully you will join the KFOCI to receive a real windfall of K-F information and a monthly newsletter with free advertising and many other perks.  Keep us posted as you get it running  It looks like a very nice car and they are very popular in the club.

[Carpenter]

Is that Tach and Oil Pressure gauges over brake pedal?  Standard or added?

[joefrazer]

I once owned an Australian Beige over Copperdust metallic 53 just like yours. I had MAACO paint it using my mix and it turned out very nice. In a momentary lapse of judgement I sold the car to someone who made a very fair offer. If it runs without too much work, I'd call it very well bought.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

You will get a lot of information about 1953 Kaisers (including Manhattans) in KFOCI HANDBOOK, a CD you'll get in your New Member packet.  Informaton on that includes the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement to the 1951 Kaiser & Frazer Shop Manual.  You'll also get the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement parts list supplement as well; it works with the 1951 Illustrated Kaiser parts book.   If you have power steering on your car (the factory P/S) that parts book and service manual are there too.

There are a couple of book-sized things I recommend you get for your car to make servicing and maintenance a lot easier:

     1951 Kaiser and Frazer Shop Manual                                            1951 Kaiser Combined Body & Chassis Parts list (orange cover)

These two books are "core" documents that Kaiser-Frazer expanded on through the supplements I already noted.  Many parts vendors in the club inventory their items by K-F part number so the Parts List is a must (it will also tell you which version of a part works for your car if the running change is specific to serial numbers). 

The gages mounted under the dash seem to be water temp and oil; a tach would have movement going around more like a speedometer.   Some people put these in because they could not find the factory type sender units at their local auto parts store.  The senders are available through some of the club members who are also parts vendors if you want to get back to a fully functional instrument cluster and drop the add-on gages.

[stich]

You will get a lot of information about 1953 Kaisers (including Manhattans) in KFOCI HANDBOOK, a CD you'll get in your New Member packet.  Informaton on that includes the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement to the 1951 Kaiser & Frazer Shop Manual.  You'll also get the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement parts list supplement as well; it works with the 1951 Illustrated Kaiser parts book.   If you have power steering on your car (the factory P/S) that parts book and service manual are there too.

There are a couple of book-sized things I recommend you get for your car to make servicing and maintenance a lot easier:

     1951 Kaiser and Frazer Shop Manual                                            1951 Kaiser Combined Body & Chassis Parts list (orange cover)

These two books are "core" documents that Kaiser-Frazer expanded on through the supplements I already noted.  Many parts vendors in the club inventory their items by K-F part number so the Parts List is a must (it will also tell you which version of a part works for your car if the running change is specific to serial numbers). 

The gages mounted under the dash seem to be water temp and oil; a tach would have movement going around more like a speedometer.   Some people put these in because they could not find the factory type sender units at their local auto parts store.  The senders are available through some of the club members who are also parts vendors if you want to get back to a fully functional instrument cluster and drop the add-on gages.

That will be a good start so far, thanks. Also, what does the push button next to the headlight switch do? Not in the owners manual that comes with the car (Original manual, I think)

[Fid]

Also, what does the push button next to the headlight switch do?

This is interesting in a '53.  For the 1951 Kaiser, the button is to run the starter.   Yes, in the older cars you had to turn the key, then press the starter button to run the starter.
It's been awhile since I've had/seen a '53 but I thought the '53 has a turn key starter.   Maybe this one was converted back? I'll let someone who knows the '53s better elaborate but it's likely the starter button.

[westmorland]

Welcome!   That's a beautiful car especially for that price.

As far as the starter goes, the one on my 53 is a standard modern turn key ignition.

I'm assuming the gauges you're asking about are the ones underneath the dash.  Those are additions that someone put on. 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

All 1953 Kaisers were equipped with a key-start ignition switch.  From introduction of the later series 1952 Manhattan and deLuxe models, the area where the button is was left open for switches that opperated such accessory items as air circulator (early version of rear window defogger) and a Windshield Washer.  It could also be for operation of something added by a previous owner.

Without being able to see the car, it's kind of hard to make a good guess.

[stich]

Also, what does the push button next to the headlight switch do?

This is interesting in a '53.  For the 1951 Kaiser, the button is to run the starter.   Yes, in the older cars you had to turn the key, then press the starter button to run the starter.
It's been awhile since I've had/seen a '53 but I thought the '53 has a turn key starter.   Maybe this one was converted back? I'll let someone who knows the '53s better elaborate but it's likely the starter button.

That was my first guess as well. I haven't gotten a chance to try the starter yet as the key won't turn the ignition. (Bad key or switch maybe?) I'll pull it this weekend. And I'll check to see if that push button was wired over to the ignition. PO might have done other after market things other than the gauges. Other than items mentioned, it really appears to be mostly original. I joined the KF Owners club today and will be looking there to purchase some parts needed to get her on the road. Oh yeah, here's a bit of interesting (useless as my wife sometimes tells me) info. I have an upholstery shop and specialize in aircraft as well as street rods and resto's. I do a lot of older rag wing airplanes and antiques and have a client that is restoring Howard Hughes's actual Mitchell B-25 that he had converted to his personal business airplane. It was a treat just to walk around in it and and know Howard Hughes actually sat here.



Here's some interior shots:

 



Does that bamboo vinyl look familiar? Yup, I think it's the same thing uses in our Kaisers More "unoptanium" I would say

[stich]

You will get a lot of information about 1953 Kaisers (including Manhattans) in KFOCI HANDBOOK, a CD you'll get in your New Member packet.  Informaton on that includes the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement to the 1951 Kaiser & Frazer Shop Manual.  You'll also get the 1952-53 Kaiser supplement parts list supplement as well; it works with the 1951 Illustrated Kaiser parts book.   If you have power steering on your car (the factory P/S) that parts book and service manual are there too.

There are a couple of book-sized things I recommend you get for your car to make servicing and maintenance a lot easier:

     1951 Kaiser and Frazer Shop Manual                                            1951 Kaiser Combined Body & Chassis Parts list (orange cover)

These two books are "core" documents that Kaiser-Frazer expanded on through the supplements I already noted.  Many parts vendors in the club inventory their items by K-F part number so the Parts List is a must (it will also tell you which version of a part works for your car if the running change is specific to serial numbers). 

The gages mounted under the dash seem to be water temp and oil; a tach would have movement going around more like a speedometer.   Some people put these in because they could not find the factory type sender units at their local auto parts store.  The senders are available through some of the club members who are also parts vendors if you want to get back to a fully functional instrument cluster and drop the add-on gages.

How and where do I purchase the two books mentioned?

[Fid]

I'll check to see if that push button was wired over to the ignition

That was going to be my next suggestion but it looks like you're ahead of us on that. Thanks to those that clarified the turn-key type starter on the '53s. That's what I thought I remembered. So, you'll probably just have to crawl under the dash and trace to see what it's there for. Let us know what you find.

Regarding the books, as kaiserfrazerlibrary points out, you'll get them on a CD.

Otherwise, if you like to hold them in your hand as well, reprints are available on ebay:

Here's a '51 shop manual 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-Kaiser-Frazer-Shop-Manual-Special-Deluxe-Manhattan-Repair-1952-1953-base/362183981400?hash=item5453d8f958:g:NskAAOSwv-NWZceT

And here's a copy of the '53 supplement

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kaiser-1952-1953-1952-1953-Kaiser-Models-Shop-Manual-Supplement/223127549085?hash=item33f370349d:g:HOcAAOxyqUpQ4ea0:sc:USPSFirstClass!55306!US!-1