1953 Onyx colored Dragon for Sale

[Fid]

The two pronged electrical component is a head bolt engine heater. If the car was in Minnesota, it needed it!  Anyway, you don't see those much any more since no  one's driving flatheads in the winter. The engine in my '52 Henry J Vagabond had one of those when I got it. I removed it and replaced the stud with an original one. Just for fun I put a cord on it and plugged it in - it gets hot real fast!
 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I put a K-F rear window wiper on my 1952 deLuxe; it came with an ivory knob.  It is the Trico general use kit with K-F instruction sheet and packaging.  One of the last accessory items announced in a Kaiser-Frazer Parts & Accessories Bulletin was a head bolt type engine block heater.  Unfortunatley I don't have the broadside for it but from the description, it sounds like what you have found on the car.  As I am out of town this weekend I don't have the part number, etc, available.

[Roadmaster49]

Possibility #1: I used to live in Kansas City and worked with a gentleman at the Main Post Office who bought a black 1953 Dragon with only a very few miles on it that he said was really-really cheap. It was the only one that I ever saw in the 60+ years that I lived there.  It did have the rear wiper which was a REAL curiosity back then. He said that the Studebaker lot on Truman Road (Pioneer Studebaker?) gave him special financing---He was supposed to pay a set amount every 1st and 15th of the month and they would tell him when it was PAID OFF! We used to really get on him about that. When I helped get the contents of the KC Zone Kaiser-Willys depot for George Buchinger, I remember that he wanted to by some Dragon trim from me but I had already shipped it to Chicago and besides it wasn't really mine to sell. I think that Jessee Ehlers also had a black Kaiser with red leather interior, but wasn't it a 54?

Probably the same car.

Former Member #511

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

Possibility #1: I used to live in Kansas City and worked with a gentleman at the Main Post Office who bought a black 1953 Dragon with only a very few miles on it that he said was really-really cheap. It was the only one that I ever saw in the 60+ years that I lived there.  It did have the rear wiper which was a REAL curiosity back then. He said that the Studebaker lot on Truman Road (Pioneer Studebaker?) gave him special financing---He was supposed to pay a set amount every 1st and 15th of the month and they would tell him when it was PAID OFF! We used to really get on him about that. When I helped get the contents of the KC Zone Kaiser-Willys depot for George Buchinger, I remember that he wanted to by some Dragon trim from me but I had already shipped it to Chicago and besides it wasn't really mine to sell. I think that Jessee Ehlers also had a black Kaiser with red leather interior, but wasn't it a 54?


Probably the same car.

Former Member #511

I think so to unless it would be the other Black Dragon on the List... Plus the Funeral Home Flower Car that has been said before on this Dragon by a Club Member...
It would be interesting if both Black Dragons had the rear Wiper like Vans & SUV Today... Like the Ralph Nader Rear Stop Light In the 51 Green - White Top Henry Kaiser Dragon.

We also still after all the Years have any Dragons on the List before the 2 Dragons. So the ones before couldof been spec. Vehicles...

[Jim B PEI]

The rear window wiper was a KF accessory over several years. I haven't heard of any first series cars with them, but I have heard of several 51 through 54. Dave Hollens had/has a 54 Manhattan with one.

[AZ_HJ]

I have a copy of the Installation Instructions for this accessory. If anyone would like a scan copy of it please e-mail me at AZSteele123@aol.com.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

I have a copy of the Installation Instructions for this accessory. If anyone would like a scan copy of it please e-mail me at AZSteele123@aol.com.

This would be good for the buyer & others with accessory's added to the K. F. Product..
Some have been doing this as a file on Facebook as well ...

[pnw_oldmags]

Mark and I have gathered quite a few Henry J accessory installation instructions and posted them for all to use several years ago.
http://circlekf.com/henryj/instructions.html
Sounds like it is time to expand this to any Kaiser-Frazer Accessory Installation Instructions.
Let me publish those that I have with a list and everyone else can email me the missing ones for publishing.
Travel On,

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

This car is for sale near Kansas City, MO, on I-70, near Sweet Springs, MO.  I think there may have been some discussion about this car back in the fall, but I don't think anyone had pictures, and I couldn't find the thread. I went to look at this car at that time, but I didn't think about posting the pictures in case anybody else is interested.  I recently came across the pictures on my computer and thought I would post them.

The car is at Lance Auto Investments, and when I called yesterday to see if it was still there, Mr. Lance said he has not had much activity with this car and that it is still there.  He says the motor and transmission have been rebuilt and that the car will come with about $1,000 worth of spare parts.  He said the price he has marked on the car is $11,000, but he said he would take $6,000 for it.  He said he had been driving it around yesterday.  I am trying to attach the pics of this car, and one of them has the firewall tag, which shows it is a true Onyx Dragon.  The interior is in very bad shape, and the paint is too, as well as the top covering, but it could be a very nice and rare car for someone who wants to fix it. 

Now, when I went to look at the car last fall, Mr. Lance told me over the phone that the price was $6,000, but when I got up there, he showed me that tag he had on the keychain that said $11,000. He said he had misquoted me the price, and if I wanted it for $6,000, I had to buy it that day.  I'm not sure what to make of that, but I was never looking for a car that needed much work to be enjoyable and left it alone for that reason.

If anyone is interested, I have two phone numbers for Mr. Lance: (816) 807-7753 and (660) 335-2255.  One of those is his cell phone, but I don't remember which one.  Also, Mr. Lance is hard to hear on the phone at first because he has an artificial voice.  When I was calling him last fall, I didn't know about his voice, and I hung up on him several times because I thought the phone was malfunctioning and giving me static.  If you know to listen for that, you can understand him just fine.

I'm not a mechanic or an expert on Dragons, but this seems to be a rare car that might make someone in the club happy.  Just thought I would post it to see what you all think and to see if anybody is interested in buying it and restoring it.

I called Mr. Lance Today.  He still has the Black Dragon... Note : Only Two Black Dragons have been Found & on the Dragon List. This would be a great project for a Dragon restor... G.B.     http://www.eskimo.com/~hhagen/reg/reg.htm

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

I will call Mr. Lance again see if anyone got the Onyx Dragon ?

Note : The other 53 Onyx Dragon on the Club registry list was at the New Braunfels, TX National in 1992. It was Hirsch from AZ.
Club Members say He has passed. So lookin for the New Owner Today to update the Dragon List.
http://circlekf.com/kfcars/k5301.htm

[Roadmaster49]

I will call Mr. Lance again see if anyone got the Onyx Dragon ?

Calling Charlie Lance every once in a while won't make much difference. Mr. Lance can be initially pleasant but having a club memeber or Dragon fan call him every once in a while will not break his resolve to sell the car for a price out of some circa 1988 pre speculation market collapse price guide. $11,000?  $6,000 but only today? 

The fact is that within the KF community Dragons are one of our holy grail cars but to the greater buying public they are a four door sedan. 

And there are just fewer and fewer folks doing ever more expensive restorations soooo cars like the special ordered turquise Dragon offered for $3000 in southern Illinois go unpurchased for years. THAT car is a much better purchase at $3000 then Charlies Onyx Dragon at $6000 or Steve Lloyds Onyx 2 door at $6000 is much better then buying a Dragon from Charlie at $6000.

He is old school car salesman (remember I have purchased 3 vehicles off him) and most of the vehicles he has were given to him or sold to him for $500. Then he tries to flip them for several times that amount.

In his old place closer to Bates City Missouri, he lived on premises and exists sparsely, so I am not sure what his motive is.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

There have always been people who think because you don't see them around much any more, Kaiser, Frazer and Henry J automobiles should be worth many, MANY times their normal selling price range.  If I remember right there was an old woman who wanted to sell a rusted out ratty 1951 Kaiser for $15,000 because they didn't make them any more.

There was also the the former member who lived near the ocean in California and kept his cars out under orange trees in his orange grove.  When he died, the executor of the estate thought there should be at least $500,000 worth of cars out there because they were so rare.  Inspection of the vehicles showed that the brine mist off the ocean turned the cars into something worse than often found in the farmfields of the midwest;  a couple cars even had holes in the top from rust out due to the corrosive effect of the stuff in the air!

These kinds of people have been around since the end of World War II if not earlier; only the vintage and make of car have changed.

[Aeroman]

I will call Mr. Lance again see if anyone got the Onyx Dragon ?

Note : The other 53 Onyx Dragon on the Club registry list was at the New Braunfels, TX National in 1992. It was Hirsch from AZ.
Club Members say He has passed. So lookin for the New Owner Today to update the Dragon List.
http://circlekf.com/kfcars/k5301.htm

This car you're talking about belonged to the late Phil Hirsch of Southern California. He bought his car used in 1955 and it was sold out of his estate in the early 1990's. I think Rock Brandt. another former SoCal member, bought it and moved to AZ, then he died. It's probably still in AZ, maybe Berschauer's own it now.

I knew both Phil and Rock well. The two of them in their cars along with me in Old Toby and the Hoffman's, Parker's, McManama's and Bob Metzel all caravanned from SoCal to Ouray for the national in 1986. It was quite a parade: 6 Kaisers and a Willys Aero. The attached photo was taken of me and Old Toby at some summit somewhere in Utah on that trip.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

I will call Mr. Lance again see if anyone got the Onyx Dragon ?

Note : The other 53 Onyx Dragon on the Club registry list was at the New Braunfels, TX National in 1992. It was Hirsch from AZ.
Club Members say He has passed. So lookin for the New Owner Today to update the Dragon List.
http://circlekf.com/kfcars/k5301.htm

This car you're talking about belonged to the late Phil Hirsch of Southern California. He bought his car used in 1955 and it was sold out of his estate in the early 1990's. I think Rock Brandt. another former SoCal member, bought it and moved to AZ, then he died. It's probably still in AZ, maybe Berschauer's own it now.

I knew both Phil and Rock well. The two of them in their cars along with me in Old Toby and the Hoffman's, Parker's, McManama's and Bob Metzel all caravanned from SoCal to Ouray for the national in 1986. It was quite a parade: 6 Kaisers and a Willys Aero. The attached photo was taken of me and Old Toby at some summit somewhere in Utah on that trip.

Thanks for the Info Rick ... Hope someone steps Up & tells Us Who has this one Now. Plus the One  here in Cars for Sale would be the only Two Onyx Dragons on the List of Dragons...   http://circlekf.com/kfcars/k5301.htm   

[Roadmaster49]

I somehow resurrected this topic from a Google Search.  I will be in central Missouri Thursday through Sunday attending to my mom's auction of house contents.  I will try to stop by and see if Mr. Lance still has the car or even if lance Auto Investments is still in business. 

Has anyone located the other Onyx Dragon in AZ or TX?