Last Kaiser Built

[Roadmaster49]

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4238577953.html
FOR SALE: 1955 Kaiser Manhattan - with a significant serial number. This is Model 51363 N, Serial Number 11021 - "The Last Kaiser Down the Production Line."

 In May and June of 1955 Kaiser Motors built 1,021 cars for export to South America. 1,006 cars were shipped. Fifteen cars stayed in the U. S. for testing and transportation of some company executives. This was the last Kaiser to come down the production assembly line by Kaiser Motors.

 The body work is very near to completion. We will sell this 1955 Kaiser and parts for the car for $10,000. The price includes three pages of new and or rechromed parts, rebuilt engine, seats, windows, and body wire harness. Rear quarters are NOS.

 Pictures do not show glass, seats, and bumpers; but all parts are included. Many pictures of this car can be seen on our website. Google kaiserfrazergardens.

 Car and parts could be delivered within a reasonable distance for a fee.

 Call 219-754-2144.

[Roadmaster49]

He could have finished the car in the time he has been advertising it.  Why doesn't he budge on price?  Not even KF geeks are going to pay for this "significant car".

On a less snarky note, I saw the photo of the 55 Kaiser ad in his craigs list ad.  I sure would like to have an original 55 Kaiser ad.

[Gordie]

I'm sure that he would be barely getting his money out of the car as restorations are very expensive.  KFW did not do any magazine ads for 1955 that I am aware of.  This one was probably from an auto show publication.

[mbflemingkf]

What makes you think its overpriced??   

[JoeKeys2010]

I see a lot of work, do-able, but a lot of work.  If you could do the work yourself I'm guessing you'd drop 5k before it was done and if you could not do the work even more.  Not to mention the time involved.   I think for 15K I could find one already together and running. 

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

This is interesting.  The car is owned by the Huckers, who are club members in Lacrosse, Indiana; Bob's had the car for sale a number of years now.  This is a "you gotta love the car" type of deal.  He is correct in his documenting & started the restoration himself (hence the condition) but moved on to other projects.  It is one of at least 4 "Last Kaisers" known to be built.

The actual "Last Kaiser Built" depends on your definition of same.  This is the last regular production car; Willys Motors built either 1 or 3 (depending on which source you go by) between 1955-57 for company use; the owner of the last from this trio has a letter from Kaiser-Jeep stating this was the final Kaiser automobile produced by the company in the USA.  In 1956-58, a few Kaisers using the Willys Motors (all 1955 Kaisers stateside done have Willys Motors manufacturing tags on them) sequencing were assembled from parts on hand at the Haifa, Israel plant.

[Dragon]

I thought Jim Westfall had the last Kaiser.  Jims car came off the line as a very special car.  Different interior and paint.  It was even equipped with power brakes.  I thought all the changes to this car was because it was the last one off the Kaiser line.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Jim's car may be the last of the trio; I have lost track of it over the years.  Main thing is that the car owner should have a letter on Kaiser-Jeep Corporation letter head identifying the car's numbers as reflecting the last company car built at Toledo in 1957.

[Roadmaster49]

What makes you think its overpriced??   

Perhaps it is overpriced because the sellers have been advertising it at $10,000 for several years with no takers.  Since an agreed price is what a buyer is willing to pay a seller, perhaps, due to lack of sale, it is over the market price.

Yes, at most any price the Huckers are going to lose money. I just lost about $5000 to clear out some cars that I decided I did not want any more.

I don't think it's so much about value because a 55 Chevy Bel Air, of which they made hundreds of thousands, is worth much more then a 55 Kaiser, apples to apples. 

All the Huckers need to add is obo, and perhaps a dialogue can occur.

[Gordie]

An April 1956 sales folder from Kaiser Frazer of Israel Ltd. indicates that they were still offering new Kaisers along with Willys jeeps and Aero's, Renault's and motor scooters. I wonder what kind of serial numbers these cars used?  I believe that they were sent from Willow Run knocked down for final assembly in Haifa but must have had unique serial numbers.

[Fid]

That "Last Kaiser" has been for a sale for a few years now if that's any gauge as to value. Of course, value and sale-ability are two different things as well.