Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum

General Category => Kaiser Forum => Topic started by: Orphanauto on September 19, 2015, 08:52:49 AM

Title: Banana Bars
Post by: Orphanauto on September 19, 2015, 08:52:49 AM

My 53 Manhattan did NOT have the "Banana Bars" when I got it. A amazing club member gave me a set he pulled off a car being scraped. I noticed the taps, and holes to bolt them up to my car are not the same distance. Neither line up to the bolts on my 53. 2 questions arise to me. 1. Is there a left and a right? 2. Are they different for different years and models? Thanks

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: Dragon on September 21, 2015, 09:29:32 AM

51 Kaiser did use a different size banana.  You would need to post pictures to see the difference.

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: 54manhattan13 on September 23, 2015, 09:25:18 AM

I am a long time Kaiser Frazer owner. I thought I knew all about them, but I learn new things almost daily on this forum. I want to ask, what are banana bars?

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: joefrazer on September 23, 2015, 01:15:43 PM

On the 1953 Kaisers, the bumper ends are shaped like a banana...hence the nick name.

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: Fid on September 23, 2015, 01:30:00 PM

Those on the '51 Kaiser are definitely different:
(https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a2d729b3127ccef145208dd81f00000040O01SatmLdmyB7efAA/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00203070160520120908233728448.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/)

and the '51 Special did not have them  at all:
(https://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a2da04b3127cceffa68a62a9ad00000030O01SatmLdmyB7efAA/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00203070160520120425233120199.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/)

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: tq on September 23, 2015, 02:42:37 PM

If I recall correctly, the 51 and 54/55 Kaiser's had the flat style corner pieces and the "real" 52's as well as 53's had the banana style corner pieces.

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: 54manhattan13 on September 23, 2015, 05:37:41 PM

Am I correct in believing that the '51 and '54-'55 front bumpers are the same? If so are the "banana bars the same on these cars?

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: joefrazer on September 23, 2015, 06:42:56 PM

Yes, the 1951 and 1954 bumper bars and bumper ends are the same. The bumper guards however are different between the two years. The 1951 units sit vertically and the 54 units are canted.

Title: Re: Banana Bars
Post by: Orphanauto on September 23, 2015, 07:01:18 PM

I wasn't sure the real name, but have heard them called banana bars, haha. The ones I got have the tabs about 1 inch or s to far apart formy bumper. That's what made me think maybe the 52's were a bit different. Thanks for all the input.