1949 Traveller on ebay $995 no bids

[Roadmaster49]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/kaiser-frazer-hudson-/330771393075?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item4d0382ea33

Tempting. Imagine restoring a car from the southwest that has no rust.  $995 is no issue but transport from NM would add another $1200.  As the seller is noting, this might be a legitimate 21,000 mile car.

[Fid]

I looked at that Traveler a couple of times too Roadmaster49. According to the handbook, Travelers with overdrive were not real common. I also noticed that one has wood slats. I didn't see it in the latest handbook but I thought I heard/read somewhere that Travelers had metal skids in the rear and Vagabonds had wood. Probably memory lapse, perhaps kaiserfrazerlibrary can comment on that. It looks like a very straight car yet and those hatchbacks get a lot of attention at cruise-ins and rallies. People are always amazed to learn that Kaiser had the first hatchback in 1949.

[joefrazer]

I looked closer at that Traveler and it has the metal slats. Travelers used metal, Vagabonds used wood. I hope this sells to a club member, it's way too solid to end up as scrap or under a hot rodders torch...

[Roadmaster49]

I have contacted the seller through ebay and saved it as a watch item.  After just spending $900 to get a 48 Packard here to Iowa in transport alone, (and a total of about $3200 for 4 cars this year in transport) I am a little reluctant to bite on this one.  Granted, the low initial cost of the Traveller helps offset the transport.

[Fid]

After reading joe's post I went back and looked again. You are correct, it does have metal slats. I was confused by the fact that it has a wood seatback with metal slats. That seatback, at  initial glance, appeared to be wooden slats but upon close examination it is not. Four eyes are often better than two.

[Roadmaster49]

Just received a response from the seller stating that IF paid in full the car can sit 90 days for transport arrangement.  Still no bids. It's killin' me thinking it could easily be a 21,000 mile dry SW car.

[custom59]

I understand your dilemma.

But thanks to every body saying that Steve Lloyds 53 Manhatton was too far away to check out
and some guys not showing the car the respect it deserves by trying to lowball it I will be seeing my
new Kaiser tomorrow morning to make the purchase.

Steve is a truly nice guy and a gentleman to boot.

I will be paying at least $5000 in transport costs to get my new car home to Australia, and then
taxes when it gets there.

But it will still be a cheap car and a very rare car when compared to the Chevs and Fords etc at
the shows around home.

When the costs of travelling over here are added..... Best not to think of that.

Someone should snap the Traveller up, or you may start losing more to Australia when my
car gets there and they realise what bargains are to be had over here.

Mal.

[Fid]

That's cool that the car is going to Australia! Where in Australia? Last year I spent time in Sydney. I only saw one old car there, a Willys and was not quick enough with the camera to get a picture. It was right in downtown Sydney so I don't know if a lot of people would bring an old car to that area. Of course, as you point out, there may not be many there which will make you owning one all that much more fun.  How is it with left hand drive there? I think we Americans would have a tough time getting used to that.  I did see a 1968 Pontiac Grand Prix in Paris a few  years ago which was very unusual. The French drive on the right hand side as we do here but that car was so much bigger than everything else there.  I know there was  a fellow from France on here who posted pictures of his '51 Frazer.  Seems I read an article, may have been in the KFOC Quarterly, about a '51 Frazer, RHD in Australia. Now that would be interesting to bring one of those to the US! Congratulations on your new car and good luck with the transport. Let us know when it arrives there.

[Roadmaster49]

I understand your dilemma.

But thanks to every body saying that Steve Lloyds 53 Manhatton was too far away to check out
and some guys not showing the car the respect it deserves by trying to lowball it I will be seeing my
new Kaiser tomorrow morning to make the purchase.

Mal.

Mal,
I hate to see the old cars go out of the USA but as we are a free enterprise capitaliistic country all is fair.  I sold a 64 Buick to a fellow from Sweden who personally came over to get it.  In the last 2 years, I spotted a super rare 1950 Packard that a New Zealnder bought, is taking to Albuquerque for brief storage and then it's gone from America forever too.

I hope you understand my (our) American sentiments. It's painful to watch as American collectors pass by these great cars for "popular" models like the muscle cars, Mustangs and the like while folks from Europe and Australia buy them and ship them over. It seems to happen a lot and has for at least 10 years.

Now, if I saw an equally nice Kaiser project in Australia would I do what you are doing? Not a chance! The transport cost of $5000 is too high not to mention the uncertainty. I would think no one in the chain of custody cares for YOUR car as much as YOU do.

One final note- a friend of mine DID import 2 UTES - 1950's era Mopar utility trucks (think El  Camino or Ranchero circa 1950). In a twist of irony, he sold a rare 1957 DeSoto Adventurer convertible to a buyer in Italy to raise money to buy the UTES (2) and import them to the US.  His transport costs were $10,000 but he got a good deal on the UTES and sold his Adventurer for about $40.000

[Roadmaster49]

The old Kaiser has a bid.

I received a transport bid of $900 to bring it from Albuquerque NM to central Iowa, an almost 1000 mile trip. That's a good price.

[AZ_HJ]

To all,

I guess I am now the proud owner of a 1949 Traveler.

The Traveler is going to sunny, Sun City, AZ.


B
Mark

[Fid]

Mark that's awesome. Do you plan to restore it or fix it up? Let me know if you need any specific parts as I know of a salvage yard here that has 3 of them!  Also, that model 230 radio that we often fix up for use in a Henry  J, was also used in the Traveler - we know a guy who can fix them if you have one  .  Keep us updated on how it goes. An original hatchback is very cool.

[AZ_HJ]

I plan to fix it up at first. I am unsure if I want to take on another body off restoration. Thanks for the offer to chase down parts if needed. Larry has quite a collection of early Kaiser parts and when I was at the Walker's place I saw many there as well. I feel quite comfortable on taking on this project.

[mbflemingkf]

Mark...that's great...congratulations!

[Roadmaster49]

Yes that's a win-win that a KF guy got the car.  You are so far ahead on not needing to do extensive body work due to rust. Let us know later if you feel you actually purchased a 21,000 mile car for $1525!