1954 was an unusual year for Kaiser Motors Corp. It can be confusing to identify the exact model as many were rebadged 1953 models, but this 1954 Kaiser Manhattan Supercharged Sedan is a K-542 so there’s no confusion here – the seller included a photo of the data tag! This one is posted here on craigslist in Dayton, Oregon and they’re asking $4,500. Here is the original listing.
The seller only lets us see two views of the exterior of this beautifully-designed car, the opening right-rear 3/4 photo showing the incredible taillights, and the photo above showing a profile of the left side. This sedan appears to be as straight as an arrow – figuratively since it’s a nicely-curved design – but there is some surface rust showing up behind the left rear wheel under the wide, low polished trim. The seller says that he and his wife thought this would be a good “together” restoration project but it ended up being too much work for them.
The interior needs as much work as the exterior does, hopefully it’s all cosmetic and structural, and major rust isn’t an issue under this car. At the end of 1953, Kaiser-Frazer Corporation became Kaiser Motors Corporation and they were excited to be coming out with a Dutch Darrin-designed sports car, the Kaiser Darrin. It wouldn’t be enough to help the company stay solvent as the big three car makers were solidly trouncing Kaiser Motors in sales. Hagerty is at $9,900 for a #4 fair-condition car, this could be a deal.
What a cool and unique dash! This car has what would have been the optional, $178 GM-sourced Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, and despite the faded, chipped, and worn paint, the interior looks very restorable from what we can see of it in the two photos. Only around 1,200 Kaiser Manhattans would be sold in 1954.
The big thing here is the supercharged engine, where Kaiser had hoped a Kaiser-developed V8 would be, but a lack of funds killed that, and GM killed promising plans to use Oldsmobile V8s. The next best thing would come from McCulloch and their VS57 Supercharger mounted on the Continental-sourced 226-cu.in. L-head inline-six. It put out 140 horsepower, a 22-hp bump over the standard engine. It was too little too late, sadly. The seller says this car runs and drives but they don’t recommend driving it any further than onto a trailer to haul it to your garage. At $4,500, this isn’t much money for such a unique car in 2024, what do you think?
Scotty, it has been so many years since I owned Kaisers at various times — a ’52 and two ’53s — that I have forgotten a lot of details. But I’m fairly sure the only sure ways to tell a genuine ’54 from a ’53 were the wraparound rear window design and supercharger. Some re-serialed ’53s had new “K542” tags attached, I’ve heard. The handful of “55s also included some renumbered ’54s, I believe.
Kaisers were genuinely nice cars to drive, especially with the GM four-speed Hydro. They rode well, and could cruise at highway speeds while returning pretty decent fuel economy.
This one appears in good shape. The only worries are the supercharger (and there are still people around who can rebuild them) and the unique interior fabrics. This one doesn’t have “Dragon Vinyl” trim, thank goodness. I have no idea where anyone would find that…. Just about everything else was either standard parts (brakes, transmission, etc.) or common to Case tractors (the engine) or other mechanized farm machinery.
Can’t take on a restoration right now, or I’d be all over this. Brings back some happy memories!
I’m glad I live too far away, this looks so cool! I love the styling, it’s artwork. I am puzzled on the transmission, it clearly appears to be an automatic, and I see a single wide brake pedal, but the sellers ads (both) state 3 speed manual with overdrive.
Me thinks that if they are sloppy with that transmission description, who knows what other descriptions they may be sloppy with, especially that supercharger.
I’d like to personally thank the writer, and all the writers for that matter. Cars like these, obscure and well before many of us were born, yet able to enlighten us on their history. It’s clear by the comments, cars like these target a certain audience, and dwindle with every funeral.
The styling shows how far car makers were willing to go to get sales. Was there really a group of people that actually embraced this car? Think of what didn’t make the cut. With only 1200 sold, pretty clear, there wasn’t. Still, imagine the engineering that went into this, futuristic in every way. Too bad, most people wanted a Ford Mainline.
I love the styling and creativity, and I’m an odd guy, I probably would have bought a car like this, sans the “puffer”, but then it was all about being a bit different. I’d have fit right in. Cool find.
Right on, HoA; that’s why I drove Corvairs during my high school and early college years! I had to listen to the crap from friends and others about “safety”, Ralph Nader, etc. I’d bet them that my Corvair would still be running when recycling companies would be making beer cans out of their “iron.” No one would take me up on the bet; I would have won many times over!
The sales that year were low, because by then it was an open secret, K-F was a dead car-company rolling. They had struggled for years, with lack of capital and engines designed by Continental in the 1930s. The V8 program was launched too late, and there wasn’t enough time or money to carry them over.
The design was a Hail-Mary move – K-F paid customizer Howard Darrin to restyle the Kaiser and Frazer body shell, and he did so. The Darrin Dip in the windshield, as well as in the side profile. The prototype flowing hips, later to be adopted by Bill Mitchell, and then the entire industry. And GM’s best Turbo-Hydramatic transmissions.
But no V8. Henry Kaiser, a logical grownup, thought the supercharger would be an adequate substitute. But then, he didn’t understand the consumer market for cars – and how the V8 was somehow tied to status and masculinity, the way, 40 years later, four-wheel-drive would be.
Without a V8, and sales down, credit cut off, Kaiser made his decision to close, sell the tooling to his IKA in Argentina, and consolidate his new interest, Willys-Overland, into a new company.
Once he legally secured “Jeep” as a trademark (it had not been, until the 1960s) he renamed what was left of Willys.
And, interestingly, he wound up with his V8. He had to buy it from American Motors, but it was his – his former engine guy, David Potter, took his, Potter’s, plans to AMC where what would have been the Kaiser V8 was launched in 14 months. For three years it was the V8 option in the J-Series Wagoneer and pickup.
Not that Kaiser could wonder about that for long. His own mileage was up in 1967 – and his blind spot about estate planning, meant the whole of the Kaiser empire had to be sold to pay the 40-percent estate taxes.
What was left, in the end, was only Kaiser Permanente – which was reorganized as a non-profit organization, the first HMO system.
So, the V-8 engine was tied to…masculinity? I thought it was power and torque, that moved the lower, longer and wider cars of the day, much better than a wheezy L head 6 banger. You learn something new, every day.
In many cases it’s an emotional response.
Back in the 1960s, plenty of buyers weren’t happy unless they got the biggest engine offered, and would choose brands/models based on engine size. What, to commute 25 miles?
Today we have the same issue, with these monster half-ton trucks. Many people who have them, simply don’t need them. They’d be better served with a regular car. They have the right to choose, and that’s fine; but I’m not talking about control or limiting choices, only exploring WHY they do what they do.
The Kaiser debacle demonstrates it. Their engines were totally adequate for most buyers, and the supercharger delivered the extra power they’d occasionally need. But they didn’t sell.
Studebaker and AMC were finding the same thing out, and spent precious product-development money on building those suddenly-indispensible engines.
Let’s not forget the times, also. Outside of NYC, Chicago and Los Angeles, freeways almost didn’t exist.
They didn’t sell, because they had antiquated flathead 6 between the front fenders. Until the last 15 years or so? There was no substitution for cubic inches. No one cared about gas mileage in 1954.
Hudson was a perfect example. Their 308 straight six was superior to most V8s—The uneducated public wanted a V8.
Well, there have aways been those who just do not get it. It’s OK, if we have to explain it you will never understand it anyway.
I think BarnFinds should hire this person!
The design was far more stylish than the pudgy Chevies, Fords, and Plymouths of the early 50s. The butterfly windshield, the taillights, and the wraparound rear window were truly artistic. This car looks like a really good clean and polish, plus a mechanical restoration as-needed would make it a nice driver.
Yeah, right! That’s why they sold so well.
One of my military Tuesday morning guys das owned one of these, he says it was nice but very slow.
Just look at the rear window pieces, and the tail lights – what an expensive thing to manufacture this was! For years I’ve always regarded these as ugly but finally the “future is now” styling is appealing to me. The location is, perhaps coincidental. Thirty or forty years ago along the highway between Dayton and Salem there was an old farmhouse with literally dozens and dozens of these Kaisers and Packards of the same era literally sinking back into the earth, rusting and degrading away. When the eccentric who owned the acreage and cabin died, I went to the auction. The property itself was not financeable as there was no good water source to the home – the old guy had merely strung together about a 100 yards of garden hose from a pump to the ditch that ran along the road and that’s what he used, drank and cooked with! Most of the cars were at best parts cars by then.
The write up on craigs list is well done and worth reading, it seems honest and genuine. For the price asked this car is an amazing buy, its not a hot rod but its in nice shape and cool for what it is. Where else ya gona find a vintage car in good shape for under $5k. It would be fun to drive to car shows etc..
a 2. Kaiser super charger for the same price ?! – there was one middle of April in BF as I remember.
Thanks, Nic! I was going to link back to that really nice one – I should have. Thanks much.
Sorry, this one was asking 7.500.- but never answer questions…. https://louisville.craigslist.org/cto/d/soddy-daisy-1954-kaiser-factory/7735065119.html
$4500? If this were in North Carolina, I’d run with the cash in hand and a trailer…as long as they had a title (NC isn’t fun without a title). An intact rarity like this for that price? A steal.
Such an awesome looking car. I couldn’t see my self owning/driving one but they are so distinctive.
I agree, all the great deals always seem to be 2000 miles away! I had a chance to buy one nearly identical to this about 5-6 years ago and missed it by one day. This is a STEAL!
I have to agree with Bobdog that the write up in this Craigslist ad is a very imaginative. Well worth the read. This looks like a decent project to me and this car certainly deserves a new lease on life. I’m another guy who gravitates towards oddball cars. This certainly fits the bill. But I’m starting to accept that the days of a hands on restoration is pretty much over for me. I have to chime in on the six cylinder vs V8 discussion. I remember when my dad traded his 1953 Chevy in for a 1958 with the 283 V8. Even a seven year old kid could notice a big difference in performance. For the guy who wanted a good deal more power under his right foot; the V8 was the only way to go. And the fun was just getting better all the time. I’ll never forget the grin on his face when I slammed him back in the seat in my 1967 390 Mustang. Good memories. I hope that this old gal finds a new home. GLWTS.
Years ago I had my eye on one of these sitting in a trailer park in Colorado, but it went away before I could gather the courage to find the owner. Notice how K-F answered the stylists’ need for tailfins without changing the steel stampings. You could easily increase boost: just swap the supercharger pulley for a smaller one. This distinctive car is part of a long story, so it deserves to be restored. Not only that, it’s complete and inexpensive!
Lots of no-longer-with-us makes used blowers on flatheads to get the oomph they needed to be competitive without investing dough they didn’t have to get a “sexy” V-8 to use. Graham comes readily to mind, and, of course, the instant Kaiser.
It all has to do with breathing. Remember that the then-new ’53 Ford OHV 6 dyno’d out at more than the ol’ L-head V-8 but the numbers for the six were given at a lower RPM so as to not shame the eight. A year later the “Y” block solved that problem.
Thanks for the nice write-up of this one Scotty, the orphans are always fun as presented here thru BarnFinds.
Unfortunate how KF was obviously so committed to investing in creating such a highly stylized-and-different body/trim package (taillight hyper-design already mentioned as case-in-point) yet not able/willing to bankroll competitive engine options. If they had, KF would have sold many more and possibly achieved some continuance..