Kaiser and Frazer joined forces in 1945 to create Kaiser-Frazer Corp. The Kaiser side of the equation received a redesign in 1951, highlighted by the “sweetheart dip” or vee in the windshield. Two versions of a Manhattan 2-door sedan were offered, the Club Coupe and Business Coupe. The latter was a Club Coupe but without a back seat (popular with traveling salesmen and their wares). Estimates are that fewer than 1,200 copies of the Business Coupe were built in ’51, making the seller’s sharp copy a rare find. Located in Jefferson, Georgia, this low-mileage sedan is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $11,500.
Much of the design work on the 1951 Kaiser was done by “Dutch” Darrin, who worked on retainer. The end result was “Anatomic Styling” (sometimes called “Speed Styling”). The cars had two inches less in ground clearance, providing a low and leaner look. An L-head inline-6 continued to reside under the hood, displacing 226 cubic inches with an output of 115 hp. Fast, they were not. The last Kaiser-Frazer cars were built in 1955, ending another of the independent U.S. automakers.
Details are few about this attractive Business Coupe. We’re told it has less than 33,000 miles, but we don’t know how that came to be. Everything works as it should, including the “3-on-the-tree” manual transmission. The burgundy paint looks sweet, and the brownish interior has either held up well or been redone.
We’re told the car has very little rust, and none of it jumps out in the photos provided. This comes across as a turn-key ride, which is backed up by a video the seller provides that shows the rare car moving around. If you have a modest budget to spend on a vintage car, would you give this Kaiser Manhattan a second look? BTW, thanks to “Santa” for the tip!
These cars deserve more attention. They just get edged by the ’53 Studebakers for looks in their time and place.
Kaiser had two distinct 2-door body styles. The 2-door sedan is identifiable by its longer roof and divided rear side windows. The 2-door club coupe has a shorter roofline and a single-pane rear side window. Both were available as Special and Manhattan models. Only the Special offered a business coupe, essentially a club coupe with no rear seat. That, and the lack of the thick, chrome side moldings, makes this a Special rather than a Manhattan.
This is a beautiful Kaiser. I like everything about it, the color combination, the fact it’s a stick with that Flathead 6. It seems like a fair price too. I’d love to own it if I were able. There’s an old blue Kaiser sedan running around near where I live, you just don’t see many of them. Russ, you got me wanting a Kaiser now!!!
I’ve always had a Manhattan on my list of cars to own. I’d have to go for a more upscale model with automatic transmission.
Kaiser did not offer a Manhattan model in 1951…these were first introduced in 1952. In 1951 there were Special and Deluxe models, broken down further into Travelers, sedans (2 and 4 door), and business coupes, as is this one.
Russ, Thank you for presenting us with another affordable turnkey entry into the classic car world. And a rare one at that!! I would have to check Haggerty’s book on the price, but it seems reasonable. Buy it, drive it, show it, and enjoy it. As an owner you would have to brush up on your Kaiser history as this car definitely would be a conversation starter at any event.
Unless my tired old eyes are deceiving me, there is a back seat making this a club coupe not a business coupe. The author’s comments clarify that. It does look like a nice car. A few upgrades like a modern V8 and power assists would make it a great eye-catching cruiser. Price seems steep to me.
That’s a package area as it’s to low to the floor to be comfortable
I think it would be a shame to modify one this nice and original. There have to be a few clapped-out Kaisers out there to hot rod.
What a beauty; I love “orphan” makes and the Kaiser had innovative elements you wouldn’t see from the Big Three.
Gorgeous! Loved them at their intro when I was sixteen, love ’em still.
On top of the obvious beauty, this one’s got honest mechanicals. Ah, for the days of the column shift (no, it’s NOT “3-on-the-tree”). My ’61 FIAT 1100’s 4-speed column shift was a delight. Done right, they, as the Brits say, “fall readily to hand.”
So there, “tree” huggers.
JUST JOKING!
They had great ideas. I have a 50 Traveler. They were ahead of themselves. They made the first hatchback in the Vagabond and Traveler.
There is someone in Rexford, New York, with a whole fleet of these, 1951-1953 (no 54s, for some reason). This person also has other antique cars that seem to come and go (including a 1938 Ford Deluxe “woodie”, all original, with a “Columbia Overdrive” decal in the right side of the rear window, which I have not seen lately: did he sell it?)
I’ve seen them there many times, but they weren’t there when I went by a couple of weeks ago. There was an early ’50s Cadillac limo in front of the house, though. Hopefully the Kaisers were all at a show or something.
There is someone in upstate, New York, with a whole fleet of these, 1951-1953 (no 54s, for some reason). This person also has other antique cars that seem to come and go (including a 1938 Ford Deluxe “woodie”, all original, with a “Columbia Overdrive” decal in the right side of the rear window, which I have not seen lately: did he sell it?, I wonder)
Andy, you jnow exactly where this is! Wonderful view of the river! Do you live in the area?
I live in Gansevoort now, but I lived in Schenectady in the ’90s and have loved riding my motorcycles along Riverview ever since. And you?
I live in Gloversville, but I do work for someone on Riverview Road in Rexford, and I pass that house twice each day. Can’t resist noticing the cars outside, and I have noticed the recent white Cadillac.
How is it that car companies were making better looking cars 75 years ago than they’re designing now? Something is very upside down. Having said that this is a fine looking old gal and I wish FB didn’t block folks who don’t have accounts because I’d love to see more of her.
Searching through the fogs of my
memory, I seem to recall our family doctor had one of these in
he early ’60s. I saw it once when
the Doc came to see my sister on
a house call. (Remember those?)
As for the low mileage, I think that somewhere down the line, it
was parked when Kaiser ceased
production in the States. In the
Midwest where I grew up, it wasn’t all that uncommon to see
these sitting up on blocks in an
elderly person’s garage because
in our town, (Bloomington Illinois)
repair parts, along with expertise
to make repairs were non existent. And it was true in the South as well. Once the parts dries up, the cars got stored or
scrapped. There was a fella not
far from my uncle’s place outside
Morgantown Kentucky who had, I
think over a dozen of them that he had as parts cars to keep the
one really nice one he had running. I got to see this when I
went along with my uncle who was the best mechanic in 4 counties and could quite literally
make anything run. My teenage
self watched as this gifted old man made an orphan car come to life. All the while, unc’ told me
to come closer so that I could watch the things he did to get the
Kaiser running again. And when
it came to these cars, they cleaned, saved, and re used everything. The recycled plugs were on their last go ’round when
the car’s owner ordered a set of
Champion plugs from Louisville and had to wait 4 weeks to get them. My uncle was the only expert on the Continental 6 for four countries. Folks on the mountain called him the car doctor and with good reason. He
came to your house and fixed your car just the way a doctor would come and make you well
again. And yeah, that’s all he did
for a living. And he took cash, checks, or anything else you had
as payment for his services. And
that’s where he got the ’28 Packard mobile moonshine still.
Did he use the still? Maybe, maybe not. But we always left his place with the smoothest ‘shine you ever had. Boy,do I like
this car!
Harrison, I have not been in Gloversville since the late 90’s when I worked for Oliver Trucking.. Is Capital Records still there???
Hello, Brocky! It was not Capitol Records (THEIR closest pressing plant is in Scranton); it was DECCA, then MCA, then Universal (all the same company). The pressing plant at the north end of town closed years ago. It was then re-purposed as a distribution-centre for home video movies on VCR tapes and DVDs — but that closed-down, too. I guess they lease parts of the complex out for storage. Thanks for asking!
THANKS!!!! My worn out memory bank!!!!! It was Decca and MCA back when I serviced them.
Buy the Kaiser! To surprise her!
Hello, Brocky. You’re welcome. Any time.
This is a great looking orphan car and relatively rare looks clean and correct, either you love these or hate them. Dependable drivetrain although not very flashy but won’t see to many of these at the shows, would be a great asset for any collector…