whats the verdict on the 53 Kaiser? cool or uncool?

[malaguena]

Ive been looking for my first old car to build up but havent had much luck. After work today I went to look at a 1953 Kaiser four door thats for sale that belongs to my uncles neighbor. It pretty much has no floors, no upholstery, all the glass is busted and theres no way an engine that looks like that could run. But I can probably get it real cheap since its so rough.

What I wanted to know was can I just sawzall the kaisers body off its frame and set it on a more modern four door cars frame and engine that has near the same wheelbase? How hard is this to do?

[RPW]

4-D Kaiser... In the old book of custom cars that was so uncool you could get, but who knows, times might have changed. And on your second question: That is one of the real tough jobs, you cant "sawsall" somthing off. Instead think of months/maybe years of hard work if you want to make a frame swap, definitly something not for a beginner. You need knowledge or else you would have two ruined cars... And why the idea idea with a frame swap? Ever drove a Kaiser? It floats smooth! If the Kaiser is the car you really want, go for a restored stock chassis with a bit lowering. But rather search for a Ford or Chevy if you want something easy and dependable.

[DrJ]

He's going to pay you how much to haul it away for him?

[Deyomatic]

It might be kind of cool, but I think that angle at the back/bottom of the rear window would need to go...

[malaguena]

He wants 300 bucks for it, but I figure the towing homw will be at least 100 on top of that. Then I dont know what a parts car for all the mechanicals would cost.

[kyle paul]

http://photo.starblvd.net/speedy/5-2-2.jpg

[Mojo]

When it comes to "oddball" cars, i'd try to find and price the stuff you must have, like the glass. It's not a GM, you can't snag windsheilds from a simiular car, because there isn't any. I'd use things like that as a guide. Personally, I wouldn't touch a car with hard to find glass unless it was going to be used for parts...

[RocketDaemon]

being a kaiser owner myself owning 2 kaisers...

i say don't no floors and no windows, if the rear and front window is smashed it might not be to easy to find new ones, but if you had plans to chop it or something you would have had to make new windows anyhow...

chassis swap takes its man, could you really do it?

if you want a kaiser look for a decent running 2 door instead and get that 4 door as a parts car or something if its dirt cheap and you got space...


here is a picture of one of my kaisers
http://www.camsnappers.com/images/daemon-kaiser.jpg

[RocketDaemon]

[ QUOTE ]
He wants 300 bucks for it, but I figure the towing homw will be at least 100 on top of that. Then I dont know what a parts car for all the mechanicals would cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

its a parts car dont waste your time building it you could get a decent 2door kaiser for maybe 2000-2500 bux instead
to get that parts car running it will take alot more in the end...

and as Rpw said yeah kaisers ride real smooth
Fatmanfab even has 3" dropped spindles for them
and mechanical parts are easy to get by, restoring a front end is just a kanter.com visit away
and brake stuff etc are easy to find, there is alot of sheetmetal to get at scrap yards and so on and kaisers are quite cheap to play with, but no way i would recommend someone to start with a basket case with no floors that need everything, buy something running

[RocketDaemon]

if its a 53 and it got both bumber guards, and they are in decent or good condition atleast get them for keeps they alone is almost worth as much as 300 bux or more if they are decent/good...

[Skate Fink]

.......I think they're cool, but then what do I know??
http://www.weirdtrip.com/photos/tack2.JPG
http://www.weirdtrip.com/photos/tack3.JPG

[zman]

They're very cool. I like them, but this one sounds like a little to far gone to start off with. Try getting about a grand together and you can get a pretty decent start. I've seen plenty of good project cars, hell even drivers gotten for aroung a grand...

[Sailor]

4door = cool stocker, but hardly prime kutomfodder..

[Fraz]

The photo that speedy3 posted is enough evidence that 51-53 Kaisers can be awe-inspiring cars done up all customy and stuff. However, 4dr's aren't the thing when it comes to those cars. If you can find a 2dr, buy it, and work on it. Otherwise find a good Pontiac or Olds or Buick or Hudson or Stude. Screw Ford and Chevy, buy something different.

[earl schieb]

Timely post.....I just listed a 53 2-door on ebay Friday morning.
If it doesn't sell, I gonna think REAL hard about finishing it.
Thanks for making me feel better about buying it in the first place(and sorry about the spam http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif)

[Fraz]

Hell, earl, pull the auction and build that SOB!! You do know that Olds was going to supply Kaiser with V8's till a prototype Kaiser blew the doors off an Olds with several big muckity-mucks riding in it (Olds).

I'd like to see one finished.

[zman]

Dude that thing is killer. And the price is ridiculously low. Makes me wish I had the cash...
53 Kaiser (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39405&item=2484215 487&rd=1)

[earl schieb]

Thanks for the props, zman.
It IS a good car.Even has a visor http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I'm thinking pale yellow or beige... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

aww, wtf am I saying??! I have enough projects already http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[RocketDaemon]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the props, zman.
It IS a good car.Even has a visor http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I'm thinking pale yellow or beige... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

aww, wtf am I saying??! I have enough projects already http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

and why let such a cool car as a 2 door kaiser be the one that you sell?