A friend of mine offered to give me his 1953 Kaiser Dragon, his grandfather bought it brand new and he parked it in the garage in 1967 and wasnt touched since. He has no interest in actual cars but loves building model cars. He said if I can get it out of the garage I can keep it. I am into customs and besides the Raven you don't see many kaiser customs, or many kaisers at all for that matter, what do you guys think? I'm a newbie to posting, so go easy on me Thanks guys
The top is a little goofy but thats just MY opinion. I think that for a free car, its awesome for your first (if it is) but I thinkwith some pretty good top work, it would be cool. just my $0.02
Like you said, you don't see too many. Besides, the price is right to start with, chances are it's 99.99999% complete. Go for it, these opportunities don't come along every day.
It sure as hell would be unique. You cant beat the price either. Other than the goofy roofline its not a bad looking car. Was it driven through 24 Buffalo winters though? If so the bottom half of the car could be swiss cheese.
Personally I'd sell it to a Kaiser nut and build something I like. Not knocking the car, it just sounds like you'd rather have something else.
For free, i would take it and try and see the potential in it. If i wasnt into it i would sell it or part it out to someone who needed it.
I know it was driven in the winter, the floors need help but the frame doesnt look terrible and the car is totally complete, not even one hubcap is missing. Luckily I do know a guy who is a kaiser nut and he said he would be happy to take it off my hands if I wasn't into it. It's not my first car I had a 23 T Roadster when I was a freshman in college (I'm a junior now) haha and I'm currently building a 1950 custom Pontiac hardtop (build thread coming soon) however you're right the price is right and I think with a chop the roofline wouldn't look so goofy oh and possibly a 2 door conversion haha . I'm still a young gun so I'm learning with the help of friends (thunderbirdesq aka Andy is a good friend of mine and he's helping me build my 50), but I think I might dive into it anyways. I could always use a back burner project, it's winter most of the year here in Buffalo so I have plenty of time haha thanks for the support guys!
there was a heavily customized one in HOT ROD magazine a few years back. Done by a guy who took his first shot at it and nailed it. Look it up. Then again I might be completely wrong...
I subscribed to that 51 Kaiser Drag'n while it was in progress I never thought I would actually own one! Hahaha definitely a bad ass car and I think I know the one in Hot Rod you're talking about, it was in bare metal if I am remembering correctly?
Man you guys are missing it.... the blue one above is the one that was in Hot rod in bare metal!!! Keep up!!
Pass it on to the Kaiser restorers especially if the Dragon interior is intact. Kaiser used some wild pressed vinyl interiors, the Dragon used a material resembling a giant alligator handbag or dinosaur hide. Deserves to be preserved.
Well now that I see them both together they do kind of resemble eachother hahaha killer car, and the interior on this car is intact and in decent shape, shows some wear but not rips or tears in the material. When I go to pick this car up I'll post some pics and then you guys can really see what I'm working with. I can appreciate restoring a car like this and I'm not trying to stir trouble but I also think it would make a really unique and bad ass custom.
You left out the most important information on your "could it be cool?" request; HOW MANY DOORS DOES IT HAVE?
It's a 4 door, it will be a-lot cooler after a 2 door conversion haha nothing against 4 door cars, I'm just not into them myself, After I pick the car up I will take pictures and post them.
Get it, drive it, have fun with it. You will definately get recognized on the street!(for better or for worse, but who cares)
Back in the the '60's there was a car in R&C, Hotrod or Car Craft a guy from Sweden or Germany, I think built out of one of those, (or maybe it was a Willys?) that was shortened into a two seater sports car, about the size of Corvettes and T birds. It was COOL!!! It was also modified so much it's origin was unrecognizable. That car Chadilac posted is COOL!
That will be the plan I think for a little while, lots of non car people have asked me what a kaiser looks like and I don't know how to answer them, so my question to you guys is "How do you describe a kaiser to someone who doesn't know cars?" to me a Kaiser looks like a kaiser and nothing else
How is the interior? The Dragon has some neat/specific parts that could either make for an interesting build OR be sold to help with the build.
Update for you guys! Going to pick her up on saturday hopefully, it's actually a 1953 Kaiser GOLDEN dragon, apparently its one of the more desired models from what I'm told. For power it has the "supersonic" flathead 6 and it has the "dino" skin pattern on the seats and it is absolutely cherry. This model came with gold plated emblems and believe it or not a bamboo cover over the roof and on the dashboard and the door panels, weird but cool at the same time. OH, and my buddy is kicking in the original stainless steel skirts in with the deal too! Pictures to come!
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