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1952 Kaiser Manhattan

Four Door Sedan, Survivor, Amazing Americana, Trusted Tour Car!

$9,980

Harry's Thoughts

Kaiser had some of the most innovative and funky styling. Reminiscent of Buck Rogers, but with incredible options such as the Dinosaur Reptilian Trim with lots of chrome and Lucite.

THE ESSENTIALS

See inspection report, full photos, videos and more at classicpromenade.com.

This is a fabulous and rare piece of American automotive history, a 1952 Kaiser Manhattan four-door sedan. Being a true survivor, this retains all of its original upholstery, including the 68 year old rear seat seat covers that were installed by the Kaiser dealer when delivered new. If this wasn’t such a fantastic and dependable tour car we would want it to be in a museum!! Overall this is a very solid dependable tour car that has a consistent patina throughout, making it a No. 3 condition example. We have priced it well at the Hagerty No 3 value, thus the asking price is firm.

The exterior has an older repaint in the correct two tone colors of Turquoise and Cerulean Blue. Most of the original paint was removed before the repaint. The bodywork and paint prep were done well as there are no real issues evident. And there is very little filler evident from using our Filler Meter. The paint could benefit from a wet sanding and polish. The Kaiser is loaded with stainless trim (we think an entire Toyota could be made from the exterior stainless alone!). The stainless is in overall good condition with a few small dents and scratches. The chrome also displays well, but has fine scratches over much of it. Overall, the exterior is consistent with a No 3 car. It is a terrific tour car that because of its stunning design and rarity would be a delight at any car show. And from ten feet it looks perfect but up close shows that it is a nice original car with appropriate patina.

The interior is a true time capsule. The upholstery is all original, including what is sure to be a pristine rear seat under the dealer installed seat covers, installed over six decades ago. The door panels have water stains and the front seat with the original fabric has light soiling. The Turquoise Stockholm cloth would likely benefit from a Woolite cleaning treatment. The dinosaur reptilian trim is stunning. The carpet has been replaced, but matches the interior very well. The stainless used on the interior is in overall good condition with light scratching evident.

The first owner of the Kaiser enjoyed the car for 54 years. It is believed to have been a rust free southern car since new. It was formerly owned by its fourth owner, Robert McAtee from Scottsdale, AZ (whom we’ve known for three decades). Robert has driven the car to Kaiser meets in Texas and California. Mechanically, the Kaiser is in very nice condition. The 226 ci and 115 hp six cylinder Continental (Kaiser Supersonic) engine was rebuilt in about 2008. The three-speed with overdrive manual transmission works simply and well. This Kaiser has been very dependable and performs quite well. It is truly amazing how effortlessly and silent the car drives down the highway. The ride is enhanced by its 118.5 in wheelbase and an overall length of 210 inches.

This Kaiser has received consistent and thorough maintenance to make it a reliable tour car. All the major systems have been gone through and Mr. McAtee has added thousands of miles during his ownership. The wide white wall tires have been installed this past year. The brakes were rebuilt along with the carburetor, along with the replacement of the water and gas pump. The heater core and gas tank were also replaced. It burns about one quart of oil per 1,000 miles and earn 16-17 miles per gallon on the highway. It can be trusted to take you anywhere you’d like to travel to (assuming you’re driving on roads).

Everything works well except the radio. The clock operates much of the time and intermittently ceases, only to work again.

Look at length at the photo gallery where you’ll see the reptile skin vinyl and the turquoise fabric seats. The Kaiser comes complete with many spare parts, including a NOS hood ornament, the front hood chrome and many other items. It also comes with various historical documents, receipts, an original catalog, etc.. Also included is an original set of keys in an alligator key fob. With just over 15,800 sedans made, this is an incredibly rare find.

For more information and details call or text Harry Clark at +1.602.245.7200 or email us at harry@classicpromenade.com. It is available for inspection in the Seattle, WA area.

1952 Kaiser Manhattan

$9,980

PRIVATE SALE STATUS
SELLER NAME
LOCATION USA
VIEWS 1276

Comments


 
1952 Kaiser Manhattan
1952 Kaiser Manhattan

$9,980

VIN K2054921
BODY STYLE Sedan
FUEL Gasoline
MILES 75700
GEARBOX Manual
DOORS 4
INT COLOR Turquoise Stockholm cloth
EXT COLOR Turquoise and Cerulean Blue
YEAR 1952
LOCATION Seatle
PRIVATE SALE STATUS
SELLER
VIEWS 1276

Kaiser Manhattan

Interesting Fact: The Kaiser Manhattan was produced from 1947 to 1951, which served as the premium vehicle for the company. After 1951, however, the Manhattan nameplate was transferred to the top Kaiser.   These new Kaiser Manhattans were originally introduced as a face-lifted model that were built in three different body styles. This vehicle is…
Interesting Fact: The Kaiser Manhattan was produced from 1947 to 1951, which served as the premium vehicle for the company. After 1951, however, the Manhattan nameplate was transferred to the top Kaiser.   These new Kaiser Manhattans were originally introduced as a face-lifted model that were built in three different body styles. This vehicle is recognized by the signature V-shaped hood emblems with thick front grille bars. The Manhattan’s engine was a “Supersonic Six” that yielded 115 horsepower, which was bumped up to 118 the following year.   This Kaiser model uses a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission that helped to provide the respected power. During 1953, Kaiser merged with Willys-Overland to become Willys Motors. In 1963, the company became Kaiser Jeep, but production on the Manhattan had long ceased. Despite this, the Kaiser Manhattan is still a heavily sought-after model of the company!

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