1954 Kaiser Manhattan 4-Door

1954 Kaiser Manhattan Supercharged Sedan Same owner for the past 25 years! Next-to-last model year for Kaisers in the United States One of only 4,107 factory Supercharged Manhattan sedans made in 1954 Mostly all-original car 226 CID OHV straight six-cylinder engine with McCulloch (now Paxton) Supercharger Hydramatic four-speed automatic transmission Correct Arctic White over Comet Blue exterior (code 467) Blue and gray tweed interior (code 5323) New brakes and brake lines If you have never heard of Kaiser automobiles, youre not alone. Most people under the age of 65 have not since the company faded away in the U.S. after 1955. This is a mostly original, 1954 Kaiser Manhattan Supercharged Sedan, one of only 4,107 such examples made that year. Engineers at Kaiser-Frazer used the same supercharger as was applied to the Thunderbird, thus raising the horse power of the Manhattan from 115 to 140 BHP. The car was instantly lauded for its power and performance. Finished in factory correct Arctic White over Comet Blue, (code 467) the cars paint and trim are in overall good order. Some of the chrome pieces show mild pitting but overall are in good shape. The cars body is straight, the engine bay is very tidy and the chrome bumpers fit tightly to the body. The car rolls on bias-play wide whitewalls, size 6.70-15 at every corner. Each tire is mounted on a steel wheel topped by a factory wheel cover. The wheels and tires are all in good, original order. Under the hood is a 226 CID inline six-cylinder engine with a McCulloch (now Paxton) Supercharger. It boosted horsepower by 22 to 140 and although frugal, the Kaisers inline six-cylinder supercharged engine paled in comparison to the power of competitors modern OHV V8s. Backing this engine is General Motors Hydramatic four-speed automatic transmission. Driver convenience features include a heater. Inside, the car has a blue and gray tweed interior (code 5323). The front and rear bench seats are in very good order, while the corresponding carpet is in good order. The blue headliner, on the other hands, looks great. The instrument panel and blue and gray inner door panels are in good, original order but the horn is inoperable. A column-mounted shifter and a factory AM radio complete the interior. The cars were designed by stylist Howard Dutch Darrin, who had previously designed several classic Packards. The Kaiser passenger car models included the top-of-the-line Custom, Deluxe, and Manhattan sedans, and a unique four-door hatchback sedan called the Traveler. Three market forces spelled the end of the Kaiser company and its cars. While Kaiser was first in 1948, they did not draw a big enough following to achieve dominance after World War II. After GM and many others launched all-new 1949 models, prospective Kaiser customers fretted about being stuck with orphan cars. Second, Kaiser bought Willys-Overland and renamed it Willys Motors. Finally, a major fire destroyed General Motors Hydramatic transmission plant in Livonia, Michigan. To keep production lines running, GM made Kaiser an offer it couldnt refuse when it leased the Willow Run factory. Competition to this Kaiser in 1954 included Chevrolets Bel-Air, Dodges Coronet, Fords Crestline, Hudsons Wasp, Nashs Ambassador and Plymouths Belvedere. If you like being the center of attention wherever you stop, to get peppered with questions at traffic lights and stop signs and to pilot something unique, this factory supercharged Kaiser Manhattan might just be the ticket. Stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars today to check it out for yourself. VIN: K5421002431 This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 62,994 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!? Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.