6T-FinSeeker Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) For sale on Facebook: 1954 Kaiser Early Special 4-door Sedan in Erwinna, PA - $12,500 - Must be a member of Facebook to access Seller's contact information. Link: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1247482905749598/1954-Kaiser-Early-Special Seller's Description: 1954 Kaiser Early Special 4-door Sedan Very good condition Driven 77,000 miles Automatic transmission Exterior color: Off-white · Interior color: Beige 1954 Early Special. This car was born a 1953 Manhattan it was left over so it was sent back to the factory and turned into a 1954 Early Special, very few now exist, these cars had very exotic interiors and this one is excellent!! Car is very original!! This car is ultra rare! No stupid offers!! Edited November 9, 2021 by 6T-FinSeeker update status (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6T-FinSeeker Posted November 2, 2021 Author Share Posted November 2, 2021 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Smolinski Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Does it come with bags or do you have to supply your own when you ride in it? You know, the bags to put over your head so no one recognizes you. Can you picture a kid in his teens having to ride in this past his buddies on the corner. His buddies that ride in their dads' Chevys, Fords, Cadillacs, etc.? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 55er Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 No bags would be necessary today, I think it would have quite the opposite effect if you currently drove something like this down the street. The styling of a 1954 Kaiser would be so unusual and bizarre looking to most people it would instantly turn heads and attract attention since 99% of them have never seen such a thing and would have absolutely no idea what it is. They've all waved & given the thumbs-ups to the Tri-five Chevys and the Shoe-box Fords but in everyday life practically nobody's ever seen a Kaiser before. The average person today would think this is some kind of an exotic foreign car or maybe a one-off custom creation. I would love to pull into the busy parking lot of the local hardware store & garden center with one of these on a sunny Saturday morning and watch the people's reactions. I guarantee I would be stopped by several folks before I got to the front door and when I came out there would be a few more people standing around the car peering inside at the dashboard & steering wheel trying to figure out exactly what it is. And there would be no shortage of questions for me to answer. Maybe it was an embarrassment in 1960 but in 2021 all the cellphones would be out taking pictures. I think it would be a big hit today. 11 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthcranbrook Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I would not only ride in it, I would be happy to drive it. 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 It looks cool. I like the style. The maroon seat fabric stands out a little too much though. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhend50 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 People would be all over this car at a cruise it. It would be different. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I like these. Always thought the interiors were cool. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) 9 hours ago, George Smolinski said: ...so no one recognizes you. Can you picture a kid in his teens having to ride in this past his buddies on the corner. His buddies that ride in their dads' Chevys, Fords, Cadillacs, etc.? Having come along much later, I had never heard that Kaisers were an embarrassment. Were they widely considered stodgy? Or a grandmother's plain car? Or is that description just from typical teen-age self-centeredness and embarrassment? Stories like this are interesting and help define the car culture of the times. Can anyone tell us more? Edited November 2, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 George’s comments echoed mine when my dad was looking at a Nash that is often called a bathtub tub Nash when I was a boy and not far from driving age. A Nash like that was not cool! Today I would be happy to drive a car like that. The car in this thread would be fine too since it’s so far outside the mainstream offerings of the day when it was new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Postwar, the attitude toward all independent make cars was they were 'off-brands' driven by stodgy old folks and oddballs, that is was smarter to drive mainstream Big Three makes. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I like it. As we think about a possible late 40s, early 50s car a little more seriously lately, I am looking beyond tri five Chevs which was initially my first choice. Cars like this one, or the super nice 49 Chevy Business Coupe in for sale section are pretty cool and a bit differest. This one is probably more unusual than the Chevy but that sort of thing.. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 Just now, 58L-Y8 said: Postwar, the attitude toward all independent make cars was they were 'off-brands' driven by stodgy old folks and oddballs, that is was smarter to drive mainstream Big Three makes. Yeah, in part I think due to big 3 abilities to modernize quicker. Tough to fight that postwar impact, so they all gradually dissapeared or merged. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 The headlight bezels always remind me of a 54 Buick. This is a unique car certainly will turn heads(in a good way)! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 They do look Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, avgwarhawk said: The headlight bezels always remind me of a 54 Buick. This is a unique car certainly will turn heads(in a good way)! With good reason, Edgar Kaiser was taken with the 1951 Buick XP-300 show car, its concave grille and oval headlight & parking light bezels faired into the fenders. 'Buzz' Grisinger was the K-F stylist who interpreted the design elements along with Herb Weissinger. Personally, I'd say they did a first-class job creating their version, one which was an improvement updating the 1951 body. Grisinger went onto Lincoln-Mercury styling in the 1960's. Also, Love those big red cinnamon candy "Safety-Glo" taillights! Edited November 2, 2021 by 58L-Y8 Love those big red cinnamon candy "Safety-Glo" taillights! (see edit history) 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimkf Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 The 54 Early Series Special came about due to over production. All early series Specials were converted by replacing the 53 front sheet metal, front bumper, and tail light assemblies with 54 components. All conversions were done to cars still at the factory, none were pulled back in from dealers as they were expected to sell whatever they had on-hand at whatever they could get for them. All converted cars were repainted because the new tail light assemblies didn't quite cover the same area as the old and it showed. So, as in this example, the paint on the body has held up well - since it's two coats - while the front end's paint is thin. This example has an unusual dash - the pad is from the DeLuxe model while the chrome lower section is from the Dragon. Evidence of KF trying to use up leftovers. A late series Special was marketed as well and it was fitted with the 1954 body but without the McCulloch supercharger. It also had a less fancy interior and thin lower door moldings in lieu of the wider stuff the Manhattan got. I currently own five Kaisers and I can tell you that taking one to a car show means you'll spend lots of time answering questions. Who built it...where was it built...is it German (Kaiser)...are just a few that come to mind. And, because it is so different, I'd rather drive one of these than just about any other sedan marketed in 1954. No bag needed. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gofasttoday Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 I like the car how about that windshield ! I would think it would be very hard to find a replacement. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) I agree with JIm KF. I think these are neat. The reason that I find '50's American cars so appealing is that designers and stylists were willing to take big risks back then. Studebaker was a good example of that, and the result was: Yes, some Studes were odd looking, but others were magnificent. It's my belief that the magnificent cars never would've happened without taking the risks that sometimes resulted in dubious styling. I'm not suggesting that these Kaisers were failed styling experiments. They were failures in that they couldn't induce the public to buy, but they were successful in that they had an interesting interpretation of what outrageous '50's auto styling could be. I hate to say it because I don't want to be judgemental, but my initial excitement of seeing an old car fades away once I realize it's a '53 or '54 Chevy or maybe a slightly earlier Mopar. I never feel that way with when I see a '54 or '55 Kaiser. They're very dramatic. Edited November 3, 2021 by JamesR (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B Jake Moran Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 7 hours ago, avgwarhawk said: The headlight bezels always remind me of a 54 Buick. This is a unique car certainly will turn heads(in a good way)! Buick actually sued Kaiser. It was a copy of the 54 Buick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
car crazy Posted November 2, 2021 Share Posted November 2, 2021 As time goes on for me in the hobby, it's becoming refreshing to see cars like these that are different than the ones seen more frequently at car shows. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryB Posted November 3, 2021 Share Posted November 3, 2021 Interesting video on 1954 models 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9 Posted November 4, 2021 Share Posted November 4, 2021 Great car. Even better story. Henry J. Kaiser certainly left his mark on the 20th century. Ever heard of the healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6T-FinSeeker Posted November 9, 2021 Author Share Posted November 9, 2021 On 11/8, Seller marked the Facebook ad "SOLD!" 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercub Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 Hope the new owner follows up here with their new aquisition. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plymouthcranbrook Posted November 9, 2021 Share Posted November 9, 2021 (edited) Good for them! Edited November 9, 2021 by plymouthcranbrook (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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