Finding an old car in a barn is always a rush, but getting an old car back on the road is even better! The first drive after repairing a long-dormant vehicle is an exhilarating experience for all involved. This 1948 Kaiser Sedan was hidden away in a barn for at least several decades, if not longer, and has only recently been brought back to life by some determined individuals. Curious about Kaisers? They certainly are unusual cars, and they have a stronger pedigree than one might initially think. Joseph W. Frazer and Henry J. Kaiser (namesake of the even more unusual Henry J. automobile and the Kaiser Jeep) formed the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation after World War II in 1945 and began selling cars in 1947. Many companies including “The Big Three” were still producing their pre-war designs after the war because there were no new cars being produced during the war. Kaiser-Frazer was one of the first companies to come out with all-new designs after the war.
This vehicle is being sold on eBay in Dalton, WI, and for a 60-year-old Wisconsin vehicle this Kaiser is in excellent condition. The front plate is historic Michigan, but Michigan isn’t much kinder to vehicles. It would appear that this vehicle was put away with low miles and in good condition, as much of the damage is consistent with only age. The seller believes that this car may only have 43,000 actual miles and the condition of the interior seems to support this claim. As visible here, the driver’s door glass is damaged but the rest of the glass is in good shape. The door glass needing replacement is flat glass that can more than likely be easily be cut to shape by most glass companies.
The dash is in excellent original condition and from this angle this could be a photo taken in 1955!
The engine is a Kaiser six-cylinder sized at approximately 226 cubic inches and producing in the neighborhood of 100 horsepower (at least it did when new!). As per the ad, “This Kaiser starts, idles, runs, shifts, drives and stops good.” As rough as it may seem, this is a great original example of an unusual car.
If this is a rust-belt vehicle, it is unsurprising that the underside is in a fairly advanced state of rusting. This could be due to 60 years of sitting in a barn, or to exposure to road salt before being parked, but is most likely the result of the combination of both. Visible here seems to be a new fuel line, likely made by the gentlemen who got this car back on the road.
This is the Kaiser’s “bad” side, but even this isn’t too rough. Though at first this car appears to be in primer, it is actually wearing its original “Speedwing Gray” paint and is in need of buffing. There appears to be little to no through rust on this car and aside from the obvious paint damage on this side and the roof dent on the driver’s side, this is a solid project car. At $1,800, this car is a bargain!
Photos: eBay.com/hawkhunter
Sources: Wikipedia, automobile-catalog.com
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