Vehicle Description
1954 Kaiser Manhattan - 216ci Inline 6 Cylinder - Supercharged -
Automatic Transmission - 18k Miles - Teal Over Tan And Green
Interior (Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1954 Kaiser
Manhattan on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's
possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the
car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access
all the more than 145 photographs, as well as a short start-up and
walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept
Motors.) The Kaiser Manhattan is a unique and rare marque. �€"
Bonhams Built from 1953 -1955, only 4,109 Manhattans were produced
by the small and independent auto company, Kaiser-Frazer, before it
was elbowed out of the market by the Big Three. This niche brand
was launched by two entrepreneurs, Henry Kaiser, an industrialist
and shipbuilder with solid financial backing, and his partner
George Frazer, who together were able to exploit the burgeoning
post-war demand for new automobiles, while the pre-war monoliths
were struggling to reestablish their brands. Recognizing this
narrow window of opportunity, Kaiser-Frazer leased a vast but
vacant auto-plant from Ford and the Kaiser automobile was born. The
Manhattan �€" which... was deemed the 'safest car around' �€" was
the last of the Kaiser-Frazer offerings before they closed their
doors in 1955. Offered here is a 1954 Kaiser Manhattan in teal over
tan with a green-and-cream interior. Its factory supercharger makes
this Manhattan a truly rare example. Showing 18,276 miles on its
odometer, the car is a true survivor and a beautiful example of
this very-low-production post-war American classic. The Kaiser
Manhattan's exterior design aesthetic reflects the optimism and joy
following the war's end. Here, the teal color emphasizes the
beautifully swoopy roofline, including the eyebrow-like,
double-arched upper front-windshield line. From the side, the
lighter, minty green color of the lower body continues above the
doors to add to the sleek roofline look. The way the roof meets the
body with creases at the B and C pillar areas is said to have been
done to evoke a convertible-like look. The colors here are original
to the car and the quality of the paintwork overall is excellent,
no doubt a testament to owner care through the years. In the same
way, the sheet metal is free of dents and dings, so the smooth-look
design is fully appreciated. (To best assess the quality of the
paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs
of the car in the accompanying gallery.) The exuberant use of
chrome-particularly on the front bumper, grille (and matching hood
scoop), wide lower-body trim, rear-window trim, and rear bumper
(with overrider bar)-led the industry in style... although the rest
of Detroit would quickly follow. All chrome on the car is in
excellent condition. The combination mirror-spotlight is a delight.
All factory badging-including the European-looking script Kaiser
and Kaiser Manhattan badges, small K emblems below the headlights,
and stylized K trunk emblem-are all properly in place and in
perfect condition. All cabin glass and lighting lenses are clear
and undamaged; the rear fin-like taillight lenses are spectacular.
Factory steel wheels wear full chrome wheel covers with K emblems;
period-correct wide whitewall tires are mounted. Inside, the
well-maintained survivor condition shows on every surface. The
combination of dark green and lighter cream in horizontal panels is
both simple and stylish. Textured upholstery fabric has stood the
test of time, and the cream-colored vinyl trim (on both seats and
door panels) is similarly well kept. Floor covering is rubber
matting in front, with green carpet in the rear. A stylish black,
2-spoke steering wheel with K center emblem fronts a truly unique
dashboard in both design and materials. The shift lever for the
Hydra Matic (automatic) transmission is mounted on the steering c
