In Onyx black with a red fabric top and leather-and-vinyl interior, the Frazer is drivable and fully functional, the seller says.
Named for Joseph Frazer, who was president of Michigan-based Kaiser-Frazer, the cars were among the first full-sized US automobiles with slab-sided post-war styling, several years ahead of the 1949 Ford that usually receives that accolade.
The Pick of the Day is a 1951 Frazer Manhattan 4-door convertible, one of just 131 built and looking fresh after a 10-year, “frame-up total restoration,” according to the Greenfield, Indiana, dealer advertising the car on .įrazer was a short-lived premium brand of the Kaiser Corp., then known as Kaiser-Frazer, that built cars from 1946 through 1951, making this one part of the final batch of luxurious Manhattan convertibles. Because really, who among us remembers the Frazer Manhattan 4-door convertible? Have an interesting vehicle? Contact David Krumboltz at To view more photos of this and other issues’ vehicles or to read more of Dave’s columns, visit /author/david-krumboltz.There are vintage cars that are rare, some that are very rare and a few that are so rare hardly anybody’s ever heard of them. Joseph Frazer was gone from the company, and so was his car. They ordered 55,000, but K-F had only enough leftover parts to build 10,214 Frazers.
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In 1951, dealers loved the new Frazer with the face-lift, plus optional Hydra-Matic. The current market value is estimated at about $80,000. The list price for this four-door convertible was a little over $3,000 (about $28,180 in 2015 dollars) plus $159 ($1,493 in 2015) for GM’s optional Hydra-Matic transmission. There are no power brakes or steering, but it does have a hydraulic top and windows. The Frazer, more luxurious than the Kaiser, was powered by a Continental 226.2-cubic-inch straight-six engine rated at 115 horsepower. “Finally, I decided that (the condition of the paint) takes away from the fun and charm of the car, and I had it painted the factory forest-green color.” Me & My Car: Couple loves ’62 Studebaker despite road-trip problems Me & My Car: Livermore man’s ’57 Chevy Nomad a dream come true Me & My Car: Ford’s infamous Edsel was Pittsburg man’s favorite car For about 10 years, the “don’t touch the paint request” was honored. The car is totally restored exactly as it came off the assembly line,” Frazier said. “He pleaded with me to never touch the paint because, to the best of his knowledge, it was the only 1951 left that still had the original paint. The engine and transmission were rebuilt and new wiring installed, as well as a new top and new leather upholstery. “I found a guy in San Diego who specializes in restoring Kaisers and Frazers,” the owner said. On a visit to the Reno Auto Museum with his wife, she said, “There’s a Frazer convertible, and I’m surprised, with our name, that you don’t have one.”įrazier contacted the president of the K-F Automobile Club and learned of a man in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with two identical Frazer convertibles. It’s no surprise that Frazier, a collector, would have an interest in the Frazer automobile. He styled new front and rear ends for the 1951 Frazer, including this edition’s car, one of only 139 Frazer Manhattan convertibles built for the 1951 model year.
They needed a strategy and turned to Howard “Dutch” Darrin, a well-respected designer.
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“In 1951, Kaiser came out with a new style, but Frazer didn’t.”Ī major problem was how to get rid of outdated parts for the 200,000-unit production plan.
“The 1947-to-1950 K-F models were basically the same car with minor face-lifts,” Frazier explained. Kaiser appointed his son, Edgar, as president and geared up for a 200,000-unit production year. Frazer stepped down and soon left the company. K-F sales and profits began to slip, so Frazer recommended cutting 1949 production until there was a new design in 1950. The country had been without any new cars for about five years, and the economy was strong. The next year, K-F produced 100,000 cars and made $19 million. They produced only 11,000 cars and lost $19 million. He and Frazer met, and on July 25, 1945, the Kaiser-Frazer automobile company was born. Kaiser knew he would need a good automobile executive. Me & My Car: '51 Frazer Manhattan one of just 139 ever built Close Menu
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