eBay find of the day: KaiserCamino?
While Ford was first to market with the pickup-cum-car Ranchero, and El Camino has attained universal descriptor status, like Kleenex, it looks like Kaiser presaged the idea in 1954 with this one-off. Kaiser was one of many smaller independents that had yet to die off in the early 1950s. The independents were often more creative than the big three, pushing innovation with limited resources. This extra-special Special-based vehicle is sporting "Barris Kustom" badges on the B-Pillars, glossy light yellow paint on the flanks, and a iron-irrific Continental L-head 6 underhood. You may not be torching the wide whites off the Kelsey Hayes wires with the 118 horsepower, but it's definitely adequate, even on today's roads. Current bids stand at $7,300 for what looks like a driveable classic. It'd be an interesting vehicle to poke around at and uncover the provenance, and the story would be way more entertaining than "It came down the line in Arlington one day."
Thanks for the tip, Mike!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
osnofla 9:41AM (9/09/2007)
better send this to jalopnik
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Andrew 10:05AM (9/09/2007)
Damn, that's what I thought upon seeing this as well! Those Jalops and their Caminos...
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Paul Y 10:21AM (9/09/2007)
That's a gorgeous car. I could really see driving that.
I sounds like a broken record, but in the 50s and 60s, cars (and pretty much every other consumer product, really) had so much style.
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TriShield 10:36AM (9/09/2007)
Ever since the new Holden Ute was unveiled it seems inter
est in these types of cars has risen all over enthusiast sites.
Sell the new Ute here GM!
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Barney 11:08AM (9/09/2007)
This is a pretty fancy Kaiser. The interior decor is called "Dragon", I believe. Flat head six with two speed automatic didn't make this a screamer. The restoration on this car is fantastic. Now Autoblog, how about a Hudson truck of the same vintage?
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Harold Kerrick 12:23PM (9/09/2007)
Kaiser also offered the first domestic market "hatchback' sedan in their Traveler model. They couldn't afford a major body pressing for a station wagon, so they made the trunk lid so it folded DOWN, instead of up, and the sructure that surrounded the rear window, and the rear window, folded UP.
Kaiser offered several interior/vinyl top "treatments" only one of which was called Dragon. I'm not sure from the pics if this is a "true" Dragon equipped car. Still, nice looking...vehicle.
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howard 5:42PM (9/09/2007)
Harold, don't forget the Whicker Seat upholstery! I ordered a new Kaiser in 1953 but the production was stopped because the electrical then the fuel suppliers refused to sell any more units to Kaiser!
It was DELCO-REMY, AUTOLITE, ROCHESTER, CARTER, BENDIX and others owned or controled by the BIG THREE that did Kaiser in! He had a lot of money but not enough to fight them! He did star making his own Generators and starters and Carbs and Fuel pumps but he finally threw in the towel in 1955 I think it was!
jg3 1:14PM (9/09/2007)
I was privileged to ride in a supercharged Kaiser Manhattan once that was beautifully restored to showroom new by a friend of mine (he did all the work from a wheelchair). They're truly beautiful rides. It was pretty much the same color as this one.
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Barney 10:06PM (9/09/2007)
Your friend is very impressive and I admire his choice of vehicle to restore. I can't imagine how hard it would have been, to do the work from a wheelchair.
j_diesel 3:33AM (9/10/2007)
interesting classic.
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