1951 Kaiser Drag'n build | Page 5 | The H.A.M.B.

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1951 Kaiser Drag'n build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by NTAPHSE, Jun 13, 2008.

  1. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    My thoughts exactly.
     
  2. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

  3. I really dig your Kaiser and if it were mine and I was doing a fade on it I would want it as subtle as possible...probably something in a lighter blue...can't wait to see what you and Gene come up with
     
  4. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    I just pulled the trigger and called Gene. He's going to do a light blue with tons of pearl blending into a medium blue. I'm thinking it will turn out like the light blue Maybelline that I posted with the rockers the color of his Bonneville roadster.
     
  5. plym_46
    Joined: Sep 8, 2005
    Posts: 4,018

    plym_46
    Member
    from central NY

    CIRCUIT BREAKER UPDATE If your light switch does not have an inline fuse or a built in fuse, the circuit breaker is likely for your original lighting circuit. A wire from the Bat terminal on the voltage regulator went to the Amp Gauge. At the amp gauge two wires go out from the bat terminal. one feeds the ign switch, and one feeds the circuit breaker. The breaker then has two outs, one feeding the light switch,and one feeding the brake light switch. These circuits would have been powered all the time so the lights will work with the ign switch off. Kaiser being an upscale vehicle (they wanted to compete with Cadillac) may have had several of these breakers based on how many acc circuits there may have been. ( The wiring info comes from my 56 Studebaker Pickup wiring chart, but I am 99% sure it's siimlar to the Kaiser system) These would be auto reset breakers, so if they got hot, they would shut down and reset when cooled down. Proof of the pudding would be how close the breaker is to the headlamp switch. Might not bbe a bad idea to retain it even with new wiring.
     
  6. Cabbage
    Joined: Apr 17, 2006
    Posts: 731

    Cabbage
    Member
    1. S.F.C.C.

    sounds like a plan to me, Gene is a legend im sure it will be awesome!!! Cant wait to see it...
     
  7. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Built a new steering wheel this weekend. I like the center bar of the 55 Kaiser steering wheel but the ring was 17" across and about 3/4" thick so it was like driving a schoolbus. I wanted something sportier so I went to a 15" diameter and 1" thickness. I also had to take the splined center part out of the Caprice wheel and turn it down on the lathe, then drill out the splines on the Kaiser wheel and TIG the new splines in so it would bolt up to the GM steering column.

    For the steering wheel ring I used 3/4" solid round bar and rolled it to the correct diameter. Then I heated up 3/4" PVC (.77" ID) under the heater on our vacuum-forming table until it was nice and flexible. I lubed the steel ring with WD-40 and it slipped right on and cooled into the new shape pretty quickly. I also need to fix some cracks in the original plastic so I beveled everything out and roughed it up with 36 grit and I'm gong to smooth it all out with kitty hair filler this week.

    The reason I went to all this trouble is that I plan to have the steering wheel painted to match the car, not leather wrapped. I was originally just going to use 1" steel tube for the ring, but in Arizona the car would not be drivable because I wouldn't be able to touch the steering wheel.

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    Last edited: Feb 17, 2009
  8. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Just heard back from AutoMeter and they will be providing gauges for the car. I am going with the Ultra-Lite series gauges since they have a brushed aluminum face that very closely resembles the stock Kaiser gauges. I will be retrofitting the AutoMeter gauges into the stock cluster for a stock look but with reliable modern gauges that integrate with the car's 12 volt system. I'll post up the details to show how I wind up installing the gauges.

    Here are the gauges: http://www.autometer.com/cat_gaugelist.aspx?sid=11&opid=2&szid=2
     
  9. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    The body work is mostly done on the steering wheel so here are some pics. I also rebuilt the horn mechanism and cut up and old mouse pad for the springy foam part that holds the contacts apart. One more coat of filler and some primer and I'll mount it back up until paint time.

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  10. LabRat
    Joined: Jan 10, 2008
    Posts: 1,551

    LabRat
    Member

    Cool , thanks for the update ..... standout car and by the sounds of your plans will be a Legend custom ....
     
  11. Ian Berky
    Joined: Nov 28, 2007
    Posts: 3,644

    Ian Berky
    Member

    I love this thread!! Awesome work on the Kaiser, and the wheel is excellent and great craftsmanship!! Keep it up!!

    Ian
     
  12. Glen
    Joined: Mar 21, 2001
    Posts: 1,789

    Glen
    Member

    Looking really good. Take a look at Escort seats. I put those in my Buick. I was able to get the rear foam's from the dealer and they were very cheap... I bought two complete seats out of a junkyard for the front. They are nice and round and you need that to flow with the windshield. Most import seats are very square.

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    Last edited: Mar 5, 2009
  13. I'm curious about what you covered the wheel rim with. It looks like (what we call down here in Oz) PVC pipe, same stuff you might use for electrical conduit or reticulation etc.

    Is it similar to what the centre bar is made from?

    How does it go with paint adhesion etc?
     
  14. one of my favorite builds...steering wheel looks great
     
  15. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Dude those look great. If my Mustang seats are too trashed when I disassemble them I might go this route. Did you just remove the headrest or are they cut down too? Thanks for sharing.
     
  16. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    You're right, that is PVC. The center bar is Bakelite (I think). It's very brittle and turns to dust when you sand it rather than melting like newer plastic does. I'll let you know on the paint adhesion issue but my fingers are crossed. I am blocking the whole steering wheel (including PVC) to get the little ripples out so the whole thing will be cross hatched with 80 grit when I spray primer on it. Hopefully that will help with adhesion too.
     
  17. Glen
    Joined: Mar 21, 2001
    Posts: 1,789

    Glen
    Member

    Just removed them, would you believe the lines in the seat covers are the same design as the factory? Hamb member ""Stitchn" did the work. He is in glendale.
     
  18. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Cool I'll look him up too.
     
  19. ...doc...
    Joined: Feb 18, 2007
    Posts: 755

    ...doc...
    Member
    from Houston

    Amazing thread, and build.
    My grandfather had a Kaiser, and it sat at our farm for years, until my cousin came and got it, drug it home, and tried to work on it.
    Soon after that, the project was abondoned, and the car was sold or something.
    I do remember the car was Yellow and had black interioir, the seats looked like alligator hide.
     
  20. 59mercsled
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 161

    59mercsled
    Member

    dude that thing is sweet would love to see it railed down the road at about 55 showering everythiong behind it with sparks
     
  21. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Believe me it's happened once or twice....
     
  22. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Getting sponsorship packages feels like being a five year old on Christmas morning. :) Autometer came through with a full set of gauges plus lots of swag - stickers, banner, hat etc. Look for the install soon, it's gonna take some work to retro these into the stock gauge cluster.

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    Last edited: Mar 15, 2009
  23. brentthebarber
    Joined: Apr 8, 2008
    Posts: 265

    brentthebarber
    Member
    from San Diego

    Great build NTAPHSE! any update pics on the car?
     
  24. BuiltFerComfort
    Joined: Jan 24, 2007
    Posts: 1,619

    BuiltFerComfort
    Member

    You might need gauges with less needle movement to go behind your stock glass - 90 degrees or so stop-to-stop instead of the 270 degrees in those gauges.
     
  25. choppintops
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,460

    choppintops
    BANNED

    I love the flow of this car.
     
  26. Caddy-O
    Joined: Aug 8, 2006
    Posts: 1,652

    Caddy-O
    Member

    Insane execution...that's all I have to say about that.... Gump
     
  27. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Thanks for the heads up but I think these will work. I got 90 degree short sweeps for the small gauges and a 270 for the speedo and it looks like they will line up with the stock gauges. Good eye for catching that.
     
  28. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Wow, I just searched Kaiser to find my thread and it was on the second page. Are Kaisers becoming more popular or do I need to get to work?

    I have been really excited to mount this original Raydyot mirror a friend gave me and ditch the clamp-on peep mirrors. However, I'm not sure I like it. What does everyone think?

    I'm feeling like the shape is too much like a modern mirror even though I liked the streamlined shape of these. I never cared for the flat peep mirrors since they don't fir the flow of the car. Bear in mind that the Raydyot mirror looks crooked, but it is adjusted to where I would need it to drive.

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  29. Glen
    Joined: Mar 21, 2001
    Posts: 1,789

    Glen
    Member

    It looks good in that picture, that car is going to be too nice for peep mirrors


     
  30. NTAPHSE
    Joined: Feb 5, 2006
    Posts: 1,028

    NTAPHSE
    Member

    Thanks Glen. I think I might make shorter stanchions to tuck them closer to the body.
     

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