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02/08/2018 10:21 am
The Kaiser Carabela in 1:43 arrived this morning, and here it is. (PICS)
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In January 1955, the government of Argentina signed an agreement to permit Kaiser to manufacture automobiles and trucks in their South American country. Kaiser Industries was ending production of the Kaiser and Aero Willys automobiles, and Henry J. Kaiser and the government of Argentina created Industrias Kaiser Argentina to manufacture and market automotive products. Quickly becoming known as IKA, the new company's public offering of shares of stock was oversubscribed.
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Kaiser sent the last weeks of their 1955 production, being 1,021 complete cars, plus manufacturing equipment and spare parts. Groundbreaking for the new factory in the city of Santa Isabel in Cordoba Province was held in March 1955 with the first Jeep vehicle driven out on 27 April 1956 and other utility versions soon thereafter. The Jeeps were shortly followed by the Argentine version of the Kaiser Manhattan 4-door sedan, called the "Carabela."
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IKA became the pride of Argentina, and soon an extended Carabela became the presidential car.
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From 1958 through 1962, IKA sold a 1954-1955 Kaiser Manhattan as the Kaiser Carabela, (so named to honor the Spanish ship style famous in Spain's world explorations of the 1400's and 1500's) at the rate of about 3,000 a year. Save minor trim changes and a suspension toughened to handle rough Argentine roads, it was identical to the last American Kaisers right down to its 115-horsepower 226-cubic-inch flathead six.
The Manhattan's supercharger option wasn't offered, and neither was automatic; the only transmission available was a three-speed manual. U.S. fabrics were replaced by Argentine leather.
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The Carabela model was discontinued in 1962, dropped because the old dies had simply worn out. By that time IKA also assembled other automobiles. Today Carabelas are greatly admired, preserved and restored in Argentina and elsewhere.
My new 1:43 Carabela arrived with its magazine, nicely boxed, after a one week voyage from Argentina. It is made of resin and constructed with admirable skills, originating in China. The Carabela looks good alongside the very similar Brooklin Manhattan.
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As Kaisers of any stripe are rarely produced in any scale, I am pleased to add this one to my small Kaiser collection.
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02/08/2018 10:56 am
Thanks for the hot tip, David.....
I just PayPal'd one. It looks a helluva lot better than the Brooklin I have in green.
02/08/2018 12:58 pm
David - A Kaiser meet was up in Kingsport a few weeks ago.
By any chance did you go? I found out about it late on the last day.
02/08/2018 1:20 pm
That's one very nice looking Kaiser model. Congrats to you!
02/08/2018 2:22 pm
David that looks like a great model and thanks for showing it.
And Harvey I didn't get my chance to see those cars in Bristol but a friend of mine did. There were only five Darrins and two Henry J's and what looked like two or three of that vintage of Kaiser there. Not a lot of cars.
02/08/2018 4:27 pm
Sorry, Harvey. I had not heard of it.
02/08/2018 4:48 pm
Sorry I did not see it sooner...
02/08/2018 6:26 pm
David, nice model. Thanks for your thoughtful write up and artful photographs
02/08/2018 8:08 pm
Nice model and historical very interesting David
03/08/2018 4:38 am
Maybe, but 5 Darrin's is a LOT of those!
03/08/2018 5:26 pm
Diecast, not resin...