My first car was a 51 kaiser.....I had four different ones, my last the 54 rare two door. I tossed the flathead fork lift engine, first installing a Chevy V8 and later a Pontiac 370. I drove that car all over the western USA with many trips from CA to MO. I was sitting stopped while a train was crossing the highway, some guy didn't realize traffic was stopped and slammed into me. After driving them exclusively for ten years, that was it. Seat belts didn't exist then and lucky none of us four in the car at the time was injured, but the car was totaled. BHE
Kaiser did things big, and he did them fast. The story is that he and his wife vacationed in Hawaii in the early '50s and wanted to extend their visit, but were forced to check out of their suite at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel because it was booked for someone else. This convinced him that tourism was increasing, so he purchased / leased land that had an existing hotel as well as many private homes in Waikiki and opened the Hawaiian Village in 1955. New buildings were added constantly for the next 5 years, along with a huge lagoon and new beach. Concurrently, the Hawaiian Village was promoted as much as possible. It was sold to Hilton in 1960 and is today a huge complex.
In ANY other country and time, Kaiser would have been King of the world. But, in 1950's America, it was impossible to outrun GM, Ford and even Chrysler. Odd, in these commercials, Kaiser continued to include Frazer even tho it was out of production.
Engineering, you say? Not in cars. I owned a 1954 Kaiser Special. Not a bad car but the Continental industrial derived "Supersonic" flathead 6 with overdrive provided adequate power but for a car priced in the Mercury, Oldsmobile, and Buick range, not good enough. Kaiser began work on a much needed overhead valve V8 but the money went to the compact Henry J instead. Henry J Kaiser and his son, Edgar did think big. They had a penchant for building more cars than they could sell. This began in 1949. They were still selling leftover '49 cars in 1950 and 1951. Leftover, unsold 1951 cars were reserialized, rebadged, and sold as 1952 models. My 1954 Special was a leftover 1953 Manhattan with the original front Sheetmetal removed, and 1954 parts bolted on. I can't imagine that being profitable.
1955 Henry J, along with Kaiser and Willys cars does went out of business as US makes, and moved the plant to South America. There are numerous cons against 1951-1955 Henry J compact car. They are: 1). People are not ready to buy a compact car yet, and it is ahead of time, 2). Even in 1955, Henry J only came in stubby 2 door sedan and should have a 4 door sedan as the most popular body style because of baby boomer of that era, also in 1955, they still used 2 piece split windshield in flat panes, while almost 1955 cars and pick up trucks does have wraparound windshield, also known as of knee banger and it is also behind its time for body shell and hardware, and Henry J only came with 3 speed manual transmission as the only gearbox, and no 6 nor 8 cylinder engine. Kaiser on the other hand, Kaiser does not offered V-8 engine, convertible, hardtop, and station wagon because Kaiser Corporation does not have the money to tooled out with multiple body styles.
I seriously doubt there ever was a 1955 Henry J. Early 1954 was probably the last, and those were leftover 1953 models. There was a 1955 Willys but the only 1955 Kaiser were leftover 1954 Manhattans. Reserialized and unchanged until the American Automobile Manufacturers association, told Kaiser there must be some change so Kaiser changer the hood ornament. the 1955 part had a series of bumps added. Standard engine on the Henry J was the 4 cylinder Jeep engine with a Willys 6 an option. Overdrive was also an option go with the 3 speed manual.
Too bad Graham-Paige (1928-40) no longer in business. It is one of the "orphan" car like Hudson, Nash, Rambler, Kaiser-Frazier, Studebaker, Crowley, LaSalle, Willy, and Henry J, and of course Packard. Some of them are numerous body styles including rumble seat coupes, convertibles, and roadsters in the pre-war cars.
Despite frequent mention of "safety" features, none of the advertisements ever mentioned "seat belts". A padded dashboard or pop-out windshield doesn't do much good in a head-on collision over 25 miles per hour. Had the use of crash-test dummies not been in its infancy in the late 1940s and 1950s, they wouldn't have made such ridiculous advertisements.
Ford was trying to sell 'safety' in 1956 with padded dashes & sunvisors, safety steering wheel and seat belts but the public was not in the mood especially with seat belts. Why do you need seat belts if the car was 'safe'? I used to hear from the old farts that seat belts were dangerous. 'You could get trapped in your burning car If you wore them or in a wreck, the seat belt would cause internal damage'. All sorts of excuses not to wear seat belts. My dad run a towing service and I would go out with him and many times I saw the results of not wearing seat belts. Not a very pretty sight! If Ford couldn't convince the public to wear seat belts, then nobody could!
@@tomservo56954, Tucker originally wanted to put seat belts in his cars. However, public opinion back then was so against seat belts that he had to invent something else.
My 63 Chevy did not come with seat belts ( I had to use it for a government summer job in 1974 that required seat belts and I managed to just bolt them in from a relatives wreck that I salvaged them from. The holes for the bolts were right there below the carpeting).
A little bit like Tucker, but far more successful than him in the postwar automobile manufacturing business. Whereas Preston Tucker's company only hand built 51 of his revolutionary 1948 passenger cars, Henry J. Kaiser mass produced well over half a million automobiles from 1947 to 1955.
His interests and accomplishments were so broad, it's almost an apples and oranges comparison between the two but even Kaiser's wealth and business skills were no match for the Big 3 automakers. Interesting to see how right he was about the value of Jeep. It's still going strong. And his employee health care system is being seen as the model for the future. A fascinating figure.
I have heard sears sold Kaiser automobiles in nassau county New York Long Island I once saw a Kaiser was it manhattan sedan my mothers sister had a Henry j Kaiser I know of these cars only 1947 to 1954 how good bag so so quality were made I can not say with fashions dress clothes I have seen some very nice plain simple one just what we need as I do my dating with senora best relations over 32 years come not last long go by quick once read a book on automobiles how sickening what trash unsafe crap is made I guess they care more about dinero than quality tho how well or safely made alway some nut behind the wheel operating it on drugs half a sleep in todays world just look at road rage over powered motors cars why hurry hurry to go where we should slow down enjoy life more have more respect for all no matter who or what one is our cars vehicles are too big smaller less crowded roads are safer I never was against automobiles or things we do in daily lives just doing more sensibly ways driving less walking cycling more you are healthier a real shame since we have most folks working more for dineronot respecting others crime guns it once was growing families did more together it was basically so much nicer mucho less Sri me and all dating senors senoritas senoras so different I never saw as now worries over height looks operations thousands spent on surgery for what we can never please everyone no matter what is done adios good bye what is the world society coming to
You know not whereof you speak. 1951 through 1955 Kaiser was the lowest, sleekest automobile on the market with the exception of the 53 through 55 Studebaker.
Very cool! Wish Kaiser were still around... Very innovative.
When I was learning to drive (1959), I got to drive a 1949 Kaiser. A junkbox, a stagecoach and a roach!!!!!!
My grand parents used to rent a big field to Clyde Beatty and Cole Circus,, Clyde had a Kaiser Dragon and I got to sit in it😊
I own and drive a 54 Manhattan. Absolutely love it
My first car was a 51 kaiser.....I had four different ones, my last the 54 rare two door. I tossed the flathead fork lift engine, first installing a Chevy V8 and later a Pontiac 370. I drove that car all over the western USA with many trips from CA to MO. I was sitting stopped while a train was crossing the highway, some guy didn't realize traffic was stopped and slammed into me. After driving them exclusively for ten years, that was it. Seat belts didn't exist then and lucky none of us four in the car at the time was injured, but the car was totaled. BHE
There was a Kaiser aluminum mill in New Orleans it closed in 88 only the smoke stack remains
Kaiser did things big, and he did them fast. The story is that he and his wife vacationed in Hawaii in the early '50s and wanted to extend their visit, but were forced to check out of their suite at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel because it was booked for someone else. This convinced him that tourism was increasing, so he purchased / leased land that had an existing hotel as well as many private homes in Waikiki and opened the Hawaiian Village in 1955. New buildings were added constantly for the next 5 years, along with a huge lagoon and new beach. Concurrently, the Hawaiian Village was promoted as much as possible. It was sold to Hilton in 1960 and is today a huge complex.
My first car to drive was a Kaiser nice car ahead of the time.
In ANY other country and time, Kaiser would have been King of the world. But, in 1950's America, it was impossible to outrun GM, Ford and even Chrysler. Odd, in these commercials, Kaiser continued to include Frazer even tho it was out of production.
It looks like they were ahead of all other manufacturers, in design and engineering, even in foil wrap, just amazing.
Engineering, you say? Not in cars. I owned a 1954 Kaiser Special. Not a bad car but the Continental industrial derived "Supersonic" flathead 6 with overdrive provided adequate power but for a car priced in the Mercury, Oldsmobile, and Buick range, not good enough. Kaiser began work on a much needed overhead valve V8 but the money went to the compact Henry J instead.
Henry J Kaiser and his son, Edgar did think big. They had a penchant for building more cars than they could sell. This began in 1949. They were still selling leftover '49 cars in 1950 and 1951. Leftover, unsold 1951 cars were reserialized, rebadged, and sold as 1952 models. My 1954 Special was a leftover 1953 Manhattan with the original front Sheetmetal removed, and 1954 parts bolted on. I can't imagine that being profitable.
I’d buy one just because of Roxanne!
Sweet
She might have saved the company based on her obvious assets.
My first car was a 52 Willy’s Aero Ace. Nice little car. Would run 105 in second gear in od. Shift into third it would slow down.
5:19 "Worlds safest front seat" (just no seat belts)
Where do I find easiest street? I been looking for it for years.
What a shame they didn't survive. It was a good car. So was the studebaker.
1955 Henry J, along with Kaiser and Willys cars does went out of business as US makes, and moved the plant to South America. There are numerous cons against 1951-1955 Henry J compact car. They are: 1). People are not ready to buy a compact car yet, and it is ahead of time, 2). Even in 1955, Henry J only came in stubby 2 door sedan and should have a 4 door sedan as the most popular body style because of baby boomer of that era, also in 1955, they still used 2 piece split windshield in flat panes, while almost 1955 cars and pick up trucks does have wraparound windshield, also known as of knee banger and it is also behind its time for body shell and hardware, and Henry J only came with 3 speed manual transmission as the only gearbox, and no 6 nor 8 cylinder engine. Kaiser on the other hand, Kaiser does not offered V-8 engine, convertible, hardtop, and station wagon because Kaiser Corporation does not have the money to tooled out with multiple body styles.
I seriously doubt there ever was a 1955 Henry J. Early 1954 was probably the last, and those were leftover 1953 models. There was a 1955 Willys but the only 1955 Kaiser were leftover 1954 Manhattans. Reserialized and unchanged until the American Automobile Manufacturers association, told Kaiser there must be some change so Kaiser changer the hood ornament. the 1955 part had a series of bumps added.
Standard engine on the Henry J was the 4 cylinder Jeep engine with a Willys 6 an option. Overdrive was also an option go with the 3 speed manual.
Too bad Graham-Paige (1928-40) no longer in business. It is one of the "orphan" car like Hudson, Nash, Rambler, Kaiser-Frazier, Studebaker, Crowley, LaSalle, Willy, and Henry J, and of course Packard. Some of them are numerous body styles including rumble seat coupes, convertibles, and roadsters in the pre-war cars.
David Tosh I agree but LaSalle was GM Cadillac division
My dad worked for Kaiser electronics in Palo Also, California in the 1960s, and he bought a case of aluminum foil for 5 cents a piece for each roll…..
Anything they made needed rod bearings by 50k miles . Had about 5 of them
About?
5:19 All this and no seat belt!
Despite frequent mention of "safety" features, none of the advertisements ever mentioned "seat belts". A padded dashboard or pop-out windshield doesn't do much good in a head-on collision over 25 miles per hour. Had the use of crash-test dummies not been in its infancy in the late 1940s and 1950s, they wouldn't have made such ridiculous advertisements.
Makes more sense than diving into the under-dash fox hole, which is what the Tucker Torpedo had...
Seat belts were not a normal thing till the mid 60s
Ford was trying to sell 'safety' in 1956 with padded dashes & sunvisors, safety steering wheel and seat belts but the public was not in the mood especially with seat belts. Why do you need seat belts if the car was 'safe'? I used to hear from the old farts that seat belts were dangerous. 'You could get trapped in your burning car If you wore them or in a wreck, the seat belt would cause internal damage'. All sorts of excuses not to wear seat belts. My dad run a towing service and I would go out with him and many times I saw the results of not wearing seat belts. Not a very pretty sight! If Ford couldn't convince the public to wear seat belts, then nobody could!
@@tomservo56954, Tucker originally wanted to put seat belts in his cars. However, public opinion back then was so against seat belts that he had to invent something else.
My 63 Chevy did not come with seat belts ( I had to use it for a government summer job in 1974 that required seat belts and I managed to just bolt them in from a relatives wreck that I salvaged them from. The holes for the bolts were right there below the carpeting).
I'd like to take a ride in a Willys with Roxanne by my side.
Spin dry your dishes - too bad that some of them get broken! It's true!
Is Kaiser still in business making aluminum foil?
No. What remains is the hospital chain that was set up to provide care for their employees.
King Rose Archives not true Kaiser aluminum is still around!! However I'm not sure they make foil.. I know they made airplane parts!!
youre right,kaiser aluminum is still around.
Not one ad for a Frazer.
Frazier's last year was 1951. Kaiser and Frazer were as alike as Oldsmobile and Buick.
God, if I was in my 20's in the 1950's they would have lobotomized me.
Very Good!... #49 ✝ {5-25-2022}
Pronounce Willis Instead Of Willys Been Saying It Wrong
Never new about this/ Amazing little bit like Tucker................................
A little bit like Tucker, but far more successful than him in the postwar automobile manufacturing business. Whereas Preston Tucker's company only hand built 51 of his revolutionary 1948 passenger cars, Henry J. Kaiser mass produced well over half a million automobiles from 1947 to 1955.
His interests and accomplishments were so broad, it's almost an apples and oranges comparison between the two but even Kaiser's wealth and business skills were no match for the Big 3 automakers. Interesting to see how right he was about the value of Jeep. It's still going strong. And his employee health care system is being seen as the model for the future. A fascinating figure.
Роксана такая ничего фафабельная.
Sad that Kaiser- Frazier, Hudson, Nash, Packard and Studebaker- all long gone...more victims of Detroit's 'Big Three'...
I have heard sears sold Kaiser automobiles in nassau county New York Long Island I once saw a Kaiser was it manhattan sedan my mothers sister had a Henry j Kaiser I know of these cars only 1947 to 1954 how good bag so so quality were made I can not say with fashions dress clothes I have seen some very nice plain simple one just what we need as I do my dating with senora best relations over 32 years come not last long go by quick once read a book on automobiles how sickening what trash unsafe crap is made I guess they care more about dinero than quality tho how well or safely made alway some nut behind the wheel operating it on drugs half a sleep in todays world just look at road rage over powered motors cars why hurry hurry to go where we should slow down enjoy life more have more respect for all no matter who or what one is our cars vehicles are too big smaller less crowded roads are safer I never was against automobiles or things we do in daily lives just doing more sensibly ways driving less walking cycling more you are healthier a real shame since we have most folks working more for dineronot respecting others crime guns it once was growing families did more together it was basically so much nicer mucho less Sri me and all dating senors senoritas senoras so different I never saw as now worries over height looks operations thousands spent on surgery for what we can never please everyone no matter what is done adios good bye what is the world society coming to
Sears sold the Henry J, but rebadged as Allstate.
Kaiser’s problems was just their styling. It’s such a boring looking car in comparison to other cars from the era.
You know not whereof you speak. 1951 through 1955 Kaiser was the lowest, sleekest automobile on the market with the exception of the 53 through 55 Studebaker.
@@danielulz1640 And then in the mid to late 50s it looked terrible next to Chevys, Dodges, Chryslers, Pontiacs, Plymouths & almost all the rest.
Kaisers did not have a v8 and a poor dealer network. Under development killed them.