Now I've found out that Preston Tucker was from Ypsi (ya'll remember where that's at) and did intend to build his car at Willow Run.
But the 49 that were actually made, were assembled in a former Dodge aircraft engine plant in Chicago. Tuckers dreams were never realized due to financial and legal troubles and his early demise in 1956.
However, the Kaiser-Frazier Corporation of Willow Run, Michigan actually built a car named the Allstate. This was a mail-order car availabe from Sears and Roebuck.
Identical to the Henry J compact, the Allstate used the same Willys 4cyl 68hp and 6cyl 80hp engines.
The Allstate carried a 90-day guarantee, while the tires and batteries were warranted for 18 months and two years respectively.
These cars were only made in 1952 and 1953.
The 1953 Claypipe Gray Allstate pictured below is fitted with an overdrive transmission, and actually sold for a couple hundred dollars more than a comparable full-sized Chevrolet, a fact that helped to insure that we're not driving new ones now.
Click on the Allstate to learn more.
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