Yup, Chuck,
Kaiser-Frazier Company of Willow Run did indeed build cars at the former Ford B-24 bomber factory from 1945-1953, and the Kaiser was manufactured there until 1955 by The Willys Motor Inc.
This company is not to be confused with the three other Kaiser car makers of Nuremberg, or Aschersleben, Germany, and of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Kaiser-Frazer was sponsered by the millionaire shipbuilder Henry J Kaiser and Joseph Frazer of Graham-Paige. Design was initially by Howard Darrin.
Models included the Kaiser Special, Vagabond, Manhattan, Dragon, the exotic KD-161 sports convertible, with fiberglass bodywork and the low-priced compact Henry J introduced in 1951, my birthyear.
Some days after working double shifts I feel I'm ready to rest alongside the Kaiser pictured below. Can anybody tell me the year of this tired relic? (Kaiser Bill tells me this is a 1952 Manhattan Club Coupe, and that "The '52 Manhattan received rave reviews from many Automotive reviewers as one of the most beautiful cars of it's time and for it's great driving habits.").
Next
Back to Index
