WHEN KAISER WAS MORE THAN AN HMO: THE 1951-1955 KAISER
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Bob Merlis,
Thursday, April 12 2007
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When auto production started up after the cessation of World War II hostilities, major manufacturers simply picked up where they left off after Pearl Harbor introducing 1942 lines as ‘46’s. Nobody was fooled but it didn’t matter as demand far outstripped supply. Henry J. Kaiser, steel and ship building magnate, entered the fray with an advantage: a clean slate. Kaisers were truly all new when introduced as ’47s and sales soared: Kaiser (with sister marque Frazer) outsold such established names as Studebaker, Nash, Hudson, Mercury and Chrysler.
When the majors finally got around to introducing new designs, the bloom was off Kaiser’s rose. A massive infusion of cash from a government loan coupled with a new body designed by Howard “Dutch” Darrin of Packard fame made ’51 a pivotal year for Kaiser. While the Big 3 and some of the independents were offering 8 cylinders, Kaiser was stuck with an anemic 6, built by Continental, a Kaiser subsidiary. With only 115 horsepower on tap, Kaiser’s strong suit, even without a glamorous pillar-less hardtop, was “show,” rather than “go.”
 1954 Kaiser Darrin Photo: Shirleen Schermerhorn
Today, Kaisers are rarely seen and that’s part of their appeal. Kaiser is a remnant of a time when it seemed that, having vanquished that era’s “Axis of Evil,” Americans could do anything, including start a car company from scratch. Sadly, Kaisers were only built here – an Argentine subsidiary continued to thrive into the next decade – through the ’55 model year. While there seemed always to be hope for a turnaround, overproduction meant that early ‘52’s were really renumbered ‘51’s with this model year shell game played more than once. The “go” problem was ultimately solved with a McCulloch blower offered in ’54 and standard in ’55. It was too little, too late but in design terms, the second and last generation of Kaisers is still making waves.
 1953 Kaiser Manhattan Photo: Steven Thornburgh
WHAT TO PAY
From $5000 to $15,000. Dragons, literally gilded with gold plating, command a significant premium but a Kaiser Manhattan or Virginian has the same “swank” look.
BODY STYLE
4-door sedans; 2-door sedans are much more rare, both were offered as hatchback Traveler variants. The Dragon was designated “hardtop” but was actually the sedan body style with a padded roof.
PRODUCTION
215,048 but there’s a bit of debate on this as earlier cars may have been counted twice as they were subject to being retitled and sold in the succeeding model year. 1277 were ultra luxe 53 Dragons and only 210 true ’55 Kaisers were produced for domestic consumption.
WATCH OUT FOR
Rocker panel rust, hypersensitive power steering, engines tend to overheat. Good luck matching exotic interior and padded top materials.
READ MORE
Kaiser-Frazer The Last Onslaught on Detroit, by Richard Langworth, Automobile Quarterly Publications, $18.95, 287 pages.
Kaiser Frazer 1946-1955 Road Test Limited Edition, by R.M. Clarke, Brooklands, $19.95, 92 pages.
CLUBS
Kaiser Frazer Owners Club International, Box 1014, Stroudsburg, PA 18360 http://www.kfclub.com/index.html
SPARES
Kaiser-Willys Auto Supply, 145 Cherry Hills Dr., Aiken, SC 29803, (803) 648-492,
Fred Walker, Box 134, Peyton, CO 80831 (719) 749-2668
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