Kaiser

Kaiser Motors brand history

Automobiles were made by kaiser Motors (formerly formerly Kaiser-Frazer NNPS Corporation Run, Michigan, United States, from 1945 to 1953. In 1953, Kaiser merged with WillysOverland to form Willys Motors Incorporated, transferring its production operations to the Willys plant at Toledo, Ohio. The firm changed its name to Kaiser Jeep Corporation in 1963. Kaiser Motors produced autos in a lot of places round the world together with the corporate headquarters as well as principal facility at Willow Run, Michigan.

Kaiser Frazer Corporation's first automobile was started for the 1947 model year. Both of these cars (with the Frazer) had the first accurate postwar sheet metal with enveloped bodies that ran lines and fender front to back within an unbroken contour. The Kaiser radiator grille was a combination of horizontal and vertical blades (not uncommon for your period) with rectangular parking lamps put beyond the grille work under the headlamps. A big hood badge bearing the letter 'K' above a buffalo shield told the world that this is a Kaiser vehicle. Modern features contained an automatic choke, aluminum alloy pistons, doubleacting hydraulic brakes, independent suspension, curved rear window, and clean - air heater. A far more unique characteristic was the hand throttle.

Joseph Frazer stayed as vicechairman and a sales advisor of the board until 1953. Shortly before assembly, Kaiser-Frazer's Kaiser Manufacturing Corporation department worked out a deal to buy certain assets (and assume certain liabilities) of the WillysOverland Corporation, manufacturers of Willys cars and Jeep vehicles. After completing the acquisition, Kaiser Manufacturing Corporation switched its name to Willys Motors, Incorporated. Kaiser automobile production in america finished during

In 1948, the Kaiser found very few changes. Most changes were made during the 1947 version run. The changes were of slight importance. The exact same thing went for the Kaiser Custom - little changes were slight importance. Production of the Kaiser Special rose drastically, passing 90,000 automobiles, while production of the higher priced Kaiser Custom dropped to just over a thousand. The 1948 Frazer added almost 50,000 more autos to the listing, the past year it might create a major contribution.

In 1949, KaiserFrazer Corporation spent $ 10 million to entirely revamp the 1949 versions to make them appear much more contemporary, lower, and longer. The wheelbase was extended to 123.5 inches, together with the overall length growing by almost ten inches to 206.5 inches. 80, 000 1949s had been sold for a loss of $ 31 million, when the results were in.

In 1950, Kaiser had intended to sell another facelifted line of autos; but by October 1949, they recognized the endeavor wouldn't be executed with time. Instead, the serial numbers in the cars in the prior year would be altered and also the sale agents were told not to represent these cars as distinct in the product. Consequently, the 1950 model year just lasted four months until the 1951 Kaiser line was introduced on February, 1950.

1955. Kaiser endured the best destiny of all independent American auto manufacturers within the postwar period. While sales were initially powerful because of an auto-starved people, the business didn't possess the resources to live longterm rivalry with GM, Ford, and Chrysler.

Henry Kaiser also ignored his business associate's protests to not tool up for 250,000 cars in 1949 when the firm now needed to face allnew designs from the Big Three. Joe Frazer wanted to scale back production and then make a redesigned 1950 version, but Kaiser angrily retorted "The Kaisers never retrench!". The business sold only half its planned quantity that year. After stopping US production in 1955, Kaiser's son Edgar summed up their failure.

At the conclusion of 1955, the management team of the Henry J. Kaiser Firm used Kaiser Motors Corporation to make a fresh holding company encompassing the various Kaiser industrial activities.

The firm changed its name to Kaiser Jeep in 1963. By 1969, Kaiser Industries determined to leave the automobile company, that has been sold to American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970. As a part of the trade, a 22% interest was acquired by Kaiser in AMC, which it after divested. Contained within the sale was as it prepared to leave itself to the automobile company the General Products Division, which Kaiser had bought from Studebaker in 1964. AMC renamed the department AM General, which still runs today, and is best known as the maker of the Humvee,

and civilian Hummer H1.