Kaiser Temporary

Henry J. Kaiser made fortunes in land development and ship building. But Kaiser’s stint at auto making wasn’t as successful. This 1951 Kaiser Deluxe exhibits the famous “Darrin Dip”. What’s that? Watch and see!

[@wondersteven]

In 1967 I was seventeen and worked in a body shop after school. We had a Henry J in there getting restored. I don't remember too much about it, but I do remember the painter who probably had breathed in too much paint fumes, would come over to me and say "Did you hear about the guy who bought his wife a Kaiser to surprise her, a Frazier to amaze her, and a Tucker so he could..." then he would go back to what he was working on cackling up a storm. Aw, the good old days!!

[@5610winston]

A friend of mine, an avid cycling tourist talked about his Georgia romance: "I met her in Metter, but I had to go to Winder to find her, and Decatur to date her, and finally to Tucker... "...to meet her parents."

[@danfarris135]

Been awhile since I heard that oldie!

[@idontknow2293]

@@danfarris135 ah yes, the limericks of the day. Lol.

[@corvairjim1]

There once was this man from Nantucket Who kept all his cash in a bucket. His wife, name of Nan, She ran off with a man, And as for the bucket... NANTOOKIT!

[@charlesdalton985]

My daily rewatch. My parents went on their first date in a borrowed Kaiser, so Kaisers have always had a special place in my heart. The only car I ever knew my dad to lust over was the Kaiser Darrin - beautiful car. Still pulling and praying for you and your family Mr Magnante. ~ Chuck

[@vettekid3326]

The Kaisers had styling and nice interior appointments going for it but was handicapped by it's flathead 6 cylinder Continental engine. While reliable it was no performer and since the car was in the same price range as an Oldsmobile that debuted an all new OHV V8 in 1949 that helped kill Kaiser's sales.

[@edwardpate6128]

This really shows how great lead body filler holds up!

[@gierhead66]

Gotta love a Henry J. Don't forget the Sears version which was called an Allstate.

[@googleusergp]

Correct, from 1952-1953 and based on the Henry J. Listed (but not sold through) the Sears catalog.

[@zzzoo2]

Thanks Steve! There were so many cool ideas from the manufacturers that went away. It’s great that you’re getting this history out to the masses.

[@SteveMagnante]

More to come!

[@adotintheshark4848]

I had a '51 Special back in '75. It was pickle green. One thing I'll always remember. It was the most comfortable car I've ever driven even to this day. The seat was like a couch.

[@googleusergp]

Yes, this is a style "5114" Kaiser two door sedan and they were indeed assembled in Willow Run, MI. After the war, the government was putting Willow Run up for sale and Ford passed on the opportunity, so it was leased to Kaiser-Frazer from 1946 to 1953. GM operated Willow Run Transmission there until 2010 and the GM Willow Run, MI assembly plant (which made the likes of the Nova and other variants as well as many other models) operated from 1959 to 1993. Thereafter, that location (at 2625 Tyler Road in Ypsilanti, MI) became a GM parts distribution plant. Today it's a corporate/industrial park. For a time in 1952-1953, you could buy a Sears Allstate branded car, which was a rebadged Kaiser-Frazer product. It was not available by mail order but was shown in the catalog. Sears also offered homes for a time, and I know someone that has one. The Sears cars were based on the Henry J models. No tag, can't brag, but possible code 130 Horizon Blue exterior paint.

[@edwardpate6128]

Willow Run also built the Chevy Corvair.

[@googleusergp]

@@edwardpate6128 Unfortunately, they did, among many other models such as the Chevrolet Caprice and other GM cars.

[@styrenerelics]

As a truck driver, I got to make deliveries inside the Willow Run plant many times before it's closing. Boy, that was some time ago. There is a lot of neat history there. Even going back to WW II, building planes for the war effort.

[@googleusergp]

@@styrenerelics That's correct. It eventually became a GM "SPO" (Service Parts Operations) distribution plant which today is called "GM Customer Care and Aftersales" for the parts distribution end of GM. Willow Run assembled vehicles from 1959 to 1993 before it became a parts distribution center. I can still recall the blue GM stackable "totes" used to hold and ship some parts.

[@5610winston]

"Willit Run?"

[@davidhofman4341]

My Father and uncle were days away from renting a shop when Kaiser/ Henry J closed up shop. They had signed all the papers for the dealership. At the time my Father was service manager for a Ford dealer. At the time they had a repair shop and gas station that was going great, until the city tore up the streets leading to the shop for 6 months. My Uncle bought a early 50's Ford convertible. The car had a black bottom and a yellow or red upper half and a white top.

[@stephenhenderson9871]

Hi Steve, I have a 1/18 scale model of a Kaiser Manhattan that was produced by Highway 51 I believe. I’m a fan of Odd balls as evidenced by my ownership of a 52 Crosley. Keep up the good work.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Stephen Henderson, Thanks for writing. Another replica of a Kaiser is the 1/25 scale plastic model kit of a Henry J by Revell. It was tooled in 1967 or so and can only be built as a "gasser" drag racer with a Ford 427 SOHC V8. But the kit body and grille are very good and a skilled modeler could retrofit the kit into a show room stock Henry J - or even Sears Allstate variant - with some effort. Thanks again for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@corvairjim1]

​@@SteveMagnanteThat would indeed be plenty of effort, but a curbside wouldn't be TOO hard if you didn't insist on engine, chassis, and interior details. Those would take time, money, and a trunkful of talent! Definitely more talent than I have. But then, Gasser fan that you are, I would assume that the lack of a stock building option doesn't disappoint you too much.

[@javierdenardo2607]

The dies for this model were shipped to Argentina and models were built from 1958-1962. It is billed as the largest car built in Argentina as well as the first sedan. Henry J made the deal directly with President Peron

[@warringtonfaust1088]

Packard sold their dies to the Russians, and it was produced as the Zil.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man what a rare beauty! I can imagine it in showroom condition! Beautiful styling!👌😎👍

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! As a kid growing up in NYC in the 50’s these vehicles were not new me but to see the colors styling of many of cars of the time was like going into the future, very cool ! Thanks Steve for show casing it.

[@debbiebermudez5890]

To all who fallow Steve ! , we need to make some people under stand to look where we came from , the automobile help our fathers , mothers build a future for us all . To see so many vehicles that look the same that is like eating the same foods every day . Steve you keep fining what has be thrown away, we in the hobby need not remember what came customers were respected not like today , ( it fine they will pay for whatever is put out there ) ! Sorry to all I do not mean to go off , just the little respect to consumers drives me nuts !

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@Florida Alan Thank you , try fining a good roll today ! LOL !

[@gillesjacques1022]

My parents owned a Kaiser back in the day, they had to sell it to pay for my dad's eye operation. My mother loved the car, was sad they had to sell it, she would talk about it every now and then how beautiful a car it was and how great it drove.

[@schnutchie]

I seem to recall reading that the door windows on the Henry J did not wind down. They were held in place with pegs on the bottom. You had to stop and lift the window out. Also, the Henry J was also sold through Sears. It was called the Sears Allstate.

[@santaclause2875]

Love all your videos, Steve! Thank you for posting. I was (still am, in reruns) a big fan of 'In The Heat of The Night' television series with Carrol O'Connor and crew. I remember seeing the beautiful Kaiser 4-door sedan in a few episodes owned by the local bordello owner there in Sparta, MS. Great episodes, great cast and story line, and that beautiful old Kaiser! Fun stuff. Merry Christmas!!

[@jonathanmorrisey5771]

Miss Maybell's sedan.

[@santaclause2875]

@@jonathanmorrisey5771 Correct !!!!!

[@rickcentore2801]

An interesting model was the Kaiser "Traveler." It had a 2 piece station wagon tail gate, a fold down rear seat, and wood decking like a pickup truck of the day. I suspect the cost of tooling up to produce a station wagon would have been cost prohibitive. The lack of a V-8 also doomed Kaiser.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Rick Centore, I featured a Kaiser Traveler - Detroit's first hatch back - in a Junkyard Crawl video a few months ago. You can watch it now on this channel's Play List. Thanks, Steve Magnante

[@garymckee63]

I seen quite a few Henry J's at the drag strip in the 80's. I always liked the style of the Henry J but I never saw one that wasn't a drag car that was running with it's original drive train.

[@javierdenardo2607]

Kind of like what happened to Ford Anglia's and some Chevy Vegas.

[@googleusergp]

@@javierdenardo2607 The Chevrolet Vega, the cause of "Lordstown Syndrome". The quality of the plant was so lackluster, that when a future GM plant had a strike, it was called "Lordstown Syndrome". The nickname for the plant was "Industrial Woodstock" due to the hippie element that worked in the plant at the time.

[@DanEBoyd]

Henry J's did well in early NASCAR, with their original drivetrains.

[@samcraig3924]

THANKS STEVE FOR ANOTHER WONDERFUL WAKE UP STORY ABOUT OLD CARS

[@edwardpate6128]

I just remember seeing Kaisers on the old Adventures of Superman TV show!

[@talfacprez]

I was at a junk yard 10 years ago and the owner of the junk yard had a car you could order from a Sears Catalog called the Allstate. He kept it in his garage area because it was so rare. It was a Henry J with the Allstate name plates on it.

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

It seems you could get pretty much anything from Sears back in the day.

[@dubiousf00d]

@@hilltopmachineworks2131 I feel this way as well. I'm convinced the only thing they didn't have was a spouse..but I could be mistaken. Lol

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

@@dubiousf00d LOL.

[@SteveMagnante]

Yes, the word was the little Henry J / Sears Allstate was narrow enough to be driven through the Sears retail store front door so it could be displayed inside! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@SupergurlKara]

I remember when Ford introduced the Maverick compact car for the 1970 model year, the styling reminded some people of the Henry J.

[@ramblingsadrift6477]

Car and Driver did a piece on that back decades ago Wish I could recall the issue. Still have my first car,, a Henry J, purchased for $160. 53 years ago.

[@Bennyboysspeedshop]

Love that you did a story on a Kaiser. That looks really similar to my 52 Kaiser Manhattan Club Coupe I am working on restoring. Give it a look if you have a chance. I love the history on these cars and the styling is incredible.

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

Love the research and information you put in every video. Awesome

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you like them!

[@JackF99]

Loving yet another fascinating crawl but I'm always surprised to see Steve use a felt pen on all his cool old car magazines!! : )

[@johnnytenjobs]

Might be worth more eventually. Steve is a bit of a legend.

[@SteveMagnante]

That's kind of what I'm thinking. I hear the Smithsonian calling on the phone in the other room right now! But seriously, these vintage resource materials are not as rare or valuable as it might seem. To draw some circles or lines on them helps me to zero right in on the things I want to highlight during the stress of the "live" video performance. The one thing I never do is CUT, RIP or TEAR pages out to make it easier. That is wrong. Anyhoo, Thanks for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@akr01364]

God, I remember when that very car you're going over had an intact nose when I was a kid thirty years ago. Hey from Orange, MA.

[@rob1129]

My grandfather worked at Willow Run from when Ford was building B-24's & then retiring from GM's hydra-matic. That included several years of Kaiser Frazer owning the facility. When he passed in the late 90's he was still getting a little check from Kaiser once a month 40 years after Kaiser went out of business

[@DanEBoyd]

My Great Uncle, Barney, flew one of those Ford B24s over Europe. The plane was named "Big Barnsmell!"

[@jeffclark2725]

Great video, didn't know Kaiser was part of the Henry J line of cars and an independent like the short lived Tucker name, always getting something new on these videos

[@rosseganjr9402]

great find I have never seen a real one ! hopefully what is left will keep another one going !

[@herbk98]

Hi Steve - thanks for the memories... My Uncle Lloyd had a '51 Kaiser he bought new and kept until '63 or so. Jet Black. I can't remember if 2-door or 4-door. I remember the exterior trunk hinges and there was no counterbalance spring to hold the trunk lid open - there was a ratcheting mechanism in a vertical support brace on the left side. I always thought that was so old-fashioned because 'all' the other cars used a spring to hold the trunk lid open. I just didn't appreciate that car then as I would if it were still around today. You have great insights into the old hardware and thanks for sharing as you do. Happy holidays to you.

[@Truckguy2007]

My buddies dad had one many years ago. I remember riding in it. Very smooth ride but a gutless wonder!

[@seed_drill7135]

Building the Henry J instead of developing a V8 is what I've read doomed KF.

[@5610winston]

@@seed_drill7135 I knew a fellow who worked on the design for the 288-cubic-inch OHV V8, but Hurry-Up Henry scuttled the project before work moved from the drawing board to the foundry. Kaiser did add an optional McCulloch variable-ratio supercharger to the Continental 226-cubic-inch six, bringing horsepower up to 140, but it didn't match the V8s or even some of the sixes from the competition.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello 5610winston, indeed, it is true that Kaiser was researching a V8 and probably built some test units. I remember reading an article about that aborted V8 program in an old issue of Special Interest Autos (SIA). I think the Kaiser V8 was meant to be a fairly modern unit with overhead valves. Oh, what could have been. Sorta reminds us of how Packard spent a small fortune coming up with the 320, 352, 374 OHV push rod V8 family only to use them for 1955 and 1956 before the Studebaker-Packard merger replaced the Packard V8 with Studebaker 289 V8's (with McCulloch blowers) in '57. There is a little known fact that the Packard V8 was based on an engine block with unusually wide bore-spacing dimensions. It has the ability to grow to 500 cubes. No doubt the Packard engineers were getting ready for BIGGER THINGS as the 1950's unfolded into the 1960's. But again, it was not to be. At least some of those Packard V8's were purchased for use in those odd Nash-based Hudsons of 1955 and '56. What a twisted web we weave...Thanks again for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@5610winston]

@@SteveMagnante I guess it was about 1988 or so, I was working inspections in a water treatment plant and the county inspector who was about thirty years older than myself remarked that one of his first jobs out of college had been with Kaiser-Frazer working on the 288 engine. I remember reading that Packard engineers had a pie-in-the-sky idea about the feasibility of a new 12-cylinder engine based on the 320-cube engine. Packard could have used split crank throws like Buick did to even the firing order (Those 225-cube Buick V6s were pretty good for power and torque, but rough as a cob at idle and under load). With Packard's twelve-cylinder heritage, I doubt there would have been any trouble smoothing out a 90-degree twin six.

[@xfactorautomotive1496]

@@5610winston the odd fire 225 v6 was used in Jeep's from 1966-1971. They used a ridiculously heavy flywheel when it was installed in the Jeep, and that really helped smooth the engine out. That heavy flywheel also turned the little engine into a torque monster that defied it's size. I have a 1967 CJ-5 with the "Dauntless V6", as Jeep called it, that I restored over the last year or so. It's an awesome engine

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

The cool Darin dip was a cool look. This is a 2 door which I have never see in real life! Lots of cool details! 😊

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you liked it!!

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

@@SteveMagnante I would gladly own own!

[@johnmaki3046]

In 1967, my dad could have bought a '54 Kaiser Manhatten for $49! He thought it was a p.o.s.! I think it MAY VERY WELL HAVE QUALIFIED!

[@CAROLDDISCOVER-FINDER2525]

Neighbor down the road has one of these. And you can tell it from a mile away with that dip in the windshield. Also how the glass dips. Just a little bit Car old humor. Neighbor really does have one of these it looks better than new. Great video and a very interesting subject

[@jeffpriem4888]

There's a Darren that shows up at summer cruise nights in town here on occasion. Cool how the doors slide into the fenders. Hello from Wisconsin

[@erichelmer8098]

A good friend of mine built his first race car in 1954 on a Henry J frame. He was about 19 at the time. They raced it in the Chicago / Wisconsin area. In those races, Ferraris in the races caught his eye. Forty years later, he built his next race cars based on the Ferrari Daytona. He always talked about that first car, though.

[@TrashcanGarage]

Fun Fact for our Toronado that's making another guest appearance in the background: Comic book superhero Wonder Warthog drove one of these back in the day. I think they eventually flipped it around on its chassis so that the drive wheels were in the back. And now you know. 😁

[@Staygoldfarms]

The Darrin is such a beautiful car. Henry Kaiser helped to construct the Hoover Dam and started I believe the first hmo insurance. Kaiser Permanente.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Another GREAT vid, really enjoyed!!! 🙂👍

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@clydedenby1436]

Someone in the world is freaking out over that back glass and trim.

[@ChaChiVooDoo]

Back in the early 80's I was searching for my first car project, before legal driving age. I found a 1947 Kaiser Deluxe in Milford CT through the Bargain News classifieds.I loved that pontoon styling. It was too rotted but the guy had a 63 Mercedes 190 gas with automatic that was also too rotted but I really dug the styling of an old Benz, just not the fins. So much so I bought a 1960 Ponton diesel 180 and have been into them since. There was also two Henry J's in town at a Sunoco station across from DMV that were drag car projects in the 70's and never finished, they sat 40 years until the gas station was sold and they were scrapped. The Henry J used a Willys Jeep ( Kaiser owned Willys at this time ) engine that was balanced better for the car, and also had the Darren dip rear window. A friend has a Henry J Vagabond thats maroon with an alligator skin seat thats original and tacky as hell! LOL

[@oldskool1979]

This is a great series.. appreciate it Steve.

[@christopherbrown6697]

A friend of mine had a couple of Allstates, which were badge-engineered Henry Js that were sold through Sears Roebuck.

[@anonymousm9113]

Thanks for the video! I've been a daily watcher for quite some time now and your uploads are one of the first things I look for in the morning. I don't know a lot about Kaiser, as the brand was gone well before my time, so I'll comment on the radio delete that you point out so often. In today's world, it's hard to imagine not having an am/fm stereo, and even the cheapest of new vehicles usually have an auxiliary jack and/or Bluetooth. In other words, we're spoiled. Take me for example, my 2006 Sierra had an XM subscription when I bought it used in '07. I let it lapse once, but got it back within a few days. Now I can't tolerate most FM radio stations and use the SiriusXM app when I drive a rental or company vehicle. A lot of drivers these days prefer their own Playlist, but I find satellite radio ideal as I'm not distracted trying to change songs on my phone. When these cars were made, Americans had a different concept of the automobile. They were utility vehicles designed for the commute and occasional road trip, and the radio delete might have been chosen by a thrifty family who viewed the radio as an impediment to communication or as a distraction from the road. I've owned and drive many vehicles, but the only one without a radio was my 1960 DJ3 Jeep.

[@jacjumpin7471]

Recently read a article about a trend in EVs to not include AM radios Excuse was that EVs produce a lot more radio interference than combustion powered autos Sounds lame to me

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Anonymous M, good points! We have to remember that in 1951, at least half of the potential buyers of a new car could clearly remember days when horses and carriages / buggies were the norm. To them, just having an enclosed body, electric lights for night time use and the ability to cruise at 40 mph was enough. Many probably didn't even think of added entertainment from an on-board radio. Time - and perspective - are always on the move. Thanks for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Jac Jumpin. I like the idea of electric cars but am certain the "big push" is a bunch of hype mixed with a slice of reality. I like to say: "Electric and Edsel both begin with the letter E". Take from that what you will. Thanks again for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@61rampy65]

Somewhere back around 1959 or 1960, I was in first or second grade. On rare occasions, a neighbor would drive his kid and me to school in his 53 Henry J. Even as a 6-7 year old, I sorta knew what kind of car it was, and OMG was it a POS!!! Hardly any interior left, exhaust leaks, rust, all sorts of issues, but hey, it got us to school!

[@bradleyjanes2949]

I keep spotting a 60s tornado in the background steve,great videos steve thank you

[@danfarris135]

Dad had a really nice 48 Frasier before he passed away. Nearly 20 mpg on the hwy in overdrive with that Continental 6 and 3 on the tree. It just floated down the hwy. A local doctor bought it new and drove it daily before selling it to dad around 1986.

[@jamesford3648]

It is amazing that the “Dip” parts are still on this car. They won’t be after this Video.

[@corvairjim1]

Just a quick correction of an easily made slip: Kaiser produced "Liberty" ships, not "Victory" ships. He made them by the hundreds, and they would last about three round trips to Europe and back to the U.S. before being sunk by a German U-boat. On one hand, Kaiser always seemed to be able to keep up with demand, cranking out 4 or 5 per week at one point, but you have to remember that we had to have a crew on each of thes vessels as well, so we lost hundreds, if not thousands of good men because of the Liberty ship convoys. The Navy just didn't have enough ships to adequately guard the convoys, so they were easy for the Germans to pick off. War is such a waste.

[@Sedan57Chevy]

Another clever title. Really appreciate the little extra effort that goes into them, and of course the video themselves.

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you like them!

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello Sedan57Chevy! You noticed the "fun title"! 20 points on your score card! Thanks for writing and watching. -Steve Magnante

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video and channel, Steve! Greetings from the Netherlands!

[@cheapcargarage]

If you’ve ever traveled to Argentina, they’re are Kaiser’s all over the place down there. They actually made them there.

[@RinkyRoo2021]

I remember one of these at pick a part in 2003 it was kept there for months ,I remember nobody ever took the glass though

[@stevew270]

You could also get a re-badged Henry J through Sears called the Allstate.

[@googleusergp]

Yes and Sears automotive accessories (and some meters/tools/battery chargers) were sold under the "Allstate" line until they later were sold under DieHard or Craftsman. Peerless Instrumente (under the 244 model prefix) and later Actron Industries (161 prefix items, and they later bought Peerless in 1983) made them. Things such as engine analyzers, timing lights, etc. were made by them. I have several of them. Actron was bought by Robert Bosch several years ago and has "historical amnesia" in that they no longer support the old product. Actron was located in Cleveland, OH and was staffed by some real "old time company men". If you were missing a piece or an adapter or an instruction book for your old Sears branded Actron equipment, they would send you the item at no charge with just an e-mail or phone call to their office. Great people. They even sent me the specs/plants for a 1980 analyzer that I found in the trash. My friend at work put it on a calibrated meter and power supply and adjusted it to be more accurate. It wasn't that far off to begin with.

[@meh-canics9628]

Almost bought one of those back in the late 90's

[@MrMktMaster]

Steve, your knowledge and presentation is always fascinating but I can’t get over the way you write, underline and circle all over your old magazines and literature!

[@turtlekiller5915]

He explains that just a few days ago on one of his crawls but don’t want to misquote him

[@okieshortriderz]

My Mom, till the day she passed, said our Kaiser was her favorite car our family ever had. I think it was a sportier Kaiser?

[@frankfurther3828]

cool car, glad to know the deets, thanks Steve-o.

[@christinamoneyhan5688]

I had a friend who later became my boss. He and some of his other friends had built a Gasser out of aHenry Jay back in the late 60s.

[@Racerkey999]

I got your trivia right here... note the cover of the magazine. Plymouth Belmont. A concept car hardly ever seen. But here's the thing... The Belmont is seen briefly at the gas station in Martin/Lewis "Hollywood or Bust". 20:05.

[@brianandglendaharkin9457]

Scott from Cold War motor would like this story 👍🏻🇦🇺💯

[@kenbarkdoll7252]

Kaiser was the first to provide civilian cars for purchase after the War. It gave them a leg up to deliver a car before anyone else

[@5610winston]

Kaiser also offered a two-piece tailgate, something between a hatchback and a transom-style wagon using the sedan body shell. Two-door and three-door examples were offered (the spare tire was moved to an upright position next to what would have been the left rear door which was bolted shut), and the rear seat folded wagon-style. It was first introduced in the first-generation full-size sedans and carried through to the new '51 design. Leftover '49-'50 Kaiser bodies including the Virginian four-door convertibles and hardtop sedans were rebuilt on long-wheelbase Frazer frames with unique front clips and rear quarter panels. Among those leftover and unsold Kaisers were a couple of dozen Kaiser Traveler hatchbacks, rehomed as Frazer Vagabonds.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello 5610winston, yes! I did a Junkyard Crawl video on a Kaiser Vagabond - Detroit's first "hatch back" last summer. You can see the video for FREE (as always) on the Channel Playlist! I think you'll enjoy it. Thanks for writing. -Steve Magnante

[@scootergeorge7089]

They quit building cars in 1954. 1955 models were unsold, reserialized 1954 models. Kaiser also made a Club Coupe 6:09 which was a cleaner looking 2 door. Another innovation was the 1949 Traveler, hatchback. Howard Darrin bought up some Darrins and equipped them with Cadillac V8 engines. I wonder why Kaiser didn't at least use the 226 "Supersonic" 6, and even better the supercharged version used in the '54 Manhattan.

[@Onoma314]

By the look of the roof it may be a Kaiser roll

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve

[@markchandler90]

The car in the magazine was a two door coupe not sedan….both we’re offered. Two two sedans had a quarter window.

[@RedFox3226]

In 1952 and 1953 Sears sold a rebadged Henry J as an "Allstate". I remember seeing them on display at the local Sears store.

[@seed_drill7135]

The Kaiser Darin was only available as a 1954 model. However, there were leftover bodies that Kaiser sold back to Darrin and he fitted them with V8's and sold them off over the next couple of years. And, of course, this basic body was shipped to Argentina and remained in production until 1962 as the Carabela, while Kaiser focused all their domestic production on Jeeps.

[@knutbkristiansen]

Awesome episode

[@jeffreybond6491]

My son's 2018 Kia Rio pays homage to the dip; with the top of windshield trim and a very subtle, but enlarged horizontal length of a Darin dip... Also styling Q's and themes of this dip: are through out the car... !!

[@cristianvera8506]

Thank you very much sir for your knowledge good job 👏 🙌

[@scottymoondogjakubin4766]

That rear window is worth a fortune !!

[@styrenerelics]

Cool info on a car you just don't get to see or hear about. One of those as a gasser would have been fun to watch or even build out of styrene !! Thanks again. Paul

[@mattskustomkreations]

I saw a Kaiser Darrin at a local car show. I knew they were rare, but not that rare.

[@johnbradley845]

Thanks Steve

[@derekcrymble9085]

The Henry was sold out of Sears retail stores , also the insurance .

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Thanks Steve 👍

[@SteveMagnante]

My pleasure!!

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

Cool title. The Permanente Creek does not flow by

[@bobmarker6812]

The Henry J was also badged as an Allstate sold by Sears.

[@LSnium]

Two door sedan, thats something I have never said or heard in my whole life.

[@CrazyPetez]

I sincerely hope your health is improving Steve.

[@willhorting5317]

Very interesting! Except for the Henry J cars that I have seen at car shows over the years, I have never seen another Kaiser, in my six decades.

[@beekeeper7535]

I seen where one of Steve's viewers rescued a 60s Malibu from this salvage yard. It was awesome that car will hopefully be saved. Steve you should pick a couple cars for a video that are worth saving maybe a few that you believe could be restored well at least a few you believe are worth saving and make a video about those cars maybe someone will save them. I would think almost everyone who watches your videos does their own work because it would definitely not be worth paying a shop.

[@SteveMagnante]

Very cool

[@theguythatcouldfly]

Cool! Thanks for sharing! I thought Kaiser Frazer were making cars in 1946?

[@dietersmythe9649]

That Kaiser could have benefited from a collapsible steering column!!!

[@t.s.racing]

Kaiser-Darrin doors were technically considered: sliding pocket doors.

[@Funsho97]

Man what a shame to see that Kaiser rotting away. The Kaiser was a very nice looking car and had style with that "Darrin Dip" at the tops of the windshield and rear window frames and the tops of the taillights. Like you said, it served no purpose but was a stylistic feature, back then, cars had style, now they are all bland cookie cutter computer designs except for a few. Really cool car. Lovin this stuff for sure!!!

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Good show!

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@corvairjim1]

Steve: I couldn't help but notice the 1966-67 Toronado in the background. Did you ever do a "Crawl" episode on one of these remarkable cars?

[@u121921]

He pointed out the dash pad but missed that the old solid steering column was is the position that was common after crashes prior to the late 60s mandate of colapsable and break away columns . I realize this one was just pushed out of the way but there are so many pictures of old crashes where the passenger went thru the glass and the driver was pinned in by the column . much easier to service since then when steering was built the same way as the old torque tube driveline - solid unit from the wheel to the box.

[@warringtonfaust1088]

"Radio Delete Plate". When I was a kid, a friend's family had a '41Dodge which they purchased new. They hadn't wanted to pay for a clock, so the dash contained a circular picture of FDR. I think raido delete plates were common right up until the 60's. Cars could also be ordered "heater delete".

[@hilltopmachineworks2131]

The original owner of my 1966 Plymouth Belvedere II bought it without a radio. I found the delete plate in the glovebox when I bought it. I guess he wanted some tunes and at some point installed an am/fm/cassette radio.

[@davebarron5939]

Good stuff as always Steve, Thanks!

[@SteveMagnante]

My pleasure

[@threepeakscomputers8444]

great video

[@davidciesielski8251]

Thanks

[@terrancesweeney1870]

Thanks for the content and the video. Great stuff.

[@SteveMagnante]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jacjumpin7471]

I worked as a locomotive engineer Used to run freight trains between Syracuse NY and Massena NY and back The line known as the 'Hojak' was in another time a milk run Quite a few milk CoOps were located adjacent to the right-of-way Dairy farmers would deliver their products to these locations to be loaded on to trains bound for the city All out of service when I worked but much of the infrastructure remains One particularly large barn was being used to store classic autos 50's and early 60's stuff Barn was overflowing Many were parked in the yard It had a large overhead door on one end Door was partially closed down on the hoods of two relics One was a Nash with its distinctive chromed grill like the one Brodrick Crawford drove in the TV show 'Highway Patrol' gleaming resplendently in the sun "Ten four!"

[@warringtonfaust1088]

Did you notice that Broderick Crawford always drove on dirt roads, not paved streets? He lost his license for driving under.

[@jacjumpin7471]

@@warringtonfaust1088 Yes I did read that someplace Hard drinker

[@jeffdalrymple1634]

Kaiser still exists as Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser was smart enough to leave the auto market 70 years ago before the downfall of American auto.

[@SteveMagnante]

Yes indeed, Kaiser Permanente is the health insurance conglomerate I "lampoon" in this video's "Kaiser TEMPORARY" title. Get it? It Get? Thanks for writing, Steve Magnante

[@robbchastain3036]

So back in that era of optional radio, what percentage of owners, Steve, later had one installed? And would dealers welcome that sort of thing, like, sure, bring it on in and we'll install a factory radio. And what sort of after-market options were available for car owners/audio enthusiasts. And I certainly understand people not having or wanting to spend the extra money on a radio, but that was the only entertainment game in town back then, so with a little savings a radio would be a welcomed addition, no?

[@lilmike2710]

Steve must sleep in on weekends. ☕