Kaiser Shipyard Picture

[RLJ]

Thanks Webmaster Chris for approving my request to join this forum. I've been doing some research on the shipyards and came across a photo taken in front of the Vancouver Kaiser Shipyard General office building with a car I cannot identify. All of the people I know keep saying Kaiser but I think the name on the building pushes them to that conclusion. I've researched what I could find for prototypes, found the fiberglass cars and info on the FWD model but nothing showing any pictures of anything quite like the one in this photo. It's really odd as it looks like the wing windows are part of the body not attached to the door. Does anyone know for sure what this car is? 
https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=B043FA8C-1DD8-B71B-0B2DCFD04D1A22E2

Thanks,
Dick 

[WYO George]

That is indeed a strange car, not one that I'm familiar with. Kaiser was into cars, ships and hospitals so being in front of a kaiser building doesn't make it a kasier car. Maybe some of the more well versed members here can help out.

Thanks for sharing the pic, whatever it is!

[Gordie]

Henry Kaiser was indeed experimenting with cars and had several designed.  This is obviously a one off experimental car probably made by Kaiser.  I do not remember other pictures of this one.

[Corsairdeluxe]

Bess and ole HJ in yet another car!

[dogwalkfinds]

1939 Crosley - Imagine if KF had partnered up with Crosley instead of developing the Henry J on his own...

[Carpenter]

Yes, Otto, and had spent all of that money on a...V8 MOTOR.  Kaisers might still be on the road .  They definitely had the styling edge.

[njpatera]

Wouldn’t it be interesting if someone (obviously a lot of legality and $$$ to go through) made limited runs of Kaisers today...like Checker and some others do...

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

During World War II, Henry J. Kaiser set up an engineering team known as the "Hobby Lobby" (no relation to the popular radio program of that time period) section at the Richmond CA shipyard.  The goal of the group was to come up with viable consumer products that the organization could make after the war.  Cars were at the top of Mr. Kaiser's "Wish List" and the team had tight paramaters to work with.  As a result, the cars were small (Crosley sized in most cases) and powered by small gas engines.  One even had a body made from plaster of Paris.  None of the prototypes made were considered seriously viable for production. 

I've included photos of some vehicles made during the Hobby Lobby period.  4.JPG is another picture of the car Mr. Lee took the picture of. The team even produced a prototype intended to compete with the Willys-Overland developed MA and MB Military Jeeps (which were built by Willys and Ford during the war).

[Jerry Wilbeck]

Does anyone out there have an explanation regarding the front "fender skirts" on the photo and the inability to make any kind of turn without cutting the tread off the tires?

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

It works the same way the 1952-54 full-size Nashes do.  The car has limited turning ability and as a result a bigger turning circle than anything else of similar dimensions. 

[Gordie]

They were more interested in the supposed streamline look of the car than the ability to have a short turning radius.  The old Nash's were hard to turn around on a narrow road because of their inability to turn sharply and it was no help either not having power steering.  The Nash's were not very popular with used car dealers.

[RLJ]

I've included photos of some vehicles made during the Hobby Lobby period.  4.JPG is another picture of the car Mr. Lee took the picture of.

Thank you! Now I'm just curious whether the picture was actually taken in Vancouver, WA. If so was it driven there on a road test?

Thanks,
Dick

[Bob L.]

saw flattops (carriers) in photos.... looked like jump carriers...read 2 hull numbers, one name..

further:

hull 307 is Manila Bay, CVE61
hull 308 is Natoma Bay, CVE 62
hull 309 is Midway, CVE 63  later renamed to St. Louis.  Kamikaze hit/sank in 30 mins. at Layte.

All built in about 6 months.  Others also hit by kamikazes, but survived war...retired, then scrapped...

Photographer, Lee, appears to be Asian (Chinese American?).....interesting at that time in history, to see in shipyard with camera....

Bob L.