Factory Photos

[pnw_oldmags]

Jack emailed in a stack of Factory Photos for CIRCLEKF.COM

https://circlekf.com/share_sources.php?dp=photo&yr=all&pub=all&typ=FP&mg=Jack_2111&action=list_sources

Click on the Link above to see them.

Or go to CIRCLEKF.COM.  Go into the PHOTO DEPT, then select DOCUMENT TYPE - FACTORY PHOTOS

Once in there Click on Major Group - Jack_2111 to see the 18 photos he sent in.

ENJOY

[Brent in MO]

Those are some great historical photos.  Thanks for sharing!

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I have hundreds of photos showing plant operations, dealers and distributors, cars, prototypes and other neat things.  This is one source of materials I use for research and writing stories in the QUARTERLY magazine and BUILT TO BETTER THE BEST, which is still in print over 15 years after it came out in 2005.

[G.B. (All Vinyl Dragon)]

Kaiser-Frazer Library ,
Do You remember any Pictures of the place they Did the Trim work on Darrin & Dragons ?

[pnw_oldmags]

Jack emailed in another stack of Factory Photos for CIRCLEKF.COM

https://circlekf.com/share_sources.php?dp=photo&yr=all&pub=all&typ=FP&mg=Jack_2111b&action=list_sources

Click on the Link above to see them.

Or go to CIRCLEKF.COM.  Go into the PHOTO DEPT, then select DOCUMENT TYPE - FACTORY PHOTOS

Once in there Click on Major Group - Jack_2111b to see the additional 25 photos he sent in.

ENJOY

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Best information is that 1953 Kaiser Dragons were trimmed and finished at Ionia Body Works in Ionia MI.  That company also made various limited edition 4-door hardtop GM station wagons in the late 1950's.  They made 2 batch runs of Dragons.  A third batch run was done at Willow Run and used up most of the remaining Dragon-specific parts and materials.  I have no pictures of installing trim on the Dragons but the upholstery, door panels, etc were made on the trim balcony at Willow Run.  I have pictures of various activities at the trim balcony but they are not of Dragon work.

I would suggest you contact Lee Abrahams, our club's Man About Darrins about where the seats for Darrins were made.  If anyone knows these days, it would be him.

[william shippy]

Really cool pictures! I love this kind of stuff!

Did Brooks Stevens remodel the 49 50 frazer trim/grill with the Howard Darrin body?

William in Whittier

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

No.  Brooks Stevens and Associates worked off the brief (general dimensions) from the factory as they did with all their clients. 

[pnw_oldmags]

Jack emailed in another stack of Factory Photos for CIRCLEKF.COM

https://circlekf.com/share_sources.php?dp=photo&yr=all&pub=all&typ=FP&mg=Jack_2111c&action=list_sources

Click on the Link above to see them.

Or go to CIRCLEKF.COM.  Go into the PHOTO DEPT, then select DOCUMENT TYPE - FACTORY PHOTOS

Once in there Click on Major Group - Jack_2111c to see the additional 9 photos he sent in.

ENJOY

[larryk]

I like the 161 motor with the "3 dueces"! Awesome!

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

For a smaller car, the Henry J L-head 6 when coupled with the overdrive rear axle for acceleration turned some unexpectedly quick figures in the right hands.  The car's light weight (almost 1,000 pounds lighter than a 1951 Kaiser Deluxe) also helped with the pick-up.  Brooks Stevens and Howard Darrin decided this might have potential for a new K-F car.  Brooks and his sons were interested in sports car racing and came up with a car idea that Brooks dubbed "Excalibur" (he used that name a lot on one-off cars he did in the 1950's and finally the low-volume Excalibur automobiles built starting in the mid 1960's).  Kaiser-Frazer's Experimental Engineering department worked with him under the umbrella of engine improvements.  I have Experimental Engineering reports on different ideas and their results.  The result was an extra 20 bhp in some configurations.  Unfortunately, there were longer-term reliability problems with racing grade camshafts and other goodies. 

Howard Darrin went the boulevard cruiser route which led to the Kaiser-Darrin Sports Car.  Alie Kaiser (Henry's second wife after Bess died; before her death Bess was supposed to have hand-picked Alyce--one of her nurses--as her "replacement" so Henry wouldn't be lonely) preferred Darrin's sleek styling with the sliding doors over Brooks' racing car designed Excalibur body.  In time, the HJ engines were replace with motors that did not require the repeated tear-downs and rebuilds of the Willys-designed engine.

[pnw_oldmags]

Jack emailed in another stack of 20 Factory Photos for CIRCLEKF.COM

https://circlekf.com/share_sources.php?dp=photo&yr=all&pub=all&typ=FP&mg=Jack_2111d&action=list_sources

Click on the Link above to see them.

Or go to CIRCLEKF.COM.  Go into the PHOTO DEPT, then select DOCUMENT TYPE - FACTORY PHOTOS

Once in there Click on Major Group - Jack_2111d to see the additional 20 photos he sent in.

ENJOY