Early Kaiser Frazer literature

[Gordie]

As a K-F literature collector I was curious as to what might be the first printed literature that the company used.  The early browntone Frazer folder is certainly early but it is not dated.  I have "Tentative General Specifications for the Kaiser and Frazer" which are six page mimeographed sheets each with a cover letter sent to the editor of Motor Magazine dated February 26, 1946 and a press release dated January 10th 1946 with two mimeographed sheets and four press photos of Henry, the plant and two Kaiser cars all with captions.  I'm guessing that there must have been a separate press release for the Frazer as well.  Does anyone know of earlier dated printed literature?

[pnw_oldmags]

This is a list of items from the Ray Tomb List
http://circlekf.com/kflit/pdf/kflit030_1945.pdf
http://circlekf.com/kflit/pdf/kflit030_1946.pdf
If this would help great.

[Gordie]

Thanks,  It appears that the tentative specifications were also printed a few weeks earlier than the ones I have.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The first piece of general distribution showroom literature is the sepia-tone that shows the Graham-Paige Frazer and the K-85 Kaiser.   In fact, it is the only piece of general distribution showroom literature showing the FWD Kaiser.  In January 1946, Carl Byoir & Associates issued a press kit with releases from Graham-Paige (Frazer and Rototiller related) and Kaiser-Frazer (General Company and K-85 related) timed for release with the Waldorf-Astoria show.  All dealers and distributors got copies of the press kit as well.  An updated version was issued in June/July 1946 with the K-85 Kaiser references replaced by the K-100 Kaiser Special information.

A tentative table of specifications for the K-85 and the F-47 Frazer was released around the end of 1945 and was intended for use by the automotive press (AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES took information from this material and used it in their March 1946 special section on motor vehicle specs).  Follow-up revisions were issued as the K-100 replaced the K-85 and other changes were made to the Frazer.  Again intended for the press and dealers, copies also made their way into such places as Chrysler Corporation spy files (the copies of these documents in original form have a purple ink stamp of "ROSS ROY, INC." or "PROPERTY OF CHRYSLER CORPORATION" or similar type wording). 

There was also a Confidential Bulletin issued in the spring of 1946 for the K-85 with general information (no features or equipment specs) but it appears that the first confidential bulletin for the K-100 and the F-47 went out in September 1946.

I am still unpacking and re-shelving material here in NY.  I expect this will take well into August or September before everything is done.

[Gordie]

Thanks for the great information.  I guess it must be like Christmas opening all of those boxes and re-filing all of your material but that is probably the only fun part of moving.  I have done it a few times myself.  There is also a small 6" x 8 1/2" part color folder issued by Henry J. Kaiser Motors with cover illustrations of the early cars taken at the Ambassador showing in January 1946.  This folder Illustrates the fwd Kaiser and the Frazer with painted grill and both showing white wall tires which were not available until over a year later.  The Northern California distributors address's are included along with K-F Corporation at Willow Run, Michigan.  Perhaps other dealers or distributors offered sales brochures for their own areas illustrating the early cars.  This folder has no form number nor date.
Henry J. Kaiser Motors was owned by the Corporation unlike Mad Man Muntz the early Southern California distributor.