Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Henry J & Allstate Forum => Topic started by: Corsairdeluxe on August 02, 2012, 11:36:37 AM
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Never thought to try it.Probably will not.Check engine compartment and air cleaner
http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/henry_j/unspecified/1439047.html
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Well Jim, you know what happens when you get me going the Henry J topic! Issues with that car - four cylinder standard model which the chrome hood molding added (a typical modification). Also would not have originally had bumper gaurds but I think some dealers installed them on the four cylinder models. It has, as you point out, an air cleaner off a six cylinder model so I doubt the hood can be closed without damaging it. It has the rubber door handle/window crank eschutcheons which were not introduced until the 1952 Corsairs - another common modification because the original plastic ones broke and crumbled away. The material on the upholstery is OK but not like any original I've ever seen. The steering wheel and column being painted to match the dash is not original. Shift lever knob is not the original type - the original type is available and not that expensive. Holes in the dash for reflectors??? What's with that? And what's that mounted above the ignition switch? It also appears the starter button has been moved to the other side of the headlight switch... and where is the choke cable?
Not to mention a non-KF heater, which is also typical since a lot of Js didn't come with a heater people installed aftermarket units. The engine was originally a medium green color as opposed to gray. It's a nice looking car but a four without OD you'd think would be a tough sell... but it doesn't seem to matter much these days. If it looks nice and runs, it seems to bring a decent price. Again, none of the said issues make it a bad car but I would think one that had all of those things correct would bring a better price.
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I also noticed that it has a trunk. Weren't the cheapie 4 bangers trunkless? At least there's no glovebox or armrests. I also seem to think that the vent windows were fixed and the frames were not chromed, but that could be a memory fault on my part. And the trim rings on the wheels. Jeez, are we picky or what?
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Picky is not the word that I would use.
Many of the comments regarding listings on eBay are indeed cruelly directed at the seller.
Henry J "experts" appear to be extremely egregious on this issue.
Comedic, considering that the "J" was indeed the worst car that KF made and a failure in the market place.
How many of you that are so critical of the erroneous listings, email the seller about his mistakes rather than make fun of him in this forum?
One cannot begin to know the background on how the seller acquired the car. It may have been an untimely death in the family and subsequent estate sale of the loved ones car.
The criticisms are sophomoric.
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Contrary to what's often stated, trunk lids were always available on the four bangers. Accessory group 10 and 17 both included a trunk lid and were both available on 1951 four cylinder cars. I recall Jack had a nice article in the quarterly a number of years ago stating how the four cylinder Js could be ordered with very fancy appointments if a dealer chose. The J that Mike Barker got from Gene Meyer, which I believe Dave Hollen now owns, is a four and it's got overdrive, folding rear seat, trunk lid, fancy upholstery, a radio, heater. The tags match too. My '52 Vagabond was originally a four cylinder without overdrive and it has opening vent windows, a trunk lid and folding rear seat all part of AG 17. Yes, they could be ordered with options.
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KFOCI HANDBOOK Version 5.0 will have (among its many other features) expansion on the Accessories item for the different model year cars. That expansion includes a copy of any appropriate Kaiser-Frazer Sales Corporation Confidential Bulletins covering items that the factory would install on a car being delivered retail at the factory. A number of dealers took their cue off such material to offer purchasers dealer-installed factory parts that were not part of the normal acessory list. In the case of the 1951 4-cylinder HJ, they included but were not limited to:
- Bumper Guards
- Stainless Wheel Discs
- Vacuum Booster Fuel Pump
- Extra Horn
- Cigarette Lighter
These were offered in Accessory Groups with other items but stand-alone status in some cases was spotty.
The same applies to 1952 HJ 4 cylinder Vagabonds
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Didn't mean to upset anyone about being "picky." My tongue was firmly planted in my cheek, but of course, sarcasm doesn't show very well in writing. What I meant was that KFOC, as the self-proclaimed experts on all things KF (as we should be) will notice authenticity. When I find an error on an auction listing, I will point it out to the seller and only as a correction. I never belittle them for not knowing. I usually receive a thank you from the seller and they make the correction, or else add my note to the auction listing.
Here on the forum, errors like this SHOULD be pointed out for the general knowledge of all our members. For example, I did not think that opening trunks were available at all on those early 4-banger HJ's. I have learned something new. This is what this forum should be about - imparting KF-related knowledge to the membership. I am so glad our historian is on the forum, because he can dive into factory literature to back up or disprove the stated facts as necessary.
We have so many knowledgeable members in this club and I'm glad we have an easy way to disseminate facts.
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Said well! 8)
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I'm looking forward to that new handbook Jack. You gave yourself a tough act to follow with the current one. I've learned a lot on these boards and I really appreciate them and the handbook. My comments were also tongue in cheek and what was the last thing I typed? That none of the said issues make it a bad car... and heck, mine aren't perfect either.
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Let's see if it works...attached are the two pages for the 1951 model year: the late 1951 page is good for 1952 virginia/vagabonds
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Looks very good. I was able to view them. I don't know if all browsers or operating systems work the same way, but if I double click on them, they open. If I click again, they enlarge and I can zoom. Great stuff. I'll down load them and that should work even better.
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Thanks for posting the bulletins, worked fine on my computer, Henry.
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It sold for $9,000. A four cylinder without OD.