Kaiser Frazer Owners Club Forum
General Category => Henry J & Allstate Forum => Topic started by: colmike1 on April 17, 2014, 04:54:03 PM
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Available for silent bid at our Estate Sale, April 24-26, 2014 at 1331 Valleyview Dr., East Peoria, IL, is a 1953 Henry J Corsair DeLuxe. This car has been off the road for about 17 years, but was running when parked. The battery is shot, but with a 6 volt booster, the starter growls, but does not engage. The exterior is a decent older restoration. The interior is original, showing wear on the drivers seat. A great candidate for restoration or make a fun little driver. For more details, visit our website:http://midwestestate.home.comcast.net (http://midwestestate.home.comcast.net)
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Check out the wire wheels. Looks real !
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Tires are now inflated and the car is out of the quonset hut. Will be cleaning the 17 years worth of dust off it tomorrow! Will post more pics when it is cleaner
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Corsairdeluxe, How far away is this from you? Another road trip?
Please post pictures when the car is cleaned up. Love to see interior and exterior shots.
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Lots of new pics at our website http://midwestestate.home.comcast.net (ftp://midwestestate.home.comcast.net) . Having problems loading them here.
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Here are a couple of fresh pics
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Another pic
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I like that color on the J. That looks like a car someone could buy and just drive as-is or fix up nicely (paint, chrome etc.) if that's what they wanted. Those window shades are unusual on the J and were a factory accessory.
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Just checked out the pix on the website and it looks like a solid builder/driver. The often-lost jack is even in the trunk!
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Link asks for a password.
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Please try the link on the first posting. It is working fine. I hate computers, but they are a necessary evil!
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The Henry J is about an hour from me, but I haven't had time it inspect it yet.
My son and I are planning to bid on it.
Can the experts tell me what is correct or incorrect on it?
Were the wire wheels ever an option on them?
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Wire wheels were not used on a J...but they do look good!
The outside mirror is not correct, it looks more like something for a truck application.
The tail light inserts (where the 51 lights mounted) should be chrome fillers with a "K" on them.
The dash mounted heater and defroster switches to the right of the speaker grille are not correct. Both are from a 47-48 Kaiser.
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1947-48 Kaiser heaters were listed as a HJ factory accessory for a short time in the 1951 model year. If a dealer had them in stock they could have put them in a 1952, 53 or 54 HJ. Judging has to decide on this as a lot of earlier Kaiser and Frazer items--including radios--were recycled into later model year cars. Check KFOCI HANDBOOK Accessories sections for this information.
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The interior is very original yet, albeit quite worn. The original dash cover looks quite nice yet. I've seen the 47/48 KF heater mounted in the early Js but not a '53 but as Jack points out, if the customer wanted one and the dealer had one it could be one of those deals. I never saw one where the dealer drilled holes in the dash to mount the controls - they mounted under the dash with brackets similar to the OD cable. But you never know what a dealer might have done. Regarding the holes where the earlier tail lights were mounted; you see a lot of them with reflectors or red lights and even in some cases, '51 tail lights in them because those 'K' emblems were thin metal and filled with water and rusted badly. I always thought a better fix was back up lights, even if they weren't functional. Do-Ray 451 or Yankee 975 and probably some others, fit right in there as do '51 Kaiser parking lights which were the same as those used on the Porsche from the early '60s.
The wire wheels are not KF issue and the hood ornament tip is for a '51 - you see that a lot because the '53 ornament tip was easily broken and very difficult to find.
Don't let any of these things stand in your way because none of them really matter.
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In the box of spare parts included in the sale, I believe there are some back up lights included.
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It looks like a Yankee 975 in the box. They fit right in without any cuts.
I had a set of Do-Ray 451s in mine for years but I could never keep them working
(http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3d709b3127ccef46c483abe6f00000060O01SatmLdmyB7efAA/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00203070160520130928160443923.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/)
It took a while but I eventually found a couple of the 'K' emblems, which mine had originally but were rusted out when I got it. I installed them last year and now the car is as it was originally
(http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a3d709b3127ccef46c72723f0a00000050O01SatmLdmyB7efAA/cC/f%3D0/ls%3D00203070160520130928162045071.JPG/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/)
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Those Wing Vents for the Rear Quarter Panel Windows are a cool accessory. Hopefully the two stainless clips for the latch are in that little K-F envelope.
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So what has to be done to install the rear quarter vent windows?
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There is a template for cutting the quarter panel glass. The Wing has rubber that goes on the glass and metal that slides into the original window gasket. You really don't see many of these.
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There is a template for cutting the quarter panel glass. The Wing has rubber that goes on the glass and metal that slides into the original window gasket. You really don't see many of these.
Thanks Jim. Now to show my Henry J ignorance -- it sounds like the rear quarter windows on a Henry J do not roll down, thus the reason for the vent windows. Is that correct?
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Right...the rear windows in a J are fixed. The addition of vent windows helps quite a bit with air flow.
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They are fixed and don't roll down.
Here is the installation instruction to install those vents.
http://circlekf.com/henryj/Reference/instructions/100220.pdf (http://circlekf.com/henryj/Reference/instructions/100220.pdf)
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I inspected the Henry J today.
Paint 110
Trim 5603
AG 39
Sched 43
Item 279
Older repaint - fairly solid body but looks like the upper area of the rear fins is weak and previously repaired
Vinyl on the seats is good but the inserts are bad.
Floor pan is getting weak
Not running
Needs a lot of TLC but we are still going to bid on it
Found an old KFOCI judging sheet in the trunk - owned by Thomas Bickel
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more pictures: http://public.fotki.com/48custom/1953-henry-j-estate-car/
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Just a reminder. Bidding ends at Noon on Saturday, April 26th. Thanks to all who have bid so far. The family is very happy the car will be going to a good home that will care for it.
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Update
Just received a call from the "estate sale". The Henry J sold for $5200. Unfortunately, I was not the high bidder.
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After re-reading the posts regarding the car's condition and looking over the photographs, I'd say the sale price was a bit strong. If that had been a 53 full size Kaiser in similar condition, I'm sure the top bid would have been much less. This just goes to prove that J's continue to do well in the marketplace, even those needing some TLC.
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The demand for our little cars is getting stronger. The cars are just getting harder to find in great condition.
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Thanks to all on the KF Site for all the info on this old Henry J. Happy to report, the car will be restored, not altered. The family is thrilled. Happy motoring!