Kaiser-Frazer toys

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

I noted Barbara's comments on the 034 JADED Hot Wheels car.  This vehicle may still be found in stores as #4 of 6 in the MARVEL SPIDER-MAN set.  it is still marked as JADED for a name but is cheaper construction than the original previously shown in this thread. The car is green with a cheaper plastic spoiler and a plastic grille insert (rather than the chromed type in the original release).  I ended up with 2 of them.  One is for me the other for my soon to be 4 year old grandson.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Here are copies of the covers for the 1951 HJ and 1953 Kaiser Manhattan models Banthrico offered.  I checked with the company back in 1976 & the casting dies for the two vehicles were already scrapped out & it would cost between $6,000-$10,000 for them to re-measure and re-tool off an existing vehicle at that time. 

As noted in the page on the HJ, colors Banthrico offered were Mariner Gray, Ceramic Green, Blue Satin & Cardinao Red (so you can tell if the one you come across is a repaint).  Also, if you look carefully, you will find there is a decal with dealer information on the roof of the car at lower left on the page.  This is what they mean by Imprinting as noted.  I have yet to ever see (let alone own) a Spring Motor Powered Model version of the HJ.  Both the coaster version (no spring motor) and the spring motor version have Tenite plastic bodies, same material that the Kaiser Deluxe/Manhattans of 1951-54 Early Special types were made from (around the metal center armature).

The 1953's were a different story.  They were offered to dealers in 18 car cases for $28.50 FOB Chicago IL.  Each case included 1 1953 Kaiser Manhattan in 12 single colors used on the big cars & 1 each of 6 factory two-tones (color combinations offered for the big cars as well as break points for the colors).  Otherwise, the standard assortment was 12 cars minimum (Banthrico choice of colors) at $1.53 each.  If a dealer ordered at least 100 cars, the dealer imprint would be free; otherwise the minimum set-up charge of $8.25 for dealer names (1 to 99 cars) applied.  Keys to open the banks went with each car.  Dealers in Illinois ordering 1953 models were required to add 2% to the order cost, dealers in Indiana had to add 3%.  Shipping was based on F.O.B. Banthrico's Chicago IL plant.

[Gordie]

Thanks very much for the interesting Hot Wheels and Banthrico information.  I found one of the Henry J hot rod Hot Wheels on line for $1.19.  It is # 150 in black dated 2004.  An earlier version is # 034 and it is in purple with red trim and has the chromed spoiler and it is dated 2002.  There were not many early Henry J models made and one of the hardest to find is the Solido made in France in the 1950"s.  It is die cast 1:43 scale and comes with or without a wind-up motor.  If you get the one without the motor it comes with a red front seat but the one with the motor has the entire interior filled with motor and springs.  It is all metal with a separate chassis with metal wheels and rubber tires.  They are well detailed toys from the 1950's.

[Bob G]

Remember having a '53 that my Grandfather gave me that matched the colors of his 4-dr Manhattan. Wish I still had it, of course.

[Gordie]

Here are copies of the covers for the 1951 HJ and 1953 Kaiser Manhattan autobanks Banthrico offered.  I checked with the company back in 1976 & the casting dies for the two vehicles were already scrapped out & it would cost between $6,000-$10,000 for them to re-measure and re-tool off an existing vehicle at that time. 

As noted in the page on the HJ, colors Banthrico offered were Mariner Gray, Ceramic Green, Blue Satin & Cardinao Red (so you can tell if the one you come across is a repaint).  Also, if you look carefully, you will find there is a decal with dealer information on the roof of the car at lower left on the page.  This is what they mean by Imprinting as noted.  I have yet to ever see (let alone own) a Spring Motor Powered Model version of the HJ.  The coaster version they speak of is the slush cast bank.

The 1953's were a different story.  They were offered to dealers in 18 car cases for $28.50 FOB Chicago IL.  Each case included 1 1953 Kaiser Manhattan in 12 single colors used on the big cars & 1 each of 6 factory two-tones (color combinations offered for the big cars as well as break points for the colors).  Otherwise, the standard assortment was 12 cars minimum (Banthrico choice of colors) at $1.53 each.  If a dealer ordered at least 100 cars, the dealer imprint would be free; otherwise the minimum set-up charge of $8.25 for dealer names (1 to 99 cars) applied.  Keys to open the banks went with each car.  Dealers in Illinois ordering 1953 models were required to add 2% to the order cost, dealers in Indiana had to add 3%.  Shipping was based on F.O.B. Banthrico's Chicago IL plant.

I've learned a little more about the Banthrico promotional models and found that the 1951 Henry J was the only Banthrico model that the company made in plastic and apparently the body was made by an outside supplier and Banthrico used their own metal base and wheels and tires.  They could be ordered as coasters which only the dealers could order or with a wind-up motor which went to the public through toy retailers..  My green one has the wind-up motor with clear plastic windows and no interior as the motor takes up most of the interior.  I have a friend who has one with the dealers name on the  roof.  The dealers had the option of having their name and address silk screened on the roof in up to four lines.  All Banthrico Kaisers are very expensive and hard to find as they are quite collectible and not many were made.  The advertised colors were Mariner gray, Ceramic green, Blue Satin, Cardinal red plus I have seen one in maroon as well as the bright red.  All had plastic windows and a few of those had the windows painted silver on the insides giving them a frosted look.  Earlier examples seem to have a front bumper-grill unit with un-reinforced outer bumper ends but most have a wider bumper gravel pan combination that reinforced the bumper ends making them less prone to breaking off.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

At least 3 companies made a 1951 Henry J in Plastic, besides the slush-cast Banthrico bank that was also a K-F dealer item,   I have seen (but I do not own) a plastic from a company called Lincoln Line.  I do have what is reported as a product of a young, struggling company (back then) called AMT.  I believe that mine is an AMT because photoes I saw in a long-defunct model car magazine showed an oversized "Henry J" script on the trunk which is what mine has. 

[Gordie]

A comprehensive book on promotional models lists the following promotional models for Kaisers.  In metal they show an interesting 1946 Kaiser articulated bus made of aluminum plus the two varieties of '53 Kaiser Manhattans by Banthrico.  In plastic there is the '49 convertible sedan by Toy Founders, the 1951 Henry J by Banthrico, two varieties of Henry J, one with windows and hub caps and one without them by Lincoln Products Co. and a 2 inch Henry J and '51 Kaiser Manhattan by Ideal Toy Co.  Perhaps other companies made Kaisers as toys and they are not considered promotional models.  There were many interesting promotional models made of rubber but never a Kaiser.  There were many tin Kaiser Darrin toys and even a nice eight inch '51 Kaiser sedan by Gama of Germany.  It has a plastic body and tin interior and base plate with friction motor and also comes as a taxi.  Several small 1947 kaisers and Frazer's were made but all are considered toys.  There are many to collect and we need to start a list of them but some are difficult to know who they were made by.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Attached is a picture of my green 1951 HJ.  Its not a Banthrico as it does not have the painted over windows that appear both in the KF sales aid flyer and the just seen on eBay 1951 cardinal red HJ.  The Lincoln Line HJ is motorized and the one I saw was yellow.  I believe mine is the AMT because of color and the clear plastic window piece.

[Gordie]

Yours is exactly like my plastic Banthrico model with the wind-up motor and it has the unique Banthrico wheels.  The two Banthrico ads that I have for the Henry J are artists conceptions and clearly state that the models are made of "durable Tenite and steel construction".  Two additional Henry J ads that apparently were not sent to Kaiser-Frazer dealers  are illustrated in the book on Banthrico coin banks. These are the models that were offered with dealer imprint silk screened on the roof for $7.50 extra per order.  Banthrico also offered a stand up easel made for displaying the different colors or styles.  According to Steve Butler's book on promotional cars and trucks AMT never made a promotional model for Kaiser.  Maybe they made toys or models.  I will be looking for one.

[joefrazer]

Here you go. I have an identical unit although mine isn't quite as nice.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Henry-J-Dealer-Promo-1-25-scale-Kaiser-Coaster/263490155550?hash=item3d593cb41e:g:CcIAAOSwYNxaf8FO

[Gordie]

Thanks for showing that.  I grabbed it and now have all five varieties of Banthrico Kaiser promos.  Now to find one of the elusive  Lincoln Line Henry J promos!.

[Gordie]

I have been seeing ads for '51 Henry J models from a company named NEO.  I sent for one and just received it in the mail.  They seem to be all red and in 1:43 scale.  It is very realistic and has white walls, a very fragile side mirror, a fully finished interior but no trunk or opening doors and hood.  They come mounted on a base plate and encased in a clear plastic box with a simulated mirror so you can see both sides of the car in the case.  It features  a deluxe model with chrome grille and window moldings, tail lights, gas cap and hood ornament  and with a tan interior.  You can see the spare tire when looking in the rear window.They seem to run about $80.00 but unless you just collect 1:43 size models I think that the Sun Star models in 1:18 scale described earlier are a much better value for about the same money.  NEO is a Dutch company who is having the models made in China and they offer many different kinds of cars and trucks including Willys Jeep station wagons and a very attractive Jeepster.

[Terry T]

Nos kaiser Darrin carb..

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GREAT FAUCET HANDLE?

[darrin145]

WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GREAT FAUCET HANDLE?

Careful Terry - that'll get you in hot water!!

For the modelers among us, here is a photo of the only decent resin cast Darrin model kit I've been able to find. It was cast by R&R Resin more than a decade ago. I recently saw an ad for resinrealm.net that showed them, but I'm not sure about availability. Their # 402.896.4379. Its in 1/25 scale.

Gary.

[Fid]

I bought one of those resin Darrins back in 2000. It took a lot of scraping and shaping to get it to fit together but when I was done it made a nice model - so much so that I bought 3 more of them and did one in each color: White, yellow, green and red.  They turned out nice. You need to go to a hobby store and find wheels/tires/axles for it but that was not a problem.