K-F Cory: K-F (Kaiser-Frazer)

I started this blog because of my interest in old cars, particularly Kaisers and Frazers, a fact which I hinted at in the title, "K-F Cory." The "K-F" stands for Kaiser-Frazer, an American car company that made its debut after WWII in 1945 and produced automobiles in the United States until 1955 (and for a number of years thereafter in Argentina).

In the heady years after the Second World War America was car starved. In fact it was starved for any and all products it could get its hands on because of the rationing that had been one of the facts of life during the war. It was into this seller's market that K-F launched America's only "all new" automobile, and all new company. The competition in Detroit, not yet able to fully tool up for new cars, was selling warmed-over prewar models, which were basically the same product they had been selling before the war with a few, minor changes. K-F, however, had a brand new, and brand-new looking, car, the first with completely flow-through fenders, and it sold spectacularly. By 1948 Kaiser-Frazer was ranked 8th in U.S. production of passenger cars.

1948 Frazer Manhattan (note the flow-through fenders)

The product was the result of ship-building tycoon, Henry J. Kaiser, and Joseph W. Frazer, an east coast aristocrat (the 'W' stands for 'Washington') and automobile executive. He had held high positions in the management of Chrysler and Willys before forming his own company. In this new relationship Kaiser provided the cash and Frazer provided the know-how.

The combination worked well--for a time, then the pressures of being an independent made themselves known. It was customary for Detroit (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) to roll out completely new models periodically--generally every three years, and to give their cars "facelifts" (more minor changes that were less expensive) every year. This was very expensive, but the larger car companies could absorb these expenses because of their greater capital. K-F, however, had a hard time keeping up. This, combined with some poor management decisions, such as not cutting back production in 1949 when Detroit came out with all new models, and producing a compact car, the Henry J., before the market was ready for it, led to K-F's ultimate demise. But in spite of its short-lived history, K-F made some spectacular automobiles, many introducing features that later became standard on most American cars. In this they were truy ahead of their time.