In expectation for the first post-war cars by the Big Three, nineteen forty-nine brings news at Kaiser in the form of a wide horizontal grille of simpler and more elegant design than its predecessor, enlarged taillights and a revised line-up. It includes a peculiar utility car, with a silhouette similar to the sedan’s, but fitted with a rear hatch in two parts, folding rear seats and a fixed rear left door due to the repositioning of the spare tyre. Half-station wagon, half-sedan, the car sells well honourably to a very reasonable price. Other new models for the year are the convertible sedan - a rare body type nowadays - which keeps its window frames intact in order for the chassis to retain its rigidity without any costly reinforcement; and a hardtop sedan, in which thick pillars do not totally disappear, but are rather replaced by thin frames. Despite all of these efforts, sales plummet this year.
Kaiser Special
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 100 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 125 kph. Range: four-door sedan, four-door “Traveler” utility sedan. Note: the utility sedan is called a “four-door”, though one rear door was welded into place due to the positioning of the spare tyre behind it. Nevertheless, some of these cars are also fitted with four doors that can be truly opened.
Kaiser Deluxe
The Custom, which had too limited an appeal, is replaced by a richly appointed Deluxe this year. The “dual manifold” 112 hp engine is now standard on this version, along with wide chromed rocker panels. A particularity of the Deluxe is that it sports chromed scripts on the front wings indicating the name of the car’s paint.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Deluxe, January 1949 for the four-door convertible. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door sedan, four-door convertible sedan.
Kaiser Vagabond
The new Vagabond combines the rich level of equipment of the Deluxe with the practicality of the utility sedan’s body.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Vagabond. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door utility sedan.
Kaiser Virginian
The Virginian hardtop sedan actually retains window frames similar to those found of the convertible sedan. Its roof is covered by vinyl and its interior is rather luxurious, but its price is staggering.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Virginian. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door “hardtop” sedan.
Kaiser Taxi
For 1949, Kaiser has developed a version of the Special specially designed for taxicab operators. Suspension is reinforced and the seats are fitted with a tougher, more durable material, while the taximeter is installed in the glove box. The Kaiser taxi come standard with the dual manifold 112 hp engine.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the taxi. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door sedan.
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Kaiser Special
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 100 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 125 kph. Range: four-door sedan, four-door “Traveler” utility sedan. Note: the utility sedan is called a “four-door”, though one rear door was welded into place due to the positioning of the spare tyre behind it. Nevertheless, some of these cars are also fitted with four doors that can be truly opened.
Kaiser Deluxe
The Custom, which had too limited an appeal, is replaced by a richly appointed Deluxe this year. The “dual manifold” 112 hp engine is now standard on this version, along with wide chromed rocker panels. A particularity of the Deluxe is that it sports chromed scripts on the front wings indicating the name of the car’s paint.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Deluxe, January 1949 for the four-door convertible. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door sedan, four-door convertible sedan.
Kaiser Vagabond
The new Vagabond combines the rich level of equipment of the Deluxe with the practicality of the utility sedan’s body.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Vagabond. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door utility sedan.
Kaiser Virginian
The Virginian hardtop sedan actually retains window frames similar to those found of the convertible sedan. Its roof is covered by vinyl and its interior is rather luxurious, but its price is staggering.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the Virginian. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door “hardtop” sedan.
Kaiser Taxi
For 1949, Kaiser has developed a version of the Special specially designed for taxicab operators. Suspension is reinforced and the seats are fitted with a tougher, more durable material, while the taximeter is installed in the glove box. The Kaiser taxi come standard with the dual manifold 112 hp engine.
● Introduction: June 1946 for the original Frazer, August 1946 for its Kaiser counterpart, September 1948 for the taxi. Construction: body on separate chassis. Engine: water-cooled inline six, 3.7-litre, 112 hp, mounted at the front. Transmission: to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Suspension: independent at the front, rigid axle at the rear. Brakes: hydraulic, to drums on all four wheels. Length: 516 cm. Top speed: 130 kph. Range: four-door sedan.
Any mistake you’ve just spotted? A detail to add? A suggestion? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment!
Click to jump to another model year of the same car: 1947 – 1948 – 1949 – 1950
Click here to return to a list of all Kaiser vehicles presented on this blog.
Click here to return to this blog’s initial post, featuring a list of all vehicles already presented.
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