The Henry J was a short-lived attempt by Kaiser-Frazer to sell a small car in the early 1950s at a time when everyone wanted big cars. It was named after the chairman of the company and was built between 1950 and 1953. The Henry J was available with both four and six-cylinder engines. Perhaps inspired by sports cars of the era, a previous owner took a 1952 Henry J and put a hand-made convertible body on it, maybe as long ago as 60 years. We’re told it needs some “work underneath” but can be driven as-is. Located in East Islip, New York, this one-off is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $8,200. Thanks for the interesting tip, Chuck Foster!
Henry Kaiser’s vision of a small car may have been the right product but at the wrong time. In the late 1940s, U.S. automakers were still trying to keep up with fulfilling the demand created by World War II. Most car builders had introduced all-new autos in 1948 as the first since before the war. Henry thought he could boost sales by building a little car in the low-priced market segment because no one else was doing it. But the Henry J got very little attention in the public eye and Kaiser pulled the plug in 1953, although a few leftovers were sold as 1954 models.
How this one-of-a-kind Kaiser came to be isn’t known. Sometime in the late 1950s or early 1960s, some enterprising soul took the chassis of a 1952 Henry J and dropped a hand-made body on it. We’re not told if it’s metal or fiberglass. The windshield was borrowed from a 1950s Mercedes Adenauer and the finished product looks like an Allard sports car from the same era.
The builder chose the six-cylinder Henry J for his handiwork, rebuilding the 161 cubic inch motor and 3-speed manual transmission. A custom-made two carburetor manifold was installed and we’re told the car runs great having only had 500 miles put on it after all these years. The body and paint look good, but the seller refers to it having some issues with the undercarriage. But whatever those problems are don’t prevent the car from being driven around. If you were looking for something that no one else has, this might be it. Or not.
That looks pretty neat to me. The shape makes me think it’s fiberglass; making ‘glass bodies at home was covered in a lot of magazine articles back in the late ’50s/early ’60s, so I’m pretty sure some people must have given it a try.
With the larger “six” in there, it might not be terribly slow, and the “undercarriage” on HJs was simple enough that the “work” would likely be of the shock/brake replacement variety.
Back around 1962, I had a friend whose father had a Henry J chassis (with the base four-cylinder engine) stashed in his garage, with one of those “one-size-fits-all” Devin bodies ready to mount on it. Sadly, he never followed through.
It’s a 5/4 scale Nissan Figaro :-)
I immediately thought the same thing.
Seats look to be ’80s vintage. I like it.
Not a bad looking car.
Love the style on this car especially the rear end treatment with the little nerf bar arrangement. The dual carb set up is a nice upgrade. When I think Henry J my first picture is a wheel standing gasser at a track sometime in the 60s
I have to admire the workmanship on this one. I don’t find it attractive but someone did a super job. Sure would be a one of a kind at a show.You would need to see what the undercarriage issues are. SBF in Cobra hardware would be cool. Good luck and happy motoring.
Cheers
GPC
Even without the Mercedes windshield, this looked Tutonic to me right off the bat; I saw a mix of 356 at the rear and Borgward up front. Definitely unique! Some very nice workmanship. Not the prettiest belle at the ball, but certainly pleasant looking. I’d drive it.
It looks great, listed 4 weeks ago.
Russ,
There’s a stick coming out of the steering column, with a ball on the end. Maybe for the benefit of the younger members of your audience, you could explain what the purpose of it is.
Listed in Marketplace as a BMW. Imagine the heart attacks that caused!
It’s called a shift lever, or a “three on the tree”.
Don’t remember seeing one of these before; what an elegant body.
Wow, nice!
The front end reminds me of the Cisitalia, the one in MoMA, in NYC, that I’ve a framed poster hanging on my wall.
https://www.moma.org/collection/works/3498?installation_image_index=11
Looks like the headlight bezels came off the Adenauer as well. Could those taillight lenses be from a ’49 Ford? This car has good clean lines – very European-looking, to my eye. It deserves a much better interior and, fiberglas or metal, the body is in dire need of some smoothing out and finishing.
Great looking little car. Whoever designed and built it deserves a medal. Only 500 miles on the clock? Sounds to me like the builder died and whoever inherited it put it away. But why? and how come, after a lifetime of sitting neglected, it appears to be in such great shape – and why doesn´t anyone know anything about the creator? Strange.
Could the car be driven from New York to California if driven sensibly?
Larry, ask the seller.
shame we only get 2 pic’n poor at that.
Henry had it’s day and then some as an original ‘gasser’.
‘Dwn sized” had several periods and buyers caught ’em with this 1 too. Wish
It had the ThriftPower 3.3 (1 dwn sz period) or the Essex 4.2 (from another).
This is a super cool looking little car. Definitely has a Teutonic look to it, would probably be a hoot if you can get it running properly and everything sorted out.
Reminds me of the one- off coach built cars shown at the European shows in the 1950’s. Aftermarket cylinder head says “Supersonic”. Great period name.
I would get small chrome S/s nameplates for front fenders.
In the mid to late 50s, my mom was dating a Hollywood Stuntman (Bill Williams of High Chaparral). He’d pick her up in a Henry J, which the 12-year-old me didn’t approve of. One time her NYC cousin was visiting us and Bill must have come into some money from a movie and showed up in a 2-seater Thunderbird. That’s more like it! The two women were about 40 and with smiles on their faces, off they went in the T-Bird. But I think I would have approved of this custom Henry J too!
Article about this in a May 1953 popular mechanics issue…..
Doc, I went through the whole May ’53 issue of Popular Mechanics, all 348 pages. There is no article on this car. Can you double-check?
It’s on page 93… I love looking through these old magazines, remembering when people did things.
OK – I did see the article on p. 93, Doc. It is made to fit on the Henry J chassis, and very much in the same vein, but it isn’t the same body.
Looking through those old issues is like time-travel! Even the ads and classifieds are interesting.