KAISER

The Kaiser  iHORN is made from 1951 Henry J 23 instrument cluster with a Condor bicycle horn.  Kaiser-Frazer corporation existed between 1947 and 1951.  The Henry J was named after the chairman of the corporation, Henry J. Kaiser. Production of six-cylinder models began in July 1950, and four-cylinder production started shortly after Labor Day, 1950. Official public introduction was September 28, 1950. The car was marketed through 1954.  It was Kaiser-Frazer’s economy model, America’s first compact car.  To reduce costs, the Henry J was designed to carry the fewest possible components, and built from the fewest parts. To save body stamping costs, early Henry Js did not have rear trunk lids; owners had to access the trunk by folding down the rear seat. Another cost-saving measure was to offer the car only as a two-door sedan with fixed rear windows. Also lacking in the basic version were glove compartment, armrests, passenger-side inside sun visor and flow-through ventilation.

Conceptually, the Henry J made sense, but in reality, the consumers did not embrace it.  Only a total of 7,017 Henry J’s were sold over the life of the car.  Nonetheless, The Kaiser iHorn is a survivor and a collector’s dream.