1951 Kaiser-Frazer Henry J

Description

The 1951 Henry J Corsair might have been about offering reasonable economy car to the masses, but this one is the exact opposite. Just legal enough to hang a license plate on it, this custom pro street machine has wild paint that highlights the custom bodywork and the performance-built small block. Just one look, and you know this very thoughtful and speedy machine is a true one-of-a-kind.

We bet whoever bought Kaiser's economy brand in the 1950s never thought their budget machines could look this cool. But all you have to do is remove the front bumper, smooth out the front panels, chop inches out of the top, lower the suspension, tub the rear end, custom fabricate a new tail, and voilà, you get a truly cool Henry J. So yes, there was a lot invested in transforming the body, and they didn't just stop there. The two tone white and yellow rendered in modern shimmering clearcoats is worth the car's price all on its own. Plus, bordering these two colors is a rainbow of stripes that does everything from give this a bold swoop in the profile, to add subtle pinstripes to the tailfins. And of course, we see those monstrous eyes peeking out above the hood, but more on all of that in a moment.

The econobox interior has been ditched for a full custom competition setup. You understand that the moment you open the door and see the full roll cage. The custom bracing and tubbed rear end means there's seating for two, but those buckets look more inviting than most modern racing seats, thanks to cloth covering that matches the carpeting. Aggression also has style with the performance shifter and embossed three-spoke steering wheel. The gauges are set up just the way you'd want them on a mean machine like this, with crisp AutoMeter readouts just ahead of you, a big tach in the middle of the dash, and a bright shift light.

The butterfly valves with mean eyeballs instantly tells you this is a car for going fast, but the moment you open the hood, it reminds you this is for showing off, too. Grab your sunglasses because just about every inch of the 355 cubic-inch small block and the surrounding panels has been polished to a fine shine. But once you look beyond the style, you'll see the substance of a V8 that was built by racers. It has a high rise intake, dual Holley four-barrel carburetors, aluminum heads, Accel coil, an aluminum radiator w/electric fan, and plenty more go-fast goodies. It's a 450+ hp machine that lets the world know its power by the amazing growl of the dual exhaust. Making sure the power gets to the rear wheels is a TH350 three-speed automatic with a stall kit to keep you in the optimal powerband. That feeds the stout Ford 9-inch rear end. That power stays planted to the ground thanks to a four-link rear end w/coilovers and those massive 29x12.50 Mickey Thompson tires. Up front control is well in hand with a Mustang II-style independent suspension and Wilwood disc brakes.

It's a full build, that's so complete and clean, you know there are very few miles on it. A car like this that's built for both show and go, using a unique Henry J setup, is the kind of machine that gets all the right attention. So hurry before you miss out. Call now!!