@@What.its.like. I'm not sure if The Supremes ever did a Phil Spector wall of sound recording but I believe they did record in the Hitsville U.S.A. echo chamber which helped shape the Motown sound.
Many years ago, I worked as a cook in a retirement community. One day one of the residence said to me, I have a picture of a car you probably never heard of. I said OK. The next day she showed me the picture. It was a 1951 Henry J. She was surprised that I knew the car.
They were super popular with drag racers during the 60s. One of my neighbors had a Henry J with a blown 392 hemi out of a wrecked Chrysler. I never saw it run, but it sounded great!
@@randyrobey5643 I really enjoyed that job. Worked there 14 years. I was one of the few cooks who interacted with the residence. Left there just before the turn of the century. That was my last cooking job. Went into warehouse work after that.
When I was a little kid there was a family nearby that had two Henry Js. One was a '53 model with the tail lights in the fender tip. I spent a night in the hospital and looked out the window. There was an ambulance parked there. I saw tail lights in the fender tip and I told my mother it was a Henry J. She corrected me and explained that Cadillacs also had tail lights in the fender tip and the ambulance was a Cadillac. Can you imagine a Henry J ambulance? The thoughts of a 4-year old kid. I learned something that day.
In 1962 I was 10 years old, My oldest brother was a Drag Racer back then, I went to the dragstrip with him a lot. Henry-J's were already being turned into Gasser Style drag cars, the one I remember most was a white 1951 with a 324ci Oldsmobile V8, 4 speed hydromantic trans & a narrowed Olds rear axle. Also had a straight axle up front & home made fenderwell headers. Painted on the doors it read ether - " Henry's Headache" or "Henry's Heartbreak" ...... Can't remember for sure, it was, after all, 62 years ago. I tried for years and years (late 60s/early 70s) to find a "Henry-J" that I could turn into a hotrod/drag car myself, no luck. Love your videos! thanks.
Awesome video on a unique car!...the historical context that you provide for your videos adds a lot!!...the history on the manufacturer, classic ads/brochures and occasional sales film clip are always super informative!!!
Thank you so much for appreciating the work put in I love the vintage ads I also love when I can finally add and you can read them a lot of times they're so blurry sometimes they are hard to read other times people slap their name on them too which is annoying I love the old commercials as well
The Sears Allstate models were equipped with All-State brand spark plugs, batteries and tires. They also had upgraded interiors. They had other differences including badging and interior trim and were all painted "Sears Blue" in color.
My late friend had a 57 Allstate truck. In the 60s, a guy restored a 1907 Sears Automobile downstairs from my friend's shop. It was pretty much like a buckboard with a one lung motor bolted on.
I still can’t wrap my mind around how Sears went from being the “Amazon” of its day selling everything from cars and houses to being all but a footnote in history today. How the mighty has fallen.
@demandman9 Remember the Sears has everything commercials? If they'd moved their catalog online, maybe things would have been different. In any case, Amazon is what Sears could have been.
@ exactly. When they abandoned their catalogue, their logic was that the catalog was becoming irrelevant because Sears were now located nearly everywhere and everyone had access. So the catalog was no longer needed because people would rather come to a physical location than deal with mail order. But If they’d had the foresight to hang on to their catalogue , they likely could have beaten Amazon at their own game. When Amazon was just a startup, Sears could have put their catalog online. People would have already been familiar with Sears and trusted them more than this new startup known best for selling BOOKS online at the time. They likely could have acquired Amazon and allowed Amazon’s new approach to an old concept to bring them into the modern era. Instead they’re all but irrelevant. There were many bad decisions that caused their demise. But if they’d kept the catalog and modernized it, that would have allowed them to survive and thrive in the face of their other missteps
The similarity in appearance to the Tucker was not just coincidence. I just saw on a video by All cars With Jon where it was stated that they had the SAME DESIGNER. WOW!
First pick 51 Henry J, second 51 Willys aero, that J looks great in my favorite color, great find of an unmodified J well done restoration , now if we could find that rare elusive Allstate.
Yes I would love to cover an all state there were multiple years of Henry there. Unfortunately, this is the only one I got to do, can't do them all that day Great choices I really like this car too
When I was a kid in the 1960s, I had a toy filling station from Sears with 2 or 3 little plastic pumps, and each had a label (which came separately and had to be put on) with "Allstate" as the brand name. I don't see any indication that Sears ever actually got into the service-station business, but from the number of these toys they promoted, it seems likely that they were hoping to at some point.
The 1949/50 dodge coronet had 3 sq dashboard instruments - the prettiest dashboard ever in my opinion. Greetings from Southbrazil and thank you for the excellent video.
I was 5 in 1951 & my 21 year old Aunt bought a brand new '51 Ford for $1,650.plus my Dad bought a slightly used 1950 Willis Jeep Wagon for $800! Then, there seemed to be a huge selection of low cost vehicle models, available! For me, a car lover, I would have picked the ultra-modern Studebaker Champion!
YAY! Been waiting for this one. Thanks for a great video. FWIW, the first family car my parents owned that I remember riding in was a 51 Kaiser (not a Henry J), so I have a soft spot for Kaisers. Someone on the way to one of the towns we went to for shopping (we lived 'way out in the country) owned a Henry J. It sat near an out building, but it wasn't a barn car, or "turned out to pasture," ie parked in out in a field with weeds growing under it, that is not driven, It moved around, and changed positions regularly. I saw it there for years, and as far as I know it was maintained and never chopped or messed up. Don't know what ever happened to it, as I didn't know the people who owned it, just saw it there in passing. In another instance of seeing a K-F car around, was an insurance agent my father dealt with in town, and whom I sort of knew, and went to high school with his daughter. He bought a 1951 Fraizer Manhattan new,, and drove it into the early 1970s. I was born in 1951, so Willys, Kaiser and Fraizer, Hudson, Nash, Packard, DeSoto and most definitely Studebaker and International Trucks are vehicles I remember. Hey! There's something to consider, an early 1950s International pickup or possibly an International Travelall (unless you have done them and missed one or both already), and there are any number of earlier cars that I almost remember, and my dad talked endlessly about the cars he remembered mostly from the 30s and 40s. So I find your channel fascinating. Keep it up! Sorry for being so long winded. Car picks: Nash, Henry J. Thanks again.
Don't be sorry thank you so much for taking the time to share all that I want to cover more trucks on here especially international they never get the time of day and was the driving inspiration to making this channel ironically It's a long story but I wanted a kb5 or kb6 and information is spotty unless your committed to digging ( which I did ) and then found that most classic cars are the same way Sweet choices
@@What.its.like. Thanks! Not sure, but I think international built the first 4 door pickup, and don't forget the Scout. Mention International or Studebaker pickup to a young person and you get blank looks :).. I agree 1930-1964 was the Golden Age of American Cars. Keep up the good work.
Give me the Henry J in the 1st group, the Studebaker Champion in the second. Thanks for the overage of the Henry J... it was a favorite of mine as a kid as they did make the coolest gassers at the drag strip! I even had a plastic model from AMT of the Henry as a drag racer, which I painted purple!
I'm not surprised Sears sold a car like the Henry J. Years ago, Sears sold just about anything and everything you could imagine. Some people would call them the Amazon of their day. Overall, the car isn't that bad looking and it seems to have gotten decent mileage at a time when fuel economy wasn't a major concern. I'm sure some folks saw them as basic transportation vehicles and nothing more. So given their cost, it's not surprising they may have been treated as "throw away cars." That is, cars you drove for a few years and tossed aside for something more "upscale or better."
I remember seeing Henry Js in Europe after WW2. At that time, around 1950-60, there was not much choice of automobiles because most production sites were destroyed. This was a big chance for American vehicles of all sorts
The comic strip shown at 0:21 is NOT the Dennis the Menace drawn by Hank Ketchum, the American, which debuted on March 12, 1951. It is “Dennis the Menace and Gnasher” (originally titled Dennis the Menace), a long-running comic strip in the BRITISH children's comic The Beano, published by DC Thomson, of Dundee, Scotland. The strip first appeared in issue 452, dated 17 March 1951,[1] and on sale from 12 March 1951.[2] It is the longest-running strip in the comic.
My Dad and Mom had one of these , he was in the ARMY AIR CORPS / AIR FORCE until 1952 , this was an affordable car for a young couple. They were at FAIRCHILD in Spokane, Washington.
The 4 cylinder engine was the Jeep Go Devil mill from the WW2 Jeep. The flathead 6 was similarly used in post war Jeep products. Kaiser would soon purchase Willys and the Jeep brand.
Each time you leave my door. I watch you walk down the street, knowing you’re out of love with me. … Stop in the Name of Love by the Supremes!!! Loved the Joe Diffie reference too! My uncle had an Allstate. We all thought it was the cheapest car ever. In Scenario 1, I’d choose the Rambler (always). In Scenario 2, I’d take the Willys. I always had a soft spot for that little car. Cheers Jay!
This was another great episode, Jay. It reminded me that last year, I was at a local car show and saw an Allstate! And I'll take the Rambler and the Studebaker.
I am surprised none of the comments mentioned that the Henry J was a very light chassis that was very desirable. Stockcar racers would put bigger engines in them to race!
51 Willy's Aero 😍 You're right about modifications of the Henry J 😢.. The Lot took a trade in 🤦 Henry J Doddle Bug from a farm Cut Roof and tractor tires 😂 a 2wd jeep 🤷... 75 dollar car that drove in the Scrap Yard 🤦... Great Episode Happy Motoring ✌️😎
The Idea of a smaller cheaper car would have been a good one, but the problem with the Henry -j was you could buy a ford that was a lot more car for the same money as a Henry -J. The Problem was Ford and Chevy were in a production war they were selling their cars at little profit, just to say they sold more cars than the other. this is what killed all the little companies. The henry -J was not a bad car it just was not price comitative. with a Ford or Chevy.
Nice to watch a video featuring a Henry J and to see what the dash board looked like plus all the specs. 70hp. That ain't too much. For WYR my first pick would be the little Nash Rambler I guess, and my second pick would be the bullet nose Studebaker hands down. But if it is any consolation, the Henry J did come in second both times!
Metal parts on cars (sheet metal) obviously are curved and bent for style reason but even more importantly, the bends and curves impart a rigidity that flat sheet metal lacks. That's why garbage can sides are corrugated. My uncle was into Kaisers and even had one of the supercharged models, this allowed the old flat head six to compete with all the new V8s the big boys made.
Hi Jay. I'd forgotten that Kaiser bought Willys in 1953. They must have been chummy prior, as the engines available in the Henry J are clearly Willys engines. On the frontal styling, it is very very similar to the bullet nosed Studebakers, which raises questions of who was snooping over the other's fence. Cheers.
My only experience with a Henry J was not a particularly good one. I was a little kid, maybe 1st or 2nd grade. So, this would be around 1959 or 60. I got a couple of rides to school in a classmate's dad's Henry J. OMG, what a POS! The car was, at most, 8 years old. There was very little interior to speak of (I sat in what was left of the back seat). Rust holes in the floor, exhaust from a blown muffler coming in thru those holes, engine sounded like death, and I had the general feeling of "are we going to make it there alive?' I only rode in it twice, but that was 2 times too many. WYR= Crosley and Studebaker. Feature car was very nice, but not my cup of tea, at all! Great video, Jay!
Very cool little car for the WYR I’ll take the henry j then the Willy’s but wich I had the choice of a Hudson jet I think that was the nicest small car made in the 50’s
I would go for the Henry J. But, I must admit, that Nash is looking rather homey. The Crosley would certainly be a good grocery getter/run errands kind of car. HELL!...I'll take all three!
Henry J's were like Pinto's or Gremlins. Sold pretty well but when they started needing expensive repairs, it was off to the salvage yard. No one would spend any money on them.
Never seen the inside of one of these! The Henry J was sure cute. Mr Kaiser was one of the best-known and popular businessmen in the US during WW2. For his shipyard employees, he built medical clinics, emergency rooms and then entire hospitals. That idea later morphed into Kaiser Permanente, the first HMO. Is the turn signal stalk's pull function for 4-way emergency flashers? The 1941 and 42 Dodges had a square speedometer. WYR: 1. Nash 2. Studebaker
I'm not sure if this car has four way flashers Kaiser will get his own episode on day when the channel gets bigger going to start doing people =) el cord needs to be remembered there isn't that much about him on the tube
Neighbor had one and it broke down a lot. I was just little so never heard what the problems were but was a good concept. However, after WWII, people wanted big cars. We even had the big Roadmaster Buick convertible. Big gas hog though and the electric windows gave Dad fits. It could pass everything but a gas station. Mom loved it but they traded it for a Ford.
WYR: Crosley, Studebaker. There is a Henry J in my area that is at car shows and air shows all the time. It is done up like a USAF fighter, with insignia, rivets, machine guns, etc. I always have thought the Henry J looks a little like a 3/5 scale 1948-49 Cadillac 62 Sedanette, with the sloped rear and the little fins.
I Would Rather: 1951 Rambler American and 1952 Willys Aero. Notwithstanding the Henry J was an honest car that delivered value to its owner, it looks nice and has a lot of room for a 100 inch wheelbase. Too bad so many street rodders have chopped them up to fulfill their puerile fantasies. Same thing happened to the 1939 - 41 Willys coupe and sedans, don't think there are any survivors of this marvelous little car.
I always liked the Henry J, particularly the tail end. I always liked the fastback style and the little wings top it off. I'd choose the Henry J in the first scenario and the Studebaker Champion in the second.
Hudson/Terraplane for ‘37 had a centrally mounted rectangular speedometer. I’d have the Henry J before a Nash or Crosley, but I would prefer the Willys Aero to the Henry J or the Studebaker.
Thank you happy you dig this episode =) I'm really regretting not recording sound while there it was really loud but man it takes awhile to put these together without the styling section done before hand
In 1951, my Grandparents bought their first house in Nassau County outside of NYC- newly built- for $7000 with no money down, just a 'Veteran's Guarantee' from the government.
In my opinion this one is the rarest. Later Deluxe has a trunk lid, and Vagabond even has a tailgate (I believe, never seen J's tailgate in open position).
I would call the Henry J a updated version of the Willys Americar. Same principal and simple design. Both were scooped up by gassers in the 60s unfortunately making stock ones really rare.
My picks would be the Henry J followed by a 2 way tie between the Willys Aero & Studebaker. Just reiterating something I'd mentioned in another video, The Aero was produced up til 1954 then was replaced by the Willys Bermuda for the '55 model year only. After that there was no Willys sedans offered on the North American market.
10:16 Tom McCahill of _Mechanix Illustrated_ compared the Henry J to "...a Cadillac that started smoking too young..." 10:57 The door card and seat trim material was called _Dinosaur Vinyl_ and is reputed to be less durable than many would have liked. WYR1: None of the above. A reasonably equipped year-old Studebaker Champion would be about the same price as a Henry J. Crosley may be cheaper, but would you really want to drive a Crosley on US of A roads in 1051? Nash Rambler might get a second look if not for the torque tube drive shaft. WYR2: The Willys is a lot more car for a modest upcharge over the Henry J, but I'd probably go for the Champion. I had a '51 Commander for a while, nice ride and pretty good on gas with the overdrive.
That's awesome You really don't like torque tube drive, putting hotchkiss in wouldnt be all that difficult and switch out for a better final drive ratio I really would like to cover a Nash country club before this year is over
@@What.its.like. Torque tubes were pretty well out of date in the US market by 1940. Buick and AMC were among the last to use them into the 1960s, but then came the Chevette. Perhaps a more logical objection to the Nash and Rambler models of those days is the skirted front fenders. Nash had to narrow the front track to allow the wheels room to steer, and it had an adverse effect on the handling and stability. Then there's the matter of brake cooling My Dad wasn't particularly impressed with the style. He remarked that the wheel is one of the most beautiful forms ever conceived, we all know cars have wheels, so why cover them?
That's a very cool car from the design intent - a car for the masses - like an American Volkswagen. Do you think there is a modern equivalent of any brand - inexpensive, reliable, practical?
Kiser got sued for racial discrimination they were the first in 1960s they shut down and built engines. Renault had square speedometer. Government contracts .
Totally I haven't figured out the logistics of what it would take to do a live show to be able to see both of us and be live, but I do want to go out west not sure if it will happen this year.. but if I ever go west I'll contact you =)
Kaiser didn't have a chance as since their 1st year, didn't met the break-even scale production target to cover the huge fix cost of Willow Run (big time miscalculation). During the Kaiser era, the only field were Kaiser (and Willys) sold well was the export market. They opened assembly plants in the Netherland, Argentina and Israel and sold fairly well. Would you rather? - I'll take Studebaker Champ and the Aero Willys before taking the Henry J (sorry, Mr. Kaiser)
@@What.its.like.The Willys Overland Export Corp managed by Hickman Price was the only money maker division of the Kaiser Motors Empire. Later, Hickman Price served as a consultant to the Kennedy administration.
I have seen that alligator interior on a 4 door for sale in Fairfield , NJ several years ago. Car was in nice shape. Trans still had factory paint on it !
How many Allstates did they make/sell? I miss the Sears of olde, it was a place for a guy to retreat among all the Craftsman tools while wifie shopped for towels and panties. I think that the reason so many retailers and malls are dying is because there is absolutely no place with any interest to men, even the bars are too sweet. Long ago I stopped shopping for men's clothes in department stores because I don't like pink shirts.
I'm not sure how many allstates were made I miss sears as well even tho sears wasn't the epic company it was with the sears modern homes mail order catalog during my life
Stop in the Name of Love by the Supremes, each time you leave my door
Yeah buddy congratulations you got it
The supremes have a great sound ( wall of sound )
@@What.its.like. I'm not sure if The Supremes ever did a Phil Spector wall of sound recording but I believe they did record in the Hitsville U.S.A. echo chamber which helped shape the Motown sound.
Many years ago, I worked as a cook in a retirement community. One day one of the residence said to me, I have a picture of a car you probably never heard of. I said OK. The next day she showed me the picture. It was a 1951 Henry J. She was surprised that I knew the car.
Good for you. You probably made her day.
They were super popular with drag racers during the 60s. One of my neighbors had a Henry J with a blown 392 hemi out of a wrecked Chrysler. I never saw it run, but it sounded great!
@@randyrobey5643 I really enjoyed that job. Worked there 14 years. I was one of the few cooks who interacted with the residence. Left there just before the turn of the century. That was my last cooking job. Went into warehouse work after that.
Residents
1951 Year I was born.Lost my Dad in Korean War.
When I was a little kid there was a family nearby that had two Henry Js. One was a '53 model with the tail lights in the fender tip. I spent a night in the hospital and looked out the window. There was an ambulance parked there. I saw tail lights in the fender tip and I told my mother it was a Henry J. She corrected me and explained that Cadillacs also had tail lights in the fender tip and the ambulance was a Cadillac. Can you imagine a Henry J ambulance? The thoughts of a 4-year old kid. I learned something that day.
Honest Mistake
Ambulance for really short people!
In 1962 I was 10 years old, My oldest brother was a Drag Racer back then, I went to the dragstrip with him a lot.
Henry-J's were already being turned into Gasser Style drag cars, the one I remember most was a white 1951 with a 324ci Oldsmobile V8, 4 speed hydromantic trans & a narrowed Olds rear axle.
Also had a straight axle up front & home made fenderwell headers. Painted on the doors it read ether - " Henry's Headache" or "Henry's Heartbreak" ......
Can't remember for sure, it was, after all, 62 years ago. I tried for years and years (late 60s/early 70s) to find a "Henry-J" that I could turn into a hotrod/drag car myself, no luck.
Love your videos! thanks.
Awesome video on a unique car!...the historical context that you provide for your videos adds a lot!!...the history on the manufacturer, classic ads/brochures and occasional sales film clip are always super informative!!!
Thank you so much for appreciating the work put in I love the vintage ads I also love when I can finally add and you can read them a lot of times they're so blurry sometimes they are hard to read other times people slap their name on them too which is annoying
I love the old commercials as well
The Sears Allstate models were equipped with All-State brand spark plugs, batteries and tires. They also had upgraded interiors. They had other differences including badging and interior trim and were all painted "Sears Blue" in color.
Sears sold Allstate branded motorcycles too.
My late friend had a 57 Allstate truck. In the 60s, a guy restored a 1907 Sears Automobile downstairs from my friend's shop. It was pretty much like a buckboard with a one lung motor bolted on.
I still can’t wrap my mind around how Sears went from being the “Amazon” of its day selling everything from cars and houses to being all but a footnote in history today. How the mighty has fallen.
@demandman9 Remember the Sears has everything commercials? If they'd moved their catalog online, maybe things would have been different. In any case, Amazon is what Sears could have been.
@ exactly. When they abandoned their catalogue, their logic was that the catalog was becoming irrelevant because Sears were now located nearly everywhere and everyone had access. So the catalog was no longer needed because people would rather come to a physical location than deal with mail order. But If they’d had the foresight to hang on to their catalogue , they likely could have beaten Amazon at their own game. When Amazon was just a startup, Sears could have put their catalog online. People would have already been familiar with Sears and trusted them more than this new startup known best for selling BOOKS online at the time. They likely could have acquired Amazon and allowed Amazon’s new approach to an old concept to bring them into the modern era. Instead they’re all but irrelevant. There were many bad decisions that caused their demise. But if they’d kept the catalog and modernized it, that would have allowed them to survive and thrive in the face of their other missteps
The similarity in appearance to the Tucker was not just coincidence. I just saw on a video by All cars With Jon where it was stated that they had the SAME DESIGNER. WOW!
I love the little Crosley
First pick 51 Henry J, second 51 Willys aero, that J looks great in my favorite color, great find of an unmodified J well done restoration , now if we could find that rare elusive Allstate.
Yes I would love to cover an all state there were multiple years of Henry there. Unfortunately, this is the only one I got to do, can't do them all that day
Great choices
I really like this car too
When I was a kid in the 1960s, I had a toy filling station from Sears with 2 or 3 little plastic pumps, and each had a label (which came separately and had to be put on) with "Allstate" as the brand name. I don't see any indication that Sears ever actually got into the service-station business, but from the number of these toys they promoted, it seems likely that they were hoping to at some point.
Thanks for sharing the interesting and pretty Henry J.
The 1949/50 dodge coronet had 3 sq dashboard instruments - the prettiest dashboard ever in my opinion. Greetings from Southbrazil and thank you for the excellent video.
Awesome thank you for that information
Happy you dig this episode
I was 5 in 1951 & my 21 year old Aunt bought a brand new '51 Ford for $1,650.plus my Dad bought a
slightly used 1950 Willis Jeep Wagon for $800! Then, there seemed to be a huge selection of low cost
vehicle models, available! For me, a car lover, I would have picked the ultra-modern Studebaker Champion!
@@rongendron8705 I always liked Studebakers. As an adult always wanted a '62 golden hawk or an Avanti. Of course, married, never happened!😩
YAY! Been waiting for this one. Thanks for a great video. FWIW, the first family car my parents owned that I remember riding in was a 51 Kaiser (not a Henry J), so I have a soft spot for Kaisers. Someone on the way to one of the towns we went to for shopping (we lived 'way out in the country) owned a Henry J. It sat near an out building, but it wasn't a barn car, or "turned out to pasture," ie parked in out in a field with weeds growing under it, that is not driven, It moved around, and changed positions regularly. I saw it there for years, and as far as I know it was maintained and never chopped or messed up. Don't know what ever happened to it, as I didn't know the people who owned it, just saw it there in passing. In another instance of seeing a K-F car around, was an insurance agent my father dealt with in town, and whom I sort of knew, and went to high school with his daughter. He bought a 1951 Fraizer Manhattan new,, and drove it into the early 1970s.
I was born in 1951, so Willys, Kaiser and Fraizer, Hudson, Nash, Packard, DeSoto and most definitely Studebaker and International Trucks are vehicles I remember. Hey! There's something to consider, an early 1950s International pickup or possibly an International Travelall (unless you have done them and missed one or both already), and there are any number of earlier cars that I almost remember, and my dad talked endlessly about the cars he remembered mostly from the 30s and 40s. So I find your channel fascinating. Keep it up! Sorry for being so long winded. Car picks: Nash, Henry J. Thanks again.
Don't be sorry thank you so much for taking the time to share all that
I want to cover more trucks on here especially international they never get the time of day and was the driving inspiration to making this channel ironically
It's a long story but I wanted a kb5 or kb6 and information is spotty unless your committed to digging ( which I did ) and then found that most classic cars are the same way
Sweet choices
@@What.its.like. Thanks! Not sure, but I think international built the first 4 door pickup, and don't forget the Scout. Mention International or Studebaker pickup to a young person and you get blank looks :).. I agree 1930-1964 was the Golden Age of American Cars. Keep up the good work.
I used to ride in one of these many many times as a kid , with my grandparents . They had a blue one . Fond memories from long ago .
Thank you so much fir sharing those memories
I've always thought these were really cool and unique automobiles. This is a beautiful example 🤩 I'd pick it in both scenarios!
Frank Zappa was shoved into the back of one of these when his dad moved the family from Baltimore to Cucamonga.
Now we know why Frank was so crazy 🤣🤣
Grandpa owned one! First he was running from the Kaiser, then he was driving one! Resembles the British Standard 10, just a little fancier. 🎉🍾
Give me the Henry J in the 1st group, the Studebaker Champion in the second. Thanks for the overage of the Henry J... it was a favorite of mine as a kid as they did make the coolest gassers at the drag strip! I even had a plastic model from AMT of the Henry as a drag racer, which I painted purple!
I'm not surprised Sears sold a car like the Henry J. Years ago, Sears sold just about anything and everything you could imagine. Some people would call them the Amazon of their day.
Overall, the car isn't that bad looking and it seems to have gotten decent mileage at a time when fuel economy wasn't a major concern. I'm sure some folks saw them as basic transportation vehicles and nothing more. So given their cost, it's not surprising they may have been treated as "throw away cars." That is, cars you drove for a few years and tossed aside for something more "upscale or better."
Hi Jay.That Hudson is as old as me!Both still runming! Haha.
I remember seeing Henry Js in Europe after WW2. At that time, around 1950-60, there was not much choice of automobiles because most production sites were destroyed. This was a big chance for American vehicles of all sorts
The comic strip shown at 0:21 is NOT the Dennis the Menace drawn by Hank Ketchum, the American, which debuted on March 12, 1951.
It is “Dennis the Menace and Gnasher” (originally titled Dennis the Menace), a long-running comic strip in the BRITISH children's comic The Beano, published by DC Thomson, of Dundee, Scotland.
The strip first appeared in issue 452, dated 17 March 1951,[1] and on sale from 12 March 1951.[2] It is the longest-running strip in the comic.
It was just a random Dennis the Menace
My Dad and Mom had one of these , he was in the ARMY AIR CORPS / AIR FORCE until 1952 , this was an affordable car for a young couple. They were at FAIRCHILD in Spokane, Washington.
Very good video thank you
Thank you so much happy you dig this video
The 4 cylinder engine was the Jeep Go Devil mill from the WW2 Jeep. The flathead 6 was similarly used in post war Jeep products. Kaiser would soon purchase Willys and the Jeep brand.
There's a few composting away near me in a hidden junkyard. Ran across it ten years ago.
Each time you leave my door. I watch you walk down the street, knowing you’re out of love with me. … Stop in the Name of Love by the Supremes!!!
Loved the Joe Diffie reference too!
My uncle had an Allstate. We all thought it was the cheapest car ever.
In Scenario 1, I’d choose the Rambler (always). In Scenario 2, I’d take the Willys. I always had a soft spot for that little car.
Cheers Jay!
This was another great episode, Jay. It reminded me that last year, I was at a local car show and saw an Allstate! And I'll take the Rambler and the Studebaker.
That's awesome I've never saw an Allstate in the wild
It hit me after watching the vid that tha Henry J had all the features of a Caddy, except the big body & engines!!!
Thanks for the information on this vehicle. I used to see a few of those at the drag races back in the 80's.
1. Nash 2. Stude! I worked at Willow Run in the late 80's/ early 90's! Loved the history of the place! Unfortunately, it's completely leveled now.
I am surprised none of the comments mentioned that the Henry J was a very light chassis that was very desirable. Stockcar racers would put bigger engines in them to race!
Great video and detailed
Ill aways have to go with the Henry J BUT I LIKE THE Studes to.
51 Willy's Aero 😍
You're right about modifications of the Henry J 😢..
The Lot took a trade in 🤦
Henry J Doddle Bug from a farm
Cut Roof and tractor tires 😂 a 2wd jeep 🤷...
75 dollar car that drove in the Scrap Yard 🤦...
Great Episode
Happy Motoring ✌️😎
The Idea of a smaller cheaper car would have been a good one, but the problem with the Henry -j was you could buy a ford that was a lot more car for the same money as a Henry -J. The Problem was Ford and Chevy were in a production war they were selling their cars at little profit, just to say they sold more cars than the other. this is what killed all the little companies. The henry -J was not a bad car it just was not price comitative. with a Ford or Chevy.
Nice to watch a video featuring a Henry J and to see what the dash board looked like plus all the specs. 70hp. That ain't too much. For WYR my first pick would be the little Nash Rambler I guess, and my second pick would be the bullet nose Studebaker hands down. But if it is any consolation, the Henry J did come in second both times!
Totally love your content Jay. Your biggest Kiwi fan, Bryce 🙂
Thank you happy you dig this channel I put a lot of time and energy into it =)
There is a brown Henry J that lives somewhere in Shoshone County Idaho. I've seen it around a handful of times. Always throws me for a loop
Metal parts on cars (sheet metal) obviously are curved and bent for style reason but even more importantly, the bends and curves impart a rigidity that flat sheet metal lacks. That's why garbage can sides are corrugated. My uncle was into Kaisers and even had one of the supercharged models, this allowed the old flat head six to compete with all the new V8s the big boys made.
Hi Jay. I'd forgotten that Kaiser bought Willys in 1953. They must have been chummy prior, as the engines available in the Henry J are clearly Willys engines. On the frontal styling, it is very very similar to the bullet nosed Studebakers, which raises questions of who was snooping over the other's fence. Cheers.
My only experience with a Henry J was not a particularly good one. I was a little kid, maybe 1st or 2nd grade. So, this would be around 1959 or 60. I got a couple of rides to school in a classmate's dad's Henry J. OMG, what a POS! The car was, at most, 8 years old. There was very little interior to speak of (I sat in what was left of the back seat). Rust holes in the floor, exhaust from a blown muffler coming in thru those holes, engine sounded like death, and I had the general feeling of "are we going to make it there alive?' I only rode in it twice, but that was 2 times too many. WYR= Crosley and Studebaker. Feature car was very nice, but not my cup of tea, at all! Great video, Jay!
Awesome
Great store I was able to visualize it very disruptive
Sweet choices
I always like these and found them interesting.😎🤗
Henry J, all the way! In a few more years time, my dad would be working for him at Kaiser Aluminum,
Very cool little car for the WYR I’ll take the henry j then the Willy’s but wich I had the choice of a Hudson jet I think that was the nicest small car made in the 50’s
Very cool roof line.
Mother Maybell Carter drove her girls around the country in a Kaiser Manhatten during the '50's!😊
Sweet =)
I would go for the Henry J. But, I must admit, that Nash is looking rather homey. The Crosley would certainly be a good grocery getter/run errands kind of car. HELL!...I'll take all three!
Very cool little car alligator interior. Henry J - Willis
Henry J's were like Pinto's or Gremlins. Sold pretty well but when they started needing expensive repairs, it was off to the salvage yard. No one would spend any money on them.
My mother said that her Sister had a Henry J. That’s the only person I know who ever mentioned ever having one
Never seen the inside of one of these! The Henry J was sure cute. Mr Kaiser was one of the best-known and popular businessmen in the US during WW2. For his shipyard employees, he built medical clinics, emergency rooms and then entire hospitals. That idea later morphed into Kaiser Permanente, the first HMO. Is the turn signal stalk's pull function for 4-way emergency flashers? The 1941 and 42 Dodges had a square speedometer. WYR: 1. Nash 2. Studebaker
I'm not sure if this car has four way flashers
Kaiser will get his own episode on day when the channel gets bigger going to start doing people =) el cord needs to be remembered there isn't that much about him on the tube
Neighbor had one and it broke down a lot. I was just little so never heard what the problems were but was a good concept. However, after WWII, people wanted big cars. We even had the big Roadmaster Buick convertible. Big gas hog though and the electric windows gave Dad fits. It could pass everything but a gas station. Mom loved it but they traded it for a Ford.
Cool thank you so much fir sharing your experience
WYR: Crosley, Studebaker. There is a Henry J in my area that is at car shows and air shows all the time. It is done up like a USAF fighter, with insignia, rivets, machine guns, etc. I always have thought the Henry J looks a little like a 3/5 scale 1948-49 Cadillac 62 Sedanette, with the sloped rear and the little fins.
I Would Rather: 1951 Rambler American and 1952 Willys Aero. Notwithstanding the Henry J was an honest car that delivered value to its owner, it looks nice and has a lot of room for a 100 inch wheelbase. Too bad so many street rodders have chopped them up to fulfill their puerile fantasies. Same thing happened to the 1939 - 41 Willys coupe and sedans, don't think there are any survivors of this marvelous little car.
You might add that Kaiser used the 4 and 6 cylinder engines from the Jeep line in the Henry J.
I had one in 1959. It was a RolesHardley, roles down the hills
and hardley upem. My first and worst car. 4cyl plain Jane!
I like the henry -j number 1 and the Willys Arrow number 2
The Henry J.😊
The Citroën Traction Avant has a hatchback version in the late 30's. That might be the first.
Awesome
The Henry J didn't sell because the public perceived it as a cheap car. The Nash Rambler was a stylish, well equipped small car.
I always liked the Henry J, particularly the tail end. I always liked the fastback style and the little wings top it off. I'd choose the Henry J in the first scenario and the Studebaker Champion in the second.
Sweet choices
Hudson/Terraplane for ‘37 had a centrally mounted rectangular speedometer.
I’d have the Henry J before a Nash or Crosley, but I would prefer the Willys Aero to the Henry J or the Studebaker.
Great job man! You're over the target. Maybe America will have a "new auto" that is this practical.
Thank you happy you dig this episode =)
I'm really regretting not recording sound while there it was really loud but man it takes awhile to put these together without the styling section done before hand
In 1951, my Grandparents bought their first house in Nassau County outside of NYC- newly built- for $7000 with no money down, just a 'Veteran's Guarantee' from the government.
That's crazy cool story
Henry J turn signals were optional, the stalk shown is a later aftermarket unit.
Stop. In the Name of Love. Supremes. Each time you leave my door...
Yeah that's the name of the song and band geebs76 got it for what ever reason it didn't pin to the top last night
Stop in the name of love. The Supremes.
Btw great presentations.
Thank you happy you dig this channel
I'm not sure of this but I believe "Car & Driver" did a comparison between the Kaiser Henry J, and the then new Ford Maverick.
Stop in the name of love...
Exactly my taste!
In my opinion this one is the rarest. Later Deluxe has a trunk lid, and Vagabond even has a tailgate (I believe, never seen J's tailgate in open position).
I've never saw the vagabond model in the wild would love to cover all Kaiser and frazer models
I would call the Henry J a updated version of the Willys Americar. Same principal and simple design. Both were scooped up by gassers in the 60s unfortunately making stock ones really rare.
My picks would be the Henry J followed by a 2 way tie between the Willys Aero & Studebaker. Just reiterating something I'd mentioned in another video, The Aero was produced up til 1954 then was replaced by the Willys Bermuda for the '55 model year only. After that there was no Willys sedans offered on the North American market.
Sweet choices
Great information as well
The Bermuda was the same car, just new side trim and a new grille bar.
10:16 Tom McCahill of _Mechanix Illustrated_ compared the Henry J to "...a Cadillac that started smoking too young..."
10:57 The door card and seat trim material was called _Dinosaur Vinyl_ and is reputed to be less durable than many would have liked.
WYR1: None of the above. A reasonably equipped year-old Studebaker Champion would be about the same price as a Henry J.
Crosley may be cheaper, but would you really want to drive a Crosley on US of A roads in 1051?
Nash Rambler might get a second look if not for the torque tube drive shaft.
WYR2: The Willys is a lot more car for a modest upcharge over the Henry J, but I'd probably go for the Champion. I had a '51 Commander for a while, nice ride and pretty good on gas with the overdrive.
That's awesome
You really don't like torque tube drive, putting hotchkiss in wouldnt be all that difficult and switch out for a better final drive ratio
I really would like to cover a Nash country club before this year is over
@@What.its.like. Torque tubes were pretty well out of date in the US market by 1940. Buick and AMC were among the last to use them into the 1960s, but then came the Chevette.
Perhaps a more logical objection to the Nash and Rambler models of those days is the skirted front fenders. Nash had to narrow the front track to allow the wheels room to steer, and it had an adverse effect on the handling and stability. Then there's the matter of brake cooling
My Dad wasn't particularly impressed with the style. He remarked that the wheel is one of the most beautiful forms ever conceived, we all know cars have wheels, so why cover them?
WYR, Nash and Willys.
When I was a kid, our neighbors had a battleship gray 51 Henry J. This green one is much prettier.
I'll take 3 of the.....the Henry J, the Rambler and the Studebaker.
Sweet choices =)
Henry J
1951 Rambler & 1052 Willys
That's a very cool car from the design intent - a car for the masses - like an American Volkswagen. Do you think there is a modern equivalent of any brand - inexpensive, reliable, practical?
No modern equivalent sold in USA
The barebones Toyota truck would be close
Corolla
For $16k brand new
Henry J, Studebaker, Cab Caloway, "Minnie the Moocher"
Kiser got sued for racial discrimination they were the first in 1960s they shut down and built engines. Renault had square speedometer. Government contracts .
Champion
I'll be happy to hold a conversation.
Totally I haven't figured out the logistics of what it would take to do a live show to be able to see both of us and be live, but I do want to go out west not sure if it will happen this year.. but if I ever go west I'll contact you =)
Henry J on Both Questions, as I Have a '51/tilt nose ex Drag car and a '52 parts car!
1951 Nash Rambler.
I could be wrong, but I think a 30s Olds (36? 37?) might have a square speedo?
So when do we see a video on the Frazer Vagabond?
Henry J for the first pick, Studebaker champion for second pick but that Willy's should have been way more popular
Sweet choices
Stop in the name of love. Diana Ross and the supremes.
Kaiser didn't have a chance as since their 1st year, didn't met the break-even scale production target to cover the huge fix cost of Willow Run (big time miscalculation).
During the Kaiser era, the only field were Kaiser (and Willys) sold well was the export market. They opened assembly plants in the Netherland, Argentina and Israel and sold fairly well.
Would you rather? - I'll take Studebaker Champ and the Aero Willys before taking the Henry J (sorry, Mr. Kaiser)
Great information and insight
@@What.its.like.The Willys Overland Export Corp managed by Hickman Price was the only money maker division of the Kaiser Motors Empire. Later, Hickman Price served as a consultant to the Kennedy administration.
Great episode, I think I would take the Nash and the Studebaker.
the plaid says economy and the alligator skin says vahvahvah voom! KF was on the exotic end of the scale.
I have seen that alligator interior on a 4 door for sale in Fairfield , NJ several years ago. Car was in nice shape. Trans still had factory paint on it !
5:07 Please tell me what DID have flow through ventilation in the fifties ? 10:00 They're called gutters.
I think in terms of full flow ventilation meaning cowl vent or footwell vents which most cars had
38 Studebaker had a sq speedometer.
Awesome =)
Im pretty sure 40 Ford did too
How many Allstates did they make/sell? I miss the Sears of olde, it was a place for a guy to retreat among all the Craftsman tools while wifie shopped for towels and panties. I think that the reason so many retailers and malls are dying is because there is absolutely no place with any interest to men, even the bars are too sweet. Long ago I stopped shopping for men's clothes in department stores because I don't like pink shirts.
I'm not sure how many allstates were made
I miss sears as well even tho sears wasn't the epic company it was with the sears modern homes mail order catalog during my life
51 Henry J, 61 Wiilys Arrow
Frazer. Not Frazier.
Get corrected both ways