Kaiser came to market for 1951 with distinctive new styling, a redesigned chassis, and a bold new slogan: “Built to better the best.”
Deluxe Four-Door Sedan
Kaiser got an early introduction to the 1951 model year, unveiling its first major redesign since 1947 on February 10, 1950. The radical new exterior was a collaboration between contract designer Howard “Dutch” Darrin and Duncan McRae, with Darrin providing the overall theme and McRae developing the execution on paper and in clay. In one McRae drawing, the design was called “Speed Styling,” but in Kaiser’s advertising, the new look was called “Anatomic Styling.”
There are two stories about one of the many distinct styling elements, the “sweetheart dip” windshield. According to McRae, it was created by accident when a drawing was misread. But as others remember it, the detail originated with Darrin’s son Bob, also a stylist, seeking to imitate the classic vee windshield, and it was included in the original model. Another Darrin idea, sliding doors, was suggested at one point and later incorporated on the Kaiser Darrin sports car.
1952 Kaiser chassis (nearly identical to 1951)
McRae worked closely with Kaiser-Frazer chief engineer Ralph Isbrandt on the chassis, and according to both there was some push-pull in the process. Isbrandt’s goal was to achieve the low height and center of gravity of the Step-Down Hudson, but with a body-on-frame package. One step was to reduce the ground clearance from the industry-standard eight inches to six. Meanwhile, McRae objected to the amount of kickup at the rear of the frame, saying it compromised the roofline.
In a 1973 interview with K-F historian RIchard Langworth, Isbrandt expressed the most pride in the ride qualities of the new chassis, noting that he had been able to tune the spring rates down to 100 lb-in at the front and 112 lb-in in the rear. He also managed to pare more than 200 lbs from the frame and chassis. However, Kaiser had little choice but to continue with the lackluster Continental-based L-head six. With 226 cubic inches and a 7.3:1 compression ratio it produced 115 hp, so performance was not much to brag about.
Kaiser convertible prototype
Kaiser experimented with a number of basic body styles, including a convertible, but only three were sent into production: Two-Door and Four-Door Sedans and a short-roofed Club Coupe. With no hardtop, convertible, or station wagon in its lineup, Kaiser was at a competitive disadvantage with the major automakers, but as always, capital for development and tooling was in short supply. Things were even tighter over at Frazer, Kaiser’s senior companion brand. It didn’t receive the new body shell for ’51 and carried on with a facelifted version of the old package for its final year.
Still lacking a proper station wagon with the 1951 redesign, Kaiser continued with the Traveler, a hybrid utility car based on the Four-Door Sedan. The rear seat folded down while a rear hatch unfolded in two sections for access to a long, flat cargo floor. Priced not much higher than the standard Four-Door Sedan and available in both the Special and Deluxe trim levels, the Traveler didn’t sell in large numbers—the estimate is around 2,500 units. But it did provide the appearance of variety in an otherwise sparse product line. (See our feature on the Traveler/Vagabond here.)
Despite the new exterior and chassis, the 1951 Kaiser failed to set the world on fire, or alter the declining course of the automaker. But the basic package would continue until the company ceased passenger car production in the USA in 1955, receiving a facelift and an optional McCulloch supercharger in 1954. The tooling was then sent to Argentina for production of the Kaiser Carabella from 1958 to 1962.
Deluxe Club Coupe 
Had Kaiser spent its development funds on a V-8 instead of the bar-boned, slow-selling Henry J compact, that plus the new styling might have kept the ship afloat. At least until the Jeep arrived.
The Kaiser disaster actually began when Henry J. Kaiser insisted on building 200,000-plus cars for 1949, while Joseph Frazer knew that–in the face of all-new cars from the Big Three and Nash, as well as the older Studebaker and Hudson designs–the market would be awash in fresher designs. Kaiser insisted “(we) never retrench!” and were soon stuck with thousands of unsold ’49s that were reserialed as 1950s before the ’51s debuted. The Henry J debacle didn’t help either, and Kaiser-Frazer added Willys Motors after selling the Willow Run plant to GM, but the Kaiser and Willys passenger cars never recovered even after the Jeep arrived…
Indeed. K-F had a V8 in the early stages of development {we have a feature on it here) but evidently. the company lacked the resources to pursue it further. An aluminum V8 was also in the works but that seems even more unrealistic. At one point K-F was trying to obtain Oldsmobile V8s but Lansing was already at capacity. A number of K-F problems come down to insufficient working capital. McG
Kaiser’s harebrained decision to produce his several year-old design all out in the face of brand new competition from the majors is what caused Joe Frazer to quit in disgust. Of course, Frazer was right. K-F was pummeled, but Joe’s reputation was secured.
I always felt these low cost “austere” cars were out of step with the post war buying public. The war had presented them with rationing, frugalness and hardships. By the end of the 1940’s the American buying public just wasn’t into a car that was this far south of the “economy” meter – they wanted something jazzy, they wanted options, they wanted standard features – not the barest bare bones car you could get. Maybe it would have been a better launch in 1958’s recession (in the way the Studebaker marketed economical cars then) but we will never know.