Looking at this catalog from McLellans it is difficult to believe the 1947 Frazer and its sister car, the Kaiser, were once considered radical and, yes, even beautiful. But in North America, accustomed to automobiles defined by 1930's upright styling, these two upstarts shocked everyone with their daring Howard Darrin body styles. What made them even more fascinating is that they were the products of a car company that didn't exist until the war ended. McLellans reminds us in their weekly Automotive Chronicles newsletter that Henry Kaiser was a war hero of a different kind: the "father of modern shipbuilding," who launched more ships than any other builder in WW2."

After the war Kaiser recognized the need to quickly convert the military industrial back to private industry... took a short cut and built an all new car," says McLellans. Needing automotive expertise he engaged former Graham-Paige Motor Company Chief Executive Officer Joseph W. Frazer as a partner, who brought with him all the assets and useable equipment from the moribund automaker. The first two cars - the Frazer was slightly more upscale but they were otherwise identical - sold well in a market that was thirsty for new cars of any kind. The catalog would be a valuable asset to any collector interested in the immediate postwar period.