Kaiser-Frazer Corporation - 1940's-50's Automotive Stock Certificate

Stock printed by Security Banknote Company. Available in Blue or Brown. Please specify color. The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation, operational from 1947 to 1953, was an American automobile manufacturer established through the collaboration of industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and automotive executive Joseph W. Frazer. In 1947, the company acquired the automotive assets of Graham-Paige, where Frazer had assumed the presidency towards the conclusion of World War II. Kaiser-Frazer distinguished itself as one of the few American automakers to experience success in the post-war era, albeit for a limited duration. Joseph W. Frazer departed from the company in 1949, with Henry's son, Edgar F. Kaiser, succeeding him as president. In 1953, Kaiser acquired the struggling Willys-Overland company, primarily for its Jeep brand, and subsequently merged the operations of Kaiser and Willys under the name "Kaiser-Willys Corporation." The Willys-Overland division was later renamed "Willys Motors," and in 1963, it was rebranded as Kaiser Jeep.

The company was established on July 25, 1945, and in 1946, Kaiser-Frazer showcased prototypes of its two new vehicles at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The Kaiser featured an innovative front-wheel drive design, while the Frazer was a more luxurious, conventional rear-wheel drive model. However, due to high production costs and time constraints in development, the front-wheel drive design did not proceed to production, resulting in the 1947 model year Kaiser and Frazer sedans sharing their bodies and powertrains. As some of the first newly designed vehicles available while the "Big Three" continued to promote their pre-war models, the Kaisers and Frazers made a notable debut. The two brands continued to share bodies and engines until 1950, albeit with distinct exterior and interior trim variations.