I don't know if this has any basis whatsoever in fact (it may not, for all I know) but let's assume for discussion purposes that in the waning months of the war, with civilian production set to resume, that Henry Kaiser decided to buy up one or more existing automotive maufacturers instead of starting from scratch?
He could still team up with Joseph Frazer and re-work an existing independent in his image, adding Kaiser and Frazer to the lineup. The kicker is: which independent? Willys might seem the most vulnerable--only Jeep kept them alive at a time when Graham and Hupmobile went under--but Hudson, Studebaker, Nash, and Packard were well established with good reputations.
Imagine a Kaiser-owned Hudson Motors, with Hornet-type power under the hoods of Kaiser Manhattans or Darrin-designed roadsters. Or perhaps a Kaiser Virginian with a taekoff on Loewy's bullet nose might appeal. Then there's always the possibility that Dutch Darrin could have overseen the design of Packards under Kaiser's auspices, leading away from the somewhat elephantine proportions of late '40s Patricians. And quite possibly an earlier version of the Metropolitan that looked a lot like what we know as the Henry J might have taken to the roads...
Well, it's worth perhaps some discussion.
He could still team up with Joseph Frazer and re-work an existing independent in his image, adding Kaiser and Frazer to the lineup. The kicker is: which independent? Willys might seem the most vulnerable--only Jeep kept them alive at a time when Graham and Hupmobile went under--but Hudson, Studebaker, Nash, and Packard were well established with good reputations.
Imagine a Kaiser-owned Hudson Motors, with Hornet-type power under the hoods of Kaiser Manhattans or Darrin-designed roadsters. Or perhaps a Kaiser Virginian with a taekoff on Loewy's bullet nose might appeal. Then there's always the possibility that Dutch Darrin could have overseen the design of Packards under Kaiser's auspices, leading away from the somewhat elephantine proportions of late '40s Patricians. And quite possibly an earlier version of the Metropolitan that looked a lot like what we know as the Henry J might have taken to the roads...
Well, it's worth perhaps some discussion.