Sometimes it can be interesting to view a fine design from unusual perspectives. Today's post presents some high and near-overhead views of a 1952
Kaiser four-door sedan. I wrote about the 1951 Kaiser redesign
here.
The Kaiser brand had only one complete redesign -- for the 1951 model year, which accounts for the previous link. A moderate facelift appeared for 1952 in the forms of a cleaner grille design and larger tail lights. 1953 Kaisers were nearly identical to '52s.
Below are images of a 1952 Kaiser as seen from high or near-overhead positions. Such views are seldom seen in everyday settings. But they provide some insight into the attention stylists had to pay in order to produce complete, production-ready exterior designs.
Images below are of '52 Kaiser Manhattan sedans listed for sale.
Gallery
Establishment shot of a two-door Kaiser -- how one might normally view it. Compared to contemporary American sedans, Kaisers featured low basic bodies and tall passenger compartment "greenhouses."
Now for our subject car. The hood is sculpted, of course, but flowing, not with hard folds and creases. The most salient feature is the upper framing of the windshield, something basically unique to Kaiser.
Large (for the time) backlight window, again with the "heart" dip on the upper frame.
Beltline "shoulders" exist, but are not strongly defined. The chrome strip enhances the fenderline flow. The greenhouse has a curved planview perimeter, something not seen so much nowadays in the era of the SUV.
Showing the tapered raised part of the hood. Something of an old-fashioned touch at a time when hoods were becoming wider and flatter (think 1952 Nash).
High side view of a very attractive design.
3 comments:
I’ve always liked these.
Like every progressive design at that time there are traditional elements that now look a little out of place, like the prow shape of the hood. But GM and even more so Chrysler products were more prow-y than this. Affectations like the eyebrow dip shape of the front and rear windows were a mistake in the conformist 1950s in a design that was different enough already, but of course lack of a V8 in that market was the real killer. Calling the old flathead 6 "Supersonic" was not convincing. V8s even sounded and felt cooler than a six. As we all know they blew what money they had on the Henry J instead of developing their own V8. Back then buying a GM transmission was one thing but they needed their own OHV V8. One of many coulda been a contender stories from the 1950s.
And a station wagon variant was also essential in the baby booming no child seat no seat belts 1950s. Again, money spent on the Henry J instead. The other slight miscalculation was the somewhat tapering toward the rear in side view, sort of French style, when trends were going in the opposite direction although that is not so obvious in real life.
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