1951 Frazer Manhattan Convertible Sedan Walkaround

America's most sucessful new, post- World War 2 brands were Kaiser and Frazer, products of Kaiser-Frazer Corporation.  However, their early success faded along with the postwar seller's market that was ending around 1949.  The Frazer brands's final model year was 1951, where 1950 bodies were dramatically facelifted.

I posted "1950-51 Frazer Manhattan 4-Door 'Hardtop' Facelift" here.

Total 1951 Frazer production was 10,214.  Of that, 152 cars were "hardtop" models discussed in the post just cited.  Another 131 cars were four-door convertibles, or "convertoble sedans" as the type was ofted called in the 1930s.  Frazer simply used "Convertible" as the designation.

About 130 of these cars were made.  Photos below are via Mecum Auctions.

Gallery

The facelift included a new, rather odd, heavily chromed design.  Similar framing was used on the corporation's new Henry J brand.

Ponderous, but not as ponderous-looking as 1950 Frazers with slab-sides and mostly horizontal fender lines.

The fenderline now flows.  Facelifted elements are forward and aft of the doors.

Here is the "hardtop" version.

Rear styling was simple in those days.

Windows roll down, but the B-pillar and frames are fixed in place.

The two windshield panes are flat glass, a legacy of the original 1947 design.

Overhead view.  The design looks nice from here.

A Tale of Two Fiat 1400 Cabriolets by Vignale

Fiat's first postwar model, the upscale (for Fiat) 1400 model was introduced in 1950 and became the subject of many carrozzeria-designed bodies over its production run ending in 1958.

Today's post features two early such cars built by Carrozzeria Vignale (Wikipedia entry here).  Their designs are not particularly good.  I'm posting about them because, although the 1947-1959 Italian design era is considered an aesthetic highpoint, it's worthwhile seeing some examples of inferior designs from those days.

Fiat 1400s received unit bodies, as opposed to the then-common body-on-frame construction.   Unit bodies are more difficult to customize due to the need to alter or eliminate body structure components.

That said, it seems that Fiat built cabriolet (convertible) versions of the 1400.  Unfortunately for our purposes here, I can only assume (not prove) that the firm created a special quasi-unit structure for such cars.  That allowed coachbuilders to create designs for cabriolets and related pillarless "hardtop"bodies and coupés.

The designs presented below are similar, major differences being front ends, side trim and two-tone paint schemes.  I have no information regarding who designed the 1950 car.  The 1951 version is credited to the astonishingly productive Giovanni Michelloti.  It's not one of his better efforts.

Gallery

1950 Fiat 1400 Cabriolet by Vignale - car-for-sale photos
The side trim / two-tone paint scheme is the same as that found on some Fiat 1400 sedans of 1957.  It's possible that the '57 scheme was based on this 1950 car.  But it's more likely that this scheme was applied to the this car in 1957 or thereabouts to freshen it up.

1950 Hudson Commodore Eight - car-for-sale photo
Note the similarity of the Fiat's grille to that of this 1950 Hudson.

1951 Fiat 1400 Cabriolet by Vignale, Giovanni Michelotti designer - photos via Rapley Classic Cars
No Hudson grille here ... but it also looks somewhat familiar.

1951 LeSabre concept car mockup - photo via General Motors
What looks like a jet engine intake is actually a unit that rotates to reveal two closely-spaced headlights.  The functional grille is below it.  The LeSabre was later modified in the form of air intakes in the blank areas flanking the main grille.

1950 ca. Fiat 1400 Cabriolet - factory photo
Here is a factory-built cabriolet.

The Vignale version shares the door and the passenger compartment.  The area forward of the door seems slightly longer, and rear overhang has definitely increased.

 

Michelotti's version's aft fender profile is subtly altered.  The two-tone scheme with its more shapely upper profile and added zone on the rocker panel makes the car seem less slab-sided.

Rear quarter view.

As mentioned, rear fender profiles are slightly adjusted (they lean forwards a little).  Trunk lids are the same.