Was
the Henry J sold by Sears?
No... and Yes. "No" because the car sold by Sears was called the Allstate - the Henry J itself was not sold through Sears. "Yes" because the Allstate was built by Kaiser Frazer and was nothing more than a thinly disguised Henry J with all Kaiser badging removed and replaced by Sears Allstate tags, or in the case of the horn button, gauge cluster and hubcaps the K symbols were simply blanked out. The Allstate was sold through the Sears outlet, and only in a few selected states. It sported a Sears battery, tires, and sparkplugs. If so equipped, the heater, radio, signal lights and other accessories were also Sears units.
How
many Henry Js were produced?
Approximately 115,000 Henry Js were produced for the models years 1951 1954 and 2,300 Allstates for the 1952 53 model years.
Breakdown is as follows
1951
K514 (6 cyl) 43,400 units
K513 (4 cyl) 38,500 units
1952
K523 1 (Vagabond 4 cyl) 3000 units
K524 1 (Vagabond 6 cyl) 4000 units
K523 (Corsair 4 cyl) 7600 units
K524 (Corsair Deluxe 6 cyl) 8900 units
A2304 (Allstate 4 cyl) 900 units
A2404 (Allstate 6 cyl) 666 units
1953
K533 (Corsair 4 cyl) 8500
K534 (Corsair Deluxe 6 cyl) 8100 units
A3304 (Allstate 4 cyl) 425 units
A3404 (Allstate 6 cyl) 372 units
1954 (All 1954 models were just left over 1953s that were reserialed)
K543 (Corsair 4 cyl) 800
K544 (Corsair Deluxe 6 cyl) - 300
Where
Can I get parts for my Henry J?
If your car has the stock engine and drive train, NAPA carries all tune up parts and many switches and hoses etc. They will likely have to be ordered in from their warehouse which usually only takes a day or two. If you need tune-up parts, they are listed in the NAPA catalog under Kaiser with a model of Henry J. Be sure to note whether you have an Autolite or a Delco-Remy electrical system.
Many engine and transmission parts are available as Willys jeep parts and listed in NAPA catalogs as such (specify 134 CID four cyl or 161 CID six cyl).
Kanter Auto in NJ stocks many engine parts for older vehicles. Visit their website at
Northstar Willys in Dassell, Minnesota is a good source for many engine/drive train parts as well. (Be sure to specify the 134 CID four cylinder or 161 CID six cylinder engine)
http://www.northstarwillys.com/
Kaiser Willys Auto Supply at
http://www.kaiserwillys.com/ has many engine and drive train parts for the Henry J. Look under 134 CID for four cylinder and 161 CID for six cylinder parts.
How
much is a Henry J worth?
As with anything collectible or unique that is no longer being manufactured, the price is really dictated by what someone who wants one is willing and able to pay for it.
Value also depends on the specific model and year. These
prices will vary but for a general guideline, go to www.manheimgold.com
Are
there any Clubs etc for the Henry J?
The Kaiser Frazer Owners Club is the club for the Henry J cars. Their website is
Which
Engine was used in the Henry J cars?
The Henry J could be purchased new with one of two engines. Both engines were supplied by Willys motors and were also used in Willys Jeep and passenger car vehicles. When Willys switched to the F-Head configuration on their Jeep and passenger car engines, they produced and sold the L-Head version to Kaiser Frazer for use in the Henry J automobiles.
The four-cylinder version of the Henry J used the 68 hp Willys 134 CID flat head engine, while the 6 cylinder Deluxe models came equipped with the 80 hp Willys 161 CID flat head engine. Both models were available with overdrive transmissions.