Allstate (automobile)
The Allstate was a car that was offered in the United States in the model years 1952 and 1953 from the Allstate auto accessory chain of department store Sears Roebuck. The car was from the Kaiser- Frazer Corporation in Willow Run, Michigan, (from 1953: Kaiser- Willys Corporation in Toledo (Ohio ), Ohio ) was prepared and was based on the compact car of the company, the Henry J. There was only one body style, a 2-door hatchback in the series Four (A -230, A- 330) and Six ( a-240, A- 340).
In 1952 there was the series Four (A -230 ) as a model 110 basis (USD 1395, - ( in today's purchasing power $ 12,726 ) ), as a model 111 standard ( for $ 1486, - ( in today's purchasing power $ 13,556 ), the Top-Selling ) and as model 113 DeLuxe (USD 1539, - ( $ 14,039 in today's money ) ). The Series Six ( A-240 ) cost than standard 114 USD in 1594 - and 115 DeLuxe USD 1693, -. A six-cylinder model in base trim is not offered.
1953 there was virtually no change in the appearance of the vehicles, but the 1953 models weighed all 145 pounds ( 65.7 kg ) more than its predecessor of 1952 The Allstate base models were adjusted and the prices increased significantly. From Series Four ( A-330 ) cost the entry level standard 210 USD 1528, - and the model 213 DeLuxe USD 1589, -. From Six (A -340 ) there was only the better -equipped Model 215 DeLuxe for USD 1785, - that best sold this year.
The Allstate was based on the ideas of Henry J. Kaiser, who saw the department store chain Sears as another way of marketing his two-door car sold badly Henry J, which was introduced in 1950.
Sears had previously, 1908-1912, is trying to sell cars under the brand name Sears Motor Buggy, and this with some success. These horseless carriages were high- Wheeler; they looked like two-seat horse cart with large carriage wheels. This type passenger car was especially popular in rural areas in the early 20th century, because their high ground clearance ideal for the muddy country roads this time was suitable with their deep ruts. Still, it was usual to the rural population, to order from the Sears mail-order catalog; and the Sears Motor Buggy could be delivered to the nearest train station, then an important advantage. Like almost all goods from Sears also these cars were manufactured by a different company that had otherwise nothing to do with Sears.
Originally, the Allstate car should arise on the great Emperor - floor assembly, but after three years of negotiations between Kaiser- Frazer and Sears Roebuck, the production version of the Allstate on 20 November 1951 the Sears sales director Theodore V. Hauser and the administrative head of was Kaiser- Frazer, Eugene Trefethen announced. The three-year delay was partly caused by the Dealership of Kaiser- Frazer, who feared competition with Sears.
The Allstate was essentially a Henry J, but had some differences: Allstate logo on the hood and rear cover, better interiors Saran Plaid or sometimes leather or soft vinyl, special hubcaps, horn buttons and instrument surrounds, lockable glove compartment and lockable decklid, a special engine color (blue), luxurious armrests and sun visors, revised door locks and keys, special rear and parking lights and - most remarkably - a unique grille with two crossbars and a hood ornament in the form of a jet, which was designed by Alex Tremulis, the Tucker came to Kaiser- Frazer.
The standard interior material of Allstate consisted of tightly folded paper strips that were woven together and coated with plastic, which proved to be as durable as attractive and seat covers made unnecessary. Seat covers were extremely popular in the 1950s, and many were made from exactly the same material. Chevrolet processed in the model series Biscayne and Bel Air in the 1960s, also these seat covers.
Contrary to early Henry J, who had no trunk lid for cost reasons, the Allstate were always equipped with them.
Had cars in the series Four a side-valve 2.2-liter four-cylinder in-line engine with 68 bhp (50 kW); the series Six were fired by a likewise side-valve 2.64 -liter six- cylinder in-line engine with 80 bhp (59 kW). Both engines were manufactured by Willys -Overland. A three -speed transmission was standard equipment, an overdrive there was against USD 104, - surcharge.
The only mechanical difference between Allstate and Henry J was the equipment of the Allstate tires, tubes, spark plugs and batteries of Sears Allstate brand with its own Triple Guarantee Guarantee.
Originally Allstate was only offered in the south and southwestern United States. The sale should then be expanded as demand increases to other areas. The locations of the stores, where Allstate was offered directly, were: Baytown (Texas ), Beaumont (Texas), Birmingham ( Alabama), Dallas ( Texas), Fayetteville ( North Carolina), Houston (Texas ), Jacksonville (Mississippi), Knoxville (Tennessee), Little Rock (Arkansas ), Lubbock (Texas), Memphis ( Tennessee), Norfolk (Virginia), Orlando ( Florida), Phoenix ( Arizona), Portsmouth (Virginia), Richmond ( Virginia), Salt Lake City (Utah ) and Waco (Texas ).
Some Sears stores had at least one copy in stock, most of the cars were built but made to order by Kaiser Frazer and then delivered to the Sears outlets. Kaiser- Frazer had his dealers are required to perform on the customer, the customer services for Allstate car. Many traders, however, were not pleased to have to watch as "their" vehicles were sold by other retail outlets, especially as the Allstate had better equipment than the Henry J and was also sold even cheaper.
Sears marketed the car as " the cheapest large sedan in the U.S. market ." However, because Sears did not perform price negotiations with Allstate buyers and probably because many people were afraid to buy a car in a department store where the service is deemed questionable, was only 2,363 Allstate were sold in two model years before the brand was discontinued; 1,566 pieces in 1952 and 797 pieces in 1953. Shortly thereafter, Emperor presented a Henry J.
(Note: the lack of discount programs had proved for Sears earlier sale as a serious obstacle to trade with Graham -Bradley tractor Graham - Paige Motors Corp. in the late 1930s.. )