Night Photo of Kaiser-Frazer Showroom in Portland Oregon 1950
Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was the result of a partnership between auto exec Joseph W. Frazer & industrialist Henry Kaiser. The company was founded in 1945. This showroom, complete with searchlight advertising, is featuring the 1951 Kaiser-Fraser models. Only the Jeep remains as an active model passed on from the extinct manufacturer
Does anyone know the name of this dealership?
I seem to recall that the original Kaiser / Frazer
dealer in Portland was Tonkin motors. Not Marv or Ron
but an earlier generation of "Tonkins." Might this be
Tonkin Kaiser / Frazer Motors?
"Tiger" Tom
Posted by: "Tiger" Tom Murphy | December 28, 2012 at 06:06 AM
It was owned by Ron & Marv Tonkin's father.
Posted by: Ted | December 28, 2012 at 10:19 AM
wow! i knew kaiser made ships, but never knew they made cars! wow!
Posted by: john | December 28, 2012 at 12:50 PM
Tom,
I think that was owned by the Rasmussen family. Don started in the car biz selling K-F's and Studebakers, then turned it into the first Mercedes-Benz store when those other marques went out of business.
Posted by: SJW | December 28, 2012 at 03:20 PM
This sure wins a few points in the bike uglification process.
Posted by: beats by dre Cheap | December 28, 2012 at 10:19 PM
I'm trying to figure out where the "Portland Motors" dealership was. Was it where Monte Shelton is on SW Burnside or on NE Grand, where the Stark vacuum store is now? If it was 1950, I think it was before Mr. Tonkon owned it.
Posted by: Bruce Bishop | December 31, 2012 at 12:09 PM