www.motorcities.org Open in urlscan Pro
192.249.118.242  Public Scan

Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM

GET /smart-search

<form id="mod-finder-searchform97" action="/smart-search" method="get" class="form-search">
  <div class="finder">
    <label for="mod-finder-searchword97" class="finder"> </label><input type="text" name="q" id="mod-finder-searchword97" class="search-query input-medium" size="25" value="" placeholder="Search ..." autocomplete="off"><button
      class="btn btn-primary  finder" type="submit" title="Go"><span class="icon-search icon-white"></span>Search</button>
  </div>
</form>

Text Content

Menu
 * Home
 * About Us
   * About Us
   * Pressroom
   * Annual Reports
   * Evaluations
   * Financials
   * Leadership
   * MotorCities 25th Anniversary
   * Contact Us
   * Job Opportunities
   * Important Links
   * Goodbye, John Dingell
   * Speakers Bureau
 * Grants & Programs
   * Grants & Programs
   * Grants
   * Mini Grant Program
   * Programs
   * Awards of Excellence
 * Support MotorCities
   * Support MotorCities
   * Individual Membership
   * Organizational Membership
   * Sponsorship
   * Get Involved
   * 2023 MotorCities Sponsors
   * 2023 Membership List
 * Explore
   * Find Your Road Trip
   * Passport
   * Events
   * Wayside Exhibit Program
   * Things to See in Detroit
   * MotorCities Automotive Themed Tours
   * Arsenal of Democracy/Health
 * Story of the Week
   * Latest Stories
   * 2024
   * 2023
   * 2022
   * 2021
   * 2020
   * 2019
   * 2018
   * 2017
   * 2016
   * 2015
   * 2014
 * Search
 * Highway Signs
 * MotorCities On The Road
 * Many Voices, One Story
 * DONATE NOW
 * Making Tracks
   * Making Tracks
   * Individual Profiles
   * More Resources
   * Timelines
 * Junior Ranger
   * Junior Ranger
   * Stop 1
   * Stop 2
   * Stop 3
   * Stop 4
   * Cool Auto Related Videos
 * SW Detroit Auto Heritage
 * 25th Anniversary





 * 
 * Home
 * Story of the Week
 * 2015
 * When Sears Sold Vehicles: Remembering the Allstate

Search


WHEN SEARS SOLD VEHICLES: REMEMBERING THE ALLSTATE

By: Robert Tate, Automotive Historian/Researcher
Images: Courtesy of the National Automotive Collection
Posted: 03.17.2015

In its early days, the Sears retail chain first sold vehicles to the American
market under the name “Sears Motor Buggy” between 1908 and 1912. These were
horseless carriages models offered to consumers. The Sears models were designed
by Alvaro S. Kortz. Previously, Kortz built an electric car under his own name
in his native state of Ohio in 1903.

Allstate ModelSears made automotive history once again in the early 1950’s. On
November 20, 1951, Sears Merchandising Company’s Vice President Theodore V.
Houser and Kaiser-Frazer Vice President Eugene Trefethen negotiated a
partnership agreement to sale and merchandise the Allstate automobile. On
Tuesday, November 20, 1951 Willow Run confirmed that the company would
manufacture a new low-priced passenger automobile to be named the “Allstate” for
Sears Roebuck and Co.

Allstate Model

Edgar F. Kaiser stated that explorations of the possibility of merchandising
automobiles through the facilities of Sears began as early as 1948. Kaiser said,
“Our prime consideration in more than two years of negotiations with Sears has
been to reach an agreement that will prove to be highly beneficial to our
dealers, distributors, and the corporation.” The Allstate model sales were
confined to a few test market Sears stores in the south and southwest where the
Kaiser- Frazer dealer network was weak. The car was sold with Sears Allstate
tires and batteries. The car was marketed with the company's overall
satisfaction guarantee and separate specific warranties covering tires and
batteries.

Allstate Model

The Allstate offered gracefully-designed style in the 1952-1953 models. The
Allstate’s front end design was styled by the late designer Alex Tremulis who
also designed the Tucker automobile. The 1952-53 models were introduced by
Sears, Roebuck and Co. and available in both four and six cylinder models. The
Allstate models offered the consumers a low initial cost, along with a high fuel
economy. Other features included exceptional maneuverability and a high
horsepower-to-weight ratio which provided acceleration and over-the-road
performance. The Allstate models also offered exceptional road visibility which
was provided by the sightseeing safety windshield and the low sloping hood
design. The parking lights were located in the fenders and the interior could
accommodate a driver and five other passengers for traveling. The horizontal bar
grille distinguished the Allstate models from the Kaiser Henry J vehicles. The
colorful upholstery of vinyl and Saran plastic were the features for the
interior of the new Allstate automobiles.

1952 Sears Allstate

As a convenience for customers, some could order vehicles through a mail order
process or they could make a purchase inside the Sears store. Allstate models
were mechanically similar to the Henry J, though they had different badging and
superior upholstery. Factory delivered prices, less state taxes, were $ 1,395
for the standard model and $ 1,796 for the deluxe version.

Unfortunately, the agreement did not satisfy many dealers at the time because of
direct competition and the Henry J cost more and had less standard equipment. As
the journey continued for the Allstate models, the vehicles were not very
successful in the automotive market because of its limited marketing approach in
addition to the fact that only 2363 vehicles were manufactured. The Allstate was
Sears’ second venture in automotive sales, however, it was ultimately an
agreement that did not work out for either Sears or Kaiser-Frazer. The Allstate
demise killed Sears’ plans for future automobiles. Among them were two proposals
for a two-door station wagon that was designed by industrial designer Brooks
Stevens; the other by Gordon Tercey of Kaiser-Frazier. Today Allstate models are
extremely rare and collectible, if you can even find one for sale. Because of
this, Allstate models will always be a part of automotive history.

A special thanks to Robert Tate, Automotive Historian and Researcher, for
donating the story to the MotorCities Story of the Week program. Photographs are
courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection. (Bibliography: “Sears
Roebuck Ready to Sell Low Priced Cars”. Chicago Sunday Times 11/20/51. “1953
Allstate “Special Interest Autos #155, September/October 1996.)

For further information on photos please visit
http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/ or email nahc@detroitpubliclibrary.org.
Please do not republish the story and/or photographs without permission of
MotorCities National Heritage Area.

If you would like to contribute an article for the MotorCities newsletter, email
info@motorcities.org or call 313-259-3425.

204 Shares






LATEST STORIES

 * Chris Young: From Collecting Matchbox Cars to Ford Designer
 * The 1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass: A Forgotten Concept Car
 * The 1956 Plymouth Models Offered Aerodynamic Styling
 * The Ormond Garage and the Early Days of Racing on the Beach
 * Remembering the 1970 AMC Rebel Machine, Which Became Popular
 * Remembering the Great Legacy of Race Car Driver Paula Murphy
 * Remembering Malcolm Bricklin and the Bricklin Automobile
 * The Edsel: An Entirely New Kind of Car
 * Remembering Ed Hugas and the First Cobra
 * The Ford Truck Line was All New for 1967

DONATE NOW CUSTOMIZE YOUR TRIP E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP CONTACT US

OUR FOUNDING PARTNERS




2937 E. Grand Blvd.
Detroit, MI 48202
Phone: 313.259.3425



©2024 MotorCities National Heritage Area