Showing off for good reason

Paul Dempsey poses with his 1952 satin blue Kaiser Virginian at his northeast Ocala home on Feb. 7, 2026. [Photo by Andy Fillmore/Ocala Gazette]

Paul Dempsey’s trips to gas up his satin blue 1952 Kaiser Virginian often last long beyond filling the gas tank.

“People come up and want to stop and talk about the Kaiser. You don’t see them all the time,” Dempsey said, adding that the “unique body shape” draws attention.

The Virginian is among 200 collectible cars motorcycles and boats expected to be on display at the 16th annual Marion County Tax Collector’s Charity Auto Show to be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the McPherson Governmental Complex.

Dempsey’s award-winning Kaiser sedan has heavy chrome bumpers, a continental style rear mounted spare tire and a large exterior sun visor mounted to the roof. It has the distinctive styling of a pre-cell phone and internet era when the make of an auto could be immediately identified and when people seemed to have a bit more time for a pump-side chat.

Dempsey said his grandfather had a Kaiser and he always wanted one. His son helped him find the car in Orlando in an online search about 10 years ago and he purchased the Kaiser in its current condition. The Virginian has a 226 cubic inch straight six-cylinder engine, developing 115hp with an “L” head valve arrangement. The electrical system has been converted from six to 12 volts and the car has a “Hydra-matic” automatic transmission with neutral in the top position where park is normally seen.

According to “A Quick History of the Frazier Automobile” online, the company started as Kaiser-Fraser, a partnership of industrialist and World War II Liberty ship builder Henry J. Kaiser and mechanic/engineer Joesph W. Fraser. The company was established in 1947 and by 1949 Fraser left. In 1953, the manufacturing firm became Kaiser-Willys. In 1955 the firm changed its name to Kaiser-Jeep and in 1970 was absorbed into American Motors Corporation, the article states.

Dempsey, who was with the city of Ocala/Ocala Electric Utility from 1976 until his retirement in 2011, has lived in his northeast Ocala home since the late1970s. He said he finds the car to be a conversation starter with people, especially at car shows. He said cars often reflect the owner’s personality and that the Virginian seems to say slow down and chat a spell.

Marion County Tax Collector George Albright will display a 1950 Plymouth station wagon at the show.

“This model set the stage for all station wagons from Detroit being made out of steel, rather than steel and wood as in the past decades. It has a 218 cubic inch six-cylinder motor and three speed manual transmission,” Albright wrote via email

“The interior has just been completely redone by classic car interior expert Slade Morton of Ocala. The music props are added by me to make the car look like an Allman Brothers Band road vehicle,” he stated.

Albright said the money raised through the annual show will benefit Marion County charities.

Registration forms are online at mariontax.com/online-forms (scroll down to “Charities”) and vehicles may be registered as the event as well. 

The show venue is located at 503 SE 25^th Ave., Ocala. The event is free to attend for spectators.

To learn more, call (352) 368-8206 or email [email protected] or go to mariontax.com