History We ALL Love a DARE! PIX of TRULY Extinct Makes?

Griznant asked: "Does anyone know of any other pictures of a Huffman truck or know of one that still exists?

Thanks,

Grant "

Grant- I am still searching. It Divine Intervention just to find this sofar. I am on a mission now.

Mike<!-- / message -->

 

Heh, tell me about it.

I got on the kick a few years ago to find out what these were, but never found any definitive answers. Since joining the HAMB and finding this thread, my interest is piqued again.

What I found out a few years ago when the Huffman name came up was that Huffman filed for bankruptcy somewhere around 1920 and the truck continued to be built under the "Valley" name. It was essentially the same truck, but a different name. I was also sent this picture by a guy who had acquired a Valley truck, but it was basically just parts.



This doesn't help me much in ID'ing the frame, but it's cool nonetheless. One of the old timers here at the shop said he remembered someone saying that the place used to build some kind of "truck", but that was obviously way before his time so it's all hearsay.

It'd just be cool to find some historical info on the Huffman Bros. company and find an actual address. That would help a ton.

 

Chero is BAAAACK !!! I told you I was tempted to take him to the
PhotoShoppers, so I did! What to you think??? The mods were done
by ElectroDude.

 

Here's a VALLEY, but don't think this pic will answer any questions.


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Most all Cord enthusiasts know what the Westchester interior looks like, but many have never ever seen the inside of a '36 Beverly, let alone one that still has its original upholstery.

Here's what the front seat of a '36 Beverly looks like:



Here's what the back seat of a '36 Beverly looks like:



Unlike the '37 Beverly, the '36 has fixed armrests instead of fold-down armrests.

And, of course, the '36 doesn't have the bustle back trunk.

 

Is it possible that they made a custom Beverly with the arm chairs? I have this strong recollection of a car with a divider window and arm chairs. Or maybe you could get the divider window in a regular Beverly?

 

Some one could of put the arm chair interior in a Berline but then again, with Cords, any thing is possible

 

Here is a picture of the the Rumble Seat Cord Cabriolet from North Carolina claimed to be Sonya Hjenie car.

 

1938 Cord 814 Prototype

The design for the 1938 Cord prototype was done by Alex Tremulis, Auburn's Chief Designer. The car was an evolution of the landmark 1936-1937 Cord 810/812, famously designed by Gordon Buehrig. Total 810/812 production was 2,972 cars, including 205 convertible cabriolets, plus this one-off prototype 1938 Custom Cabriolet.

This Cord prototype had been in storage since 1958. The current owner found it in 1989 and embarked on a 15-year restoration. During the restoration process, the discovery of original factory photos helped as the prototype was returned to its original 1938 specifications and appearance.

 

Is the grill and tranny cover the only differences to an 812?

 

The hood may be a bit different also. As I recall the car had been converted to an 812 with a '37 front and it took quite a bit of work to recreate the '38 front and put the car back the way it was built in 1937.

 

Sincere Thanks To Old Cars Weekly for this article.

Final Masterpiece: the Bauer Duesenberg

<!--END Page Title --> <!--BEGIN Content Body //--> February 10, 2010

[Editor's Note: Following the recent announcement that cars from the estate of mega-collector John O'Quinn will be sold in upcoming auctions, we dug into our 2009 archives for the following article written by a good friend of O'Quinn's, Greg Riley, prior to O'Quinn's death. The article centers around the rare Bauer Duesenberg in the O'Quinn collection. While there are a number of cars listed in the upcoming Amelia Island auction conducted by RM Auctions, including Duesenbergs, it should be noted that the Bauer Duesenberg is not on the current sell list.]

Story and photos by Greg Riley



The Bauer Duesenberg, as it appeared early in life (note the
chauffeur sitting in the driver’s seat). Today, the car is no different,
as it remains a magnificent, 10,000-mile original that retains the
glimmering black paint and plush violent upholstery that was
installed by Rollson in 1940. The car’s few careful owners have
done a masterful job of preserving the car’s fine features.

John O’Quinn has assembled perhaps the most significant collection of Classic automobiles since Bill Harrah. But rather than in Reno, O’Quinn’s collection calls Houston, Texas, home.

O’Quinn is an auto mechanic’s son who has grown into one of the most successful litigators in U.S. history with a passion for Duesenbergs (see the Garage DeLuxe YouTube O’Quinn interview on the OldCarsWeekly.com Home Page).

Upon entering the collection’s private showroom, one sees a glittering array of perfectly restored Duesenbergs. Even among such rarified surroundings, some cars immediately stand out. Such is the case of Duesenberg SJ-397 (Chassis No. 2405), known alternately as “The Rudolf Bauer Duesenberg” for the artist who designed the car for himself, or “The Last Duesenberg.” The twists and turns of this particular Duesenberg story are reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

At first glance, the Bauer Duesenberg seems as perfectly restored as its stablemates. However, this car is parked slightly apart from its Indianapolis cousins, confirming its status as something special. I was allowed the rare privilege of closely inspecting the Bauer car in minute detail.



Because of the large number of louvers in the hood panels, the
engine of the Bauer Duesenberg features a unique shield over
the engine.

Its doors and engine compartment were opened, the hand-tailored luggage was removed from the boot for closer inspection and I was allowed to sit behind the wheel. At the time O’Quinn purchased the car, the price paid was a world record for any Duesenberg, save the Mormon Meteor, which makes my unrestricted inspection all the more incredible. The experience was sort of like being handed the “Mona Lisa” and told to look the old gal over.

Interestingly, the hood is louvered and the sides are covered with mesh so that details of the magnificent 420 c.i.d., dual-overhead-cam, supercharged straight-eight can be seen from outside the car. However, upon raising the side-opening hood, the top of the engine is completely covered by an aluminum panel. This would seem to negate any benefit of the hood louvers. Perhaps the attractive louvers allowed too much water onto the big mill, and the panels were added as a nod to practicality while preserving the artist’s flourishes.

The car delivers the illusion of lowness and great speed when standing, with an almost indescribable stance. Bauer accomplished this by emphasizing the large scale of everything, which tricks the eye into making the car look smaller. It appears Teutonic in the manner of a Mercedes 540K, but has a certain visual lightness that eludes the Mercedes. The car looks tailor-made for high-speed motoring along some picturesque sea.

Several things about the car were surprising. One might surmise the car has an older restoration showing slight patina. However, not only is this the last Duesenberg delivered, but the car is thoroughly original with only 10,843 miles traveled since new. The catalog from the auction where O’Quinn purchased the car made much of the authentic World War II “A” rationing sticker and 1943 New Jersey registration stamp. I discovered something even more interesting — an “Essolube” oil change sticker dated Oct. 14, 1941, with a mileage of 4,854. It seems the car traveled half its total mileage within 18 months of its delivery on April 25, 1940.

The car also sports a huge Buell air horn that looks as though it was made from the bell of a trombone, perhaps for a locomotive. On anything else, it would look ridiculously huge, but on this car, it’s just right. I fought an urge to honk it, but was afraid I might be the recipient of a withering look at disturbing the calm in this temple of Duesenberg.

The car’s purple upholstery was described by Bauer as violet, and the top is silk. Bauer spared no expense in constructing this masterwork. In fact, the final toll was more than $20,000, an astronomical sum in 1940. Bauer said it was his intention to shock and provoke discussion, at which he certainly succeeded.

Earlier, O’Quinn executive director Gayla Miller had shown me original Bauer artwork, much of which is very geometric and colorful and somehow very pleasing, even to my untrained eye. During the 1920s, much of Bauer’s art depicted the risqué German Cabaret scene with many of the works being very erotic, and some almost cartoon-like. In an odd way, the purple interior makes perfect sense in the context of Bauer’s art.

The artist

Rudolf Bauer was born in Lindenwald, Germany, (now Poland) in February 1889 to an engine fitter. At an early age, he demonstrated an almost savant-like talent for making art. He left home and settled in Berlin at age 15 to begin an art career over the objections of his father. As a young man, Bauer supported himself by completing elaborate cartoons and magazine illustrations.

He eventually participated in a group exhibition at Der Sturm (The Storm) in 1915. During the late 1910s and early 1920s, Der Sturm was the center of the Berlin art world. Also during this time, Bauer met 25-year-old Baroness Hilla Rebay von Ehrenwiesen, an art student, and his soon-to-be-lover (and, according to Bauer, his future betrayer). Hilla Rebay was the aristocratic daughter of a Prussian army officer. Bauer was shy, arrogant and brooding, and Rebay unrelentingly ambitious. He was from a poor family, she from a background of privilege. It is not difficult to see how their obsessive relationship eventually disintegrated into one of estrangements and finger pointing.

By around 1922, Bauer had been exhibited in the U.S. Worcester Art Museum, Smith College, Detroit Institute of Fine Arts and Vassar College. In 1927, Hilla Rebay traveled to the United States and shortly thereafter met philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim, who awarded her a portrait commission. Rebay encouraged Guggenheim to start a collection of Non-Objective art, with Baroness Rebay facilitating; Bauer became Guggenheim’s favorite artist and soon his man on the ground in Berlin. Though they had not yet met, the works acquired by Bauer for Guggenheim are now considered the core masterpieces of the Guggenheim collection and include paintings by Kandinsky, Klee and Marc, among others.

Rebay brought Guggenheim to Europe in 1930 to meet the artists in person, including Bauer and Kandinsky. This cemented Rebay’s relationship with Guggenheim, with her soon becoming his art advisor. Through the introduction provided by Baroness Rebay, Guggenheim purchased several Bauer works and, more importantly, awarded him a stipend that allowed him to open a museum for his work and other painters of what had become known as the “Non-Objective” school, headed by Bauer and Kandinsky. Bauer named his museum Das Geistreich, or “The Realm of the Spirit,” though the name can also be interpreted as “ingenious.”

By the time the Nazis came to power, Bauer had become a rich man due to Guggenheim’s largess and an attentive audience in the United States and Europe that snatched up Bauer works as fast as they were completed. Bauer lived as lavishly as a Guggenheim, and spent huge sums on every aspect of his life to the constant dismay of Rebay. He apparently had rarified taste in motor cars, too, including Bugatti, Isotta Fraschini, Mercedes and Duesenberg. Starting in 1933, Bauer and Rebay began hurried purchases of artwork to prevent them from being destroyed or falling into Nazi hands. This provided funds so many Jewish and non-Jewish collectors could escape. This and Bauer’s relationship with the Jewish Guggenheim inevitably led to trouble with the Nazis.

Bauer did not himself travel to the United States until early 1937. The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Gibbes Museum in Charleston, S.C., near the Guggenheims’ winter home where the Guggenheim collection was having its first public debut. This was part of an extended stay by Bauer that generated huge amounts of publicity. During the same period, the Nazis hosted an exhibit of “degenerate art” featuring art by Bauer and his contemporaries. For some time before this, Bauer’s work was the only abstract work that could be seen openly in Berlin. This apparently lulled him into a false sense of security of potential consequences. To the Nazis’ dismay, the display of “degenerate art” proved hugely popular with the public, eventually being seen by more than one million people.

Bauer originally inquired about ordering the car around the time of Duesenberg’s closing in January 1937, but didn’t make up his mind until August. Actually, the engine and chassis were originally utilized in a 1931 factory demonstrator whose engine was damaged. The body was removed and the chassis cast aside at the Duesenberg factory, eventually becoming the property of Chicago Duesenberg re-seller Henry Felz. After Bauer made up his mind, Felz reportedly sold the chassis back to Augie Duesenberg, who personally supervised its construction with the assistance of former Duesenberg employees and a number of outside craftsmen.

The intention was for the completed chassis to be prepared for shipment to German coachbuilders Erdmann and Rossi for body construction to Bauer’s design. After completion, the chassis was duly coated in Cosmoline and wrapped in burlap. Unfortunately, Bauer’s arrest by the Nazis put the entire project on hold. Some contend that Bauer’s sister fingered him to the Nazis due to a lack of support and jealousy of his success, and he eventually spent a year in prison. The intervention of Baroness Rebay, with assistance from her uncle (a German general), along with a large suitcase of Guggenheim’s money, secured Bauer’s release, along with his intact household.

The pièce de résistance

In 1939, Bauer made a triumphant entrance in the United States. One of his first acts upon arrival was to arrange completion of the Duesenberg. He specified several options for the car: a long wheelbase chassis with a supercharger on the 420-cid straight-eight engine, Marchal headlamps, a special instrument panel with additional instruments, four-blinker directional lamps with violet glass, a special radiator emblem, three custom black-leather suitcases and several other features, including Vogue tires.

Due to the ravages of the Depression, bankrupt body builder Rollston morphed into Rollson. Rollston was the body builder of several famous Duesenbergs, including the 1933 Torpedo Sedan, aka “The Twenty Grand.” It proved to be an inspired choice for the renamed Rollson to bring Bauer’s sketches to life.

Bauer’s sketches to body builder Rollson specified the absence of running boards, smaller wheels, a vee windshield, cycle fenders, dual rear-mounted spares, a canted and streamline grille and numerous other custom features. Of the completed car, Bauer wrote J.L. Elbert for his 1948 book “Duesenberg: The Mightiest American Motor Car” and said, “I made a design of the car and did supervise to some extent the construction of the Karosserie, which took seven months. Although the finished car did not measure up to my expectations, especially in the finer details, I still regard it as the finest auto I have seen. Speaking of Duesenberg, I... possess two more Duesenbergs, both phaetons, one black, the other blue-green in racing style with special pistons.” No doubt he was convinced only a German body builder could execute a car built to his lofty standards.

Then came the betrayal. Hilla Rebay presented Bauer with a contract from the Guggenheim foundation written in English, neither of which Bauer spoke or wrote. The contract stipulated that Bauer could live in a palatial Guggenheim home in Deal, N.J., complete with staff. He would also have a large trust fund established for his use, but with several “kickers.” The Guggenheim foundations would own any future art he produced, and upon his death, the trust would revert to the foundation. The foundation also paid the astronomical bill for the Duesenberg. Regardless, when Bauer understood what he had signed and that he owned nothing, including his work, he was furious.

The impetuous Bauer responded by marrying his housekeeper, Louise Huber, who had been personally selected by Rebay. Rebay responded by calling Huber a “tramp and whore.” Then Bauer filed a futile libel lawsuit against Rebay. After 1940, Bauer never painted again and lived in virtual isolation. When Rebay was replaced at the Guggenheim foundation, Bauer’s artwork was basically consigned to a basement where it remained for 45 years. Bauer and Rebay did not speak for the final years of Bauer’s life.

Bauer died in 1953 and the car and Bauer’s other Duesenberg were acquired by Bill Pettit, who preserved it and stored it for 45 years while adding approximately 1,000 miles to the odometer. Pettit claimed it was the best-driving Duesenberg in his stable. Interestingly, Gary Cooper tried unsuccessfully to acquire the Bauer Duesenberg before the purchase by Pettit, and now, O’Quinn is the fourth owner of the car. The last Duesenberg is a stunning example of the artist’s vision, and has eclipsed the value of his artwork by a large degree.

Art reunited

O’Quinn and his longtime companion, Ms. Darla Lexington, have acquired several Bauer artworks from the Weinstein Gallery of San Francisco. No doubt inspired by the car and Bauer’s story, O’Quinn and Lexington purchased four: “Presto XI,” “Composition 115,” “White Cross” and “Symphony in Three Movements.” We look forward to the day when O’Quinn and Lexington will exhibit the last Duesenberg with Bauer’s other artwork.

(Special thanks to Briana Tarantino of the Weinstein Gallery, and Gayla Miller and Firat Ozsoy of the O’Quinn Classic Car Collection)


Coming or going, the Bauer Duesenberg is a real beauty

 

You could order this one right from the Sears and Roebuck catalog...1952 Sears Allstate

 

I got to see the Bauer Duesenberg when they were auctioning it off in Arizona. It's always been one of my favorites. I'm partial to European coachwork and although the bodywork is Rollson it was intended for Erdmann and Rossi to construct originally.

 

I have been searching Valley Trucks also. It appears they are the same design except for the radiator tank casting which as Valley molded on it. My mission if I choose to accept it is to find chassis and frame details for the Huffman or Valley or both. This tape will self-destruct in ten seconds.

 

Good morning, Mr. Phelps -- er, uh, I mean HJManiac! I wish you well on the search to serve this cool mystery!

By the way, ANYBODY find ANYTHING on the Murray/Murray-Mac???

 

I talked to a guy who did know the Sonja Henie Cord 810 very well, already from mid -60s! In 1964 or 1965 he got frequently contact along with a motor entusiast named Harald Taxt on a car garage, who owned Sonjas Cord 810. He He did whished to make the car drivable, but had a lot of problem with the electric checked pre selector gearbox. He had given up , and wanted to put in another driveline, and change it to rear wheel drive. In this work he had cutted the floor to make place for the driveshaft . But there the work with him ended. Else where was the car complete and in quite good shape. He know that my contact about this, was interested in veterans, and was wondering if he wanted it for free,if he came and trailered it away . He never fetched it, because living without storageplace in the middle of the city, and did regret it in many years later.....
He know that the car afterwards was restored to original condition, and is still located by a private guy at Hurum, near Oslo. As he know Sonja had only two Cords, one L29 and the 810. Both are still here in Norway. ( he checked by phone to the owner..)
About the North Carolina Cord in USA , it should be easy to find it out checking that the floor had been cutted up, to make place for the driveshaft. This is documented in Norway, this car was imported by Sonja , and all about the driveshaft rework,owners,etc. its also documented, also by Sonjas relatives.
My contact also gave info about thats not the first try on "scam" about Sonjas car, and several histories are known about "other cars" worldwide ,inside the veteran car club here.
But as he said , without nobody in the Norwgian Car history knowing, perhaps she did have another unknown to us..... even if its unlikely!

regards, Leaded

 

While we are on the subject of bustlebacks here are some interesting pictures of a bustleback Graham that sunroof and I have been bantering about. None are know to have been built by the factory however that doesn't necessarily mean this isn't a factory job. The first batch of cars out of the Graham seem to have been built by hand using leftover Cord parts and it wouldn't surprise me if this was a factory job if it has a low serial number. The dash is a modified cord arrangement.

I want to add that I like the bustlback although I know some people (including Gordon Buehrig) really don't.

 

AJ & Jim, regardless of the fact that few Grahams & Hupps were built than the original 810/812, I have heard that many enthusiasts for Buehrig's design actually liked the Graham/Hupp iteration BETTER than the '36/'37 originals. I have my own thoughts, but I wondering if you have any knowledge about these attitutdes.

 

Jimi; I believe this is TRUE. My response would be once again "It's in the eye of the beholder" Some people just prefer the Graham/Hupp front over the Cord. They will even tell you that Graham "Got It Right" I happen to like both except for maybe original Hupp Skylark design

This photograph shows the Hupmobile Junior Six, as originally constructed.

Note the very Cord-like front end treatment, even to the point of having a lower front apron, which on the Cord, would be covering the transmission. The hood profile is very much like the Cord, as is the grille treatment. The external headlights are really the only significant visual difference from the Cord.

 

I like them both too. Remember that the Cord has almost 5 inches more of wheelbase which gives it a much longer nose. The Cord nose is iconic while the Graham is very much the style of 1939/40. I happen to love the 40 Willys front end and they are very similar.

 

The previously mentioned Lozier plant moved to Plattsburgh NY. Some of the original manufacturing buildings are still there now owned by Georgia-Pacific company. The Champlain Valley Transportation Museum has a 1914 Type 77 and a 1915 Type 82. Read more and see pictures at http://www.cvtmuseum.com/gallery.htm

 

This is a photograph of the original "Junior Six" prototype car with the John Tjaarda redesigned front end treatment. By now, the car had been renamed the "Skylark". Note the unusual hubcaps, the six-slot upper grille (pre-production and production cars had seven slot upper grilles), and the Cord style bumper guards. The photo is not extremely clear, but the emblem in between the 20 slot lower grilles is not the final form either.

 

Okay, guys! That's what I was looking for, opinion-wise. Myself, I enjoy them ALL, because I feel Buerhig's design was so fresh, so unique that it WARRANTED imitation. You just couldn't go too far wrong (except in the case of modern fiberglass knock-offs!).

 

That was my thought as well! Without the center grille, which vaguely resembles a '39 Chevrolet grille, that Graham front styling would be very close to pre-'41 Willys. Very attractive design.

I'm on the fence as far as preferring Cord styling over that of its successors. To me, the Hupp and Graham are pleasant variations on a theme, and I like them just as well.

Enjoying this thread, keep up the excellent work, guys

 

This 1940 Willys was recently purchased from a long-time owner who bought the car just after getting his license. The brush-painted red-and-white covering the car is lifting, revealing the original green paint.I've seen this car in the flesh and it is Cool. Still got the 4 cylinder in it. Hope he never changes it.

 

Sincere Thanks to Old Cars Weekly for the following article.

Loving life in a 1940 Willys sedan

Believe it or not, there are a few stock and original 1940 Willys still on the road today. Most Willys of this vintage met their demise at the hands of hot rodders who took advantage of the car’s streamlined design. The coupe was the most popular, but the sedans were cut up for their front clips and rear fenders, which fit the coupe.


I purchased this 1940 Willys from a friend, who had stored it since 1969.

A friend of mine had the 1940 Willys sedan pictured here stored in his garage for a few years. An old inspection sticker on the windshield showed the car as last being on the road in Pennsylvania in 1969. I bought the car in 1995, and with a minimum amount of work, I put it back on the road.

I installed a new battery and changed all the fluids. A thorough cleaning of the master and wheel cylinders put the like-new brakes back to working order. It starts, even on the coldest days, and runs beautifully. Everything works, including the radio.

As I went along, I replaced the voltage regulator, radiator, starter cable and the king pin bushings. I also have a set of rear bumper extensions that I understand were a dealer-installed option. I haven’t installed the bumper pieces yet, but they are sitting safely on a shelf, waiting for me to get around to installing them. These items were acquired by me, thanks to Ron Ladley, the “Willys man,” in Barto, Pa.

I am constantly amazed at how much torque the little four-cylinder engine packs. The car goes effortlessly up hills in high gear and rolls along at 60 mph.

My sedan is a Deluxe model, and I believe what qualifies it as a Deluxe model is its extended trunk, radio, cigarette lighter and wing windows. Directly below the cigarette lighter in the middle of the dash is the cast “De Luxe” insignia.

Some of the most pleasurable experiences I have had with the car were at car shows. One gentlemen came up to me and explained that, when he was seven years old, his father had an identical car that he often took the family out for rides through the country. The man asked if he could sit in the car, and, of course, I encouraged him while his wife took his picture. Several fellows exclaimed that they had seen pictures of a stock 1940 Willys, but had never seen one in person.

What I really like about original cars are the little things. Not only is the ignition key original, but the keys work in all of the doors and trunk. The switch that controls the heater still works, right down to illuminating when it is turned on. The dome light and the instrument panel lights work and are controlled by mini-toggle switches mounted under the face of the dashboard. The original horn is in the car and still produces that distinctive “beep-beep” sound.

The door handles and straps are in excellent condition. I am always impressed with the design of the various cast pieces, which resemble quality silverware. The upholstery was replaced with what appears to be original fabrics, and it is in excellent condition. The radio works and, lucky for me, picks up a local AM station.


Coupe bodies didn’t change much from 1937-’42, but sedans were offered in different variations during the same period. Depending on year and model, sedans came with and without rear quarter windows. The line stretching from above the side windows down to the trunk on this 1940 Willys sedan is a drip rail molding.

The trunk holds the original spare, complete with an un-chromed hubcap, as well as the original jack and lug wrench. The hinges and handle on the trunk are painted in the color of the car, as they were from the factory.

A previous owner installed signal lights and replaced the original rearview mirror with a day/night unit. Both of these modifications are welcomed, as they improve safety, especially at night.

The only original features of the car that can use an upgrade are the headlights and the windshield wipers. The original headlight reflectors are silver plate and don’t produce a very bright light, no matter how well polished. The driver’s-side windshield wiper is powered by a vacuum motor, but the passenger-side wiper is mounted on a rotating post and is actuated by a horizontal rod that ties into the driver’s-side wiper arm. I eventually removed the passenger-side wiper, as it proved to be more of a problem than a help. With the wipers working, and when the car was driven over 40 mph, the entire wiper assembly would not only lift off of the windshield, but would flap over onto the roof.

I hope you enjoy the photos, as I have tried to capture the flavor of a well-designed and pleasurable automobile.

 

1940s Willys 6/66 Concept Car

The 1940s Willys 6/66 concept car features showed promise. Although an ordinary transverse leaf spring appeared at each end, front suspension employed the novel "Planar" independent geometry devised by W-O chief engineer Delmar G. "Barney" Roos when he was at Studebaker (and used on the aforementioned Champ).

<table align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="400"><tbody><tr><td><center>

This wartime sketch showed a 1947 license plate,
signaling the planned debut year of the Willys 6/66 .

</center></td></tr></tbody></table>Out back was a "swinging independent, semi-floating wheel bearing" axle, though that presumably did not mean half-shafts, which would have been far too expensive for such a cost-conscious product.

Standard transmission was the usual three-speed manual with column shift, but optional overdrive was planned along with an automatic transmission of undisclosed (or, more likely, undecided) design.

The 6/66 progressed to a single running prototype, a two-door sedan that looked for all the world like a shrunken mid-1940s Hudson. Designer Stevens, then working as a consultant, also penned a convertible version with a fashionable blind-quarter cabriolet top, but it went no further than his drawing board. Stevens doodled numerous trim variations.

<table align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="400"><tbody><tr><td><center>

The 1940 Willys 6/66 concept car had become
the Model 6-70 by the time this running
prototype was photographed.

</center></td></tr></tbody></table>Front-end workouts followed a common theme of a trim die-cast grille beneath a "coffin nose" hood reminiscent of the late, great Cord 810/812. Many of Stevens' renderings, as well as factory photographs of the lone prototype, showed "1947" license plates, suggesting that was the planned introductory model year. At one point, base price was targeted as low as -- you guessed it -- $666.

Somewhere along the way, the 6/66 became the Model 6-70, as shown on a set of general specifications dated April 17, 1945. It was the same car, however, and that was the problem.

Canaday had never liked it, and he liked it even less when the prototype was hit by a train during a trial run, killing the wife of the test driver. Joe stuck to his guns, but Canaday also stuck to his, so Frazer left in mid-1944 for Graham-Paige and his short-lived alliance with Henry John Kaiser.

In retrospect, Willys was wise not to pursue a compact in 1947. Demand for small cars, however cheap, was very thin in those days, and the 6/66 would have looked somewhat dated.

<table align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="400"><tbody><tr><td><center>
Though roomy for its size, the 6-70 was too small to have sold well in the heady postwar market.

</center></td></tr></tbody></table>Besides, civilian Jeep business quickly proved to be highly profitable, and Willys was able to offer a far better car by waiting until 1952. Regrettably, its worthy new Aero-Willys sold well only in 1952 and was gone within three years, leaving Toledo to rely once more on Jeeps alone.

Of course, that was hardly tragic, even though the Willys name vanished completely by 1970. After all, Toledo has never stopped building Jeeps, and some people still think of them as Willys products -- not a bad fate for a defunct nameplate.

 

The Connecticut-based seller of this 60,000-mile, original interior 1940 Willys three-window coupe claimed you could drive anywhere at highway speeds in it. I don’t think anybody eyeballing it now would be content with highway speeds, but hopefully the $4,500 delayed the inevitable fate as a gasser.

 

$4,500 what year is that from? I have seen $25K plus just for a steel body.