Hot Rods How Many Willys Did They Make ?!

Good question, all the Willys I have and have had were made in the USA. JW

 

I was curious since I have a 35 panel and they say only 88 were made, just was wondering if that was oversea stuff too


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There is someone on here that would know, just gotta remember which one. I had a look at yours and its very nice. I don't think any of those came to New Zealand as I have not heard of any.
It amazes me that so many have survived though, it seems there are more than were built !! JW

 

Just like most everything else connected with Willys, we can never be sure that we know all the correct information.
Here are a couple of my experiences. I have been at the original factory in Toledo, and they have very little on the cars we love so much ( the displays were mostly of their military vehicles...could only find pictures of our cars), but the workers who were there when I visited did say that they were all built there, and shipped to many places. A lot went to Canada, to parts of Europe, frames, sheet metal, etc. to Australia, and as I learned from a HAMB member US style cars to New Zealand. One of those panels was in Moose Jaw Sasketchewan in the early 60's when I lived there, and is now owned by Abe Suderman, in BC Canada. I have a friend locally who owns a panel...and I saw one a number of years ago at a swap in Des Moine Iowa. We've seen a few show up in Africa, South America, and other places you would never expect. Another person who would know some answers to some of our questions is collector Ron Ladley (Philadelphia Area). I have been to Ron's place, and he was heavy into collecting anything original Willys, and had lot's of factory literature that he accumulated from original dealerships that he found in his area and out east. His original dealership sign collection was extensive. It is amazing that so many had survived, but as I have said earlier, they have always been hard to find, even though they were still out there.
The fun part here is to add to our knowledge base...I have taken a ton of them apart and thought I knew everything .about them...wrong...still learning!!! Here is a picture of a local stocker that I saw 25 years ago...it disappeared for years, and turned up again a few years back...belongs to a friend. There is another 40 stocker locally, but the guy won't sell, and it is just rusting away. g-willys

 

I hate to hear that. It took me 22 years to buy mine


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Great post, Thanks for the info Bill!

 

One area of Willys production I have little info on is the Willys plant in Mayville California. Did Willys send partially assembled cars out by rail or just stampings, or what? Any info out there?

 

mohr hp
I have only seen the name here...have no info on that plant, and can't even find it listed in my Willys history and literature. I do have pictures of cars being loaded on to ships in LA harbor , and had heard that they had an assembly plant in the LA area...my assumption was they either were assembled there or shipped direct from Toledo to a holding plant. Did that plant exist before the military Jeep? g-willys
Just found out it was called the Maywood plant, and civilian cars were produced there starting in 1929.

 

Thanks. Maybe it was Maywood. I remember an ad going around for a Willys Californian, supposedly built there. Again, very little info. Where's Weasel?

 

Did Willys every build a sedan delivery during the 33-41 production? HRP

 

The 1935 & 1936 WILLYS 77 Delivery were considered a Panel Delivery and were a commercial vehicle. They did not have a steel floor behind the seat like a Sedan. Yes, one seat. A second seat was extra cost and I think most business used vehicles didn't want a passenger seat. I believe in '37-'42 panel was only a Aussie deal though a few US sedans have been converted to a sedan delivery (panel) "style"

 

Willys Californian

 

Interesting that the 39 Overland version above has vent windows in the front doors.
I had no idea of the California plant, what a great thread and yes where is Weasel with his vast knowledge on 35-36 deliveries. JW

 

Never knew anything about a California plant. Did a bit of quick digging and might have found out where it was.
An old map and some info here: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2009/02/13/factories-and-dealerships-of-historical-los-angeles/



An old aerial from 1953.


Close up.


Today, might be where Eaves Distribution Center is now?

 

All this bring up another question in my mind...the body and frame parts that went to body companies in Australia, did they come from Toledo, or did they come from this California plant? It would be hard to believe that they would ship directly from Toledo, when shipping from the west coast would be so much cheaper. Yes where has Weasel been lately? It always helps to have as much knowledge on this subject as you can. Ron Ladley may know some of those things too. I knew a guy in Wisconsin whose father owned a Willys dealership in the 40's, that I had visited about 30 years ago. The building , long abandon, still stands, but I haven't seen the son (older than me) in 15-20 years.
Lets keep trying to un-earth some information, this is interesting. Those Californians were gaudy...wonder what happened to them? They couldn't have just produced the two pictured ...lol. g-willys

 

In 1980 when I bought my steel '36 Willys it was just a beat up shell. A friend of mine who is a Model A restorer nut looked at the bent shell and asked me what I had to give for it. When I said $2000 he just shook his head and laughed in disbelief. I explained to him that for every steel Willys left there were ten people who want to own it.

Who's laughin' now?

 

I just remembered when I purchased my 39 Overland sedan in 76 off the 1st owners son he said it was assembled here in New Zealand (Christchurch). That I believe is the 1st year this happened here. JW

 

My 35s dash. JW

 

GREAT post!

Here's my pickup, just for fun:

 

110% surviol rate like 1932 fords

 

Another question I've never figured out is, what's the story on '39 sedan taillights. Mine are the high-mounted rectangular beltline style, others are low and round. So was this a model difference, a separate option, or a running change on a given date? I think my rectangular beltline taillights are the rarest parts on the car. A guy out west told me he carried a pair to swap meets for over 10 years before finding someone who knew what thy were and wanted them!

 

I have wondered the same thing. My old 39 Overland had the lower round ''LUX'' lens (one only) and I think the dash on this model may coincide with the tail lights. Mine had one glove box and two round gauges and I have seen pics of the 40 style dash on the cars with the high tail lights, I have also seen them referred too as a model 61 ! This may be to do with the new 61 hp motor........this just ads to the confusion JW

 

shooter54, i followed your build. love the truck. just purchased a 39. cant wait to get started

 

mohr hp
Here's an interesting answer to your question. It came in conversations with the (now deceased) dealership mechanic
I met 30+ years ago. He mentioned that in the change over to the beltline tail lights Willys still had some bodies with the lower tail light holes punched in, and so equiped those with the original type tail light (LUX). He said (don't know if it is true or not) that the '39 Shark nose version was a complete make over for Willys, with the new more pointed sheet metal, hydraulic brakes, and more horse power, so that it would truly appear as a new version of the Willys for 1939. Like I said...interesting! I have seen a car with factory plugs in the lower tail light holes, and belt line tail lights. This old mechanic said that the beltline tail lights were way ahead of their time, and not very well received, and that was a reason for the return to the lower tail lights in the 440 model. He went on to say that with the tail lights on other cars all being placed lower, there was confusion with lights coming on, higher up on the body...kind of like when 3rd brake lights first came out. I don't know if these explanations were just his opinions, or fact. He said that people just didn't like them. As far as different dashes (my opinion) they were just using up older production parts. Remember the Western Canada brothers with the pair of '39's...one had a 39-40 style dash...the other had the style with the round 37-38 style guages...both had belt line tail lights I think. For my friend from New Zealand, the Willys only came with one tail light on their Standard models, but could have 2 as a (cheap) deluxe option...so most asked for the 2nd light in the states. Same with the wipers. g-willys

 

We are covering some good ground here g-. Will we ever get to the bottom of the model 39 Overland's statistics and variants, who knows but its sure fun learning and sharing on the subject. keep it coming. JW

 

Looks very nice, hope you are going to keep the 39 front sheet metal. JW

 

Glad to hear JW

 

Is there any way I could get a copy of the 1934 serial numbers. Thank You very much.

 

I am still new to all of this. Is there a way to contact g-willys to see if he still has the list??

 

Thank You very muck for the info. I am out the shop to tinker on the truck. Have a great weekend.