Indie Auto readers can offer feedback either by submitting a comment at the bottom of a post or sending me a message (go here). Some messages initiate private conversations, but this one functions as a letter to the editor.
The writer offers interesting thoughts about the potential evolution of a post-war Willys compact. This letter is a good example of why automotive history is a team sport. Your thoughts are always appreciated.
“I enjoyed reading the article on the potential of Willys offering a better template for an import beater. One of the things Willys would have needed to resolve would be converting their Go Devil/Lightning later Hurricane 4/6-cylinder engines to Overhead Valves like Mitsubishi for their version of the Hurricane 4/6-cylinder when they converted it into an OHV diesel.
It is interesting to note that had a post-war Willys Americar II’s transition into an Americar III followed a similar trajectory to the Nash Rambler’s transformation into the Rambler America in terms of size, the Willys Americar III’s potential size would roughly equate to a mk1/mk2 Ford Cortina.
Not a clue if an OHV 4-cylinder Hurricane would have suited such a car, yet it seems based on the 2.4-3.0 6-cylinder Lightning/Hurricane that displacements as low as 1.6-2.0+ were possible, though a new engine would have probably been needed.”
Found an interesting titbit in Dante Giacosa’s book regarding a post-war attempt by Willys Overland to build a version of the Fiat 1400, fitted with engine and transmission from the Jeep. Similar to how the 1953-1959 Steyr 2000 and 2300 were based on the licence-built 1400 yet powered by their own Austrian designed engines.
“After the negotiations with Chrysler and Nash, the Willys Overland company
came on the scene. Like Nash they were interested in manufacturing a small auto for the USA. They proposed building the 1400 in the States and fitting it with the power plant and transmission of their jeep. This scheme was also stillborn because there were too many problems to solve, much more difficult than the mere technical ones.”
Interesting. WB about 4 inches smaller than the Aero. Body is a little too Euro for my taste, but at least it doesn’t look like it was designed in 1938. Besides Austria, it was also license built by NSU in Germany, SEAT in Spain, and Zastave in Yugoslavia. The 1400 began production in 1950, which would have been pretty close to the go/no=go decision for the Aero. NSU and Steyr were continuing relationships with FIAT, and the license building was the beginning of car production for SEAT and Zastava.
Though WIllys was the smallest of the independents, they had decades of experience building cars for the American market. I have a feeling that the project went rapidly downhill when American wages were taken into consideration.
SEAT demonstrated with the 1400 could be rebodied as seen with the 1400 C produced from 1960-1963, whose Pininfarina styled body came from the recently introduced Fiat 1800.
SEAT would also look at 1400 spinoffs like the 1957 SEAT 1400 Microbús prototype, Seat 1400 Furgón Hugas van and other 1400 derivatives.