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73-533: The Willys Jeep Station Wagon , Jeep Utility Wagon and Jeep Panel Delivery are automobiles produced by Willys and Kaiser Jeep in the United States from 1946 to 1964, with production in Argentina and Brazil continuing until 1970 and 1977, respectively. They were the first mass-market all-steel station wagons designed and built as a passenger vehicle. With over 300,000 wagons and its variants built in

146-459: A day. In 1922, no more than 150 Duesenberg Model   As were manufactured, with only a total of 650 units sold over a period of six years. The Model X is a sportier version of the Model   A with a heavier and longer (136 in (3,500 mm) wheelbase ) chassis and 100 hp (75 kW) engine that enabled it to reach 100 mph (161 km/h). The most notable differences between

219-539: A four-cylinder engine. A four-door sedan and a two-door hardtop were added for 1953 along with taxi models. The Aero cars were called Lark, Wing, Falcon, Ace, or Eagle depending on year, engine, and trim level, except for a small production run in its final year (1955) with models called Custom and Bermuda. The bodies for the Willys Aero were supplied by the Murray Body Corporation , which also made

292-536: A larger sports car called the "Capeta" (Devil) in 1964, powered by the 2.6-litre six-cylinder Aero engine. In 1965, Willys–Overland do Brasil and Renault began collaborating on a new front-wheel drive car, called "Project M" and meant to replace the aging Dauphine. Developed in parallel with the Renault 12 , which it antedated, the car eventually saw light as the Ford Corcel . Early Corcels had "Willys" stamping in

365-501: A lightweight reconnaissance car based on a design by American Bantam . In 1938, Joseph W. Frazer had joined Willys from Chrysler as chief executive. He saw a need to improve the firm's 4-cylinder engine to handle the abuse to which the vehicle would be subjected. This objective was brilliantly achieved by ex- Studebaker chief engineer Delmar "Barney" Roos , who wanted an engine that could develop 15 horsepower at 4,400 r.p.m. and run for 150 hours without failure. What he started with

438-611: A new car, commonly referred to as the Chrysler Six . To raise cash needed to pay off debts, many of the Willys Corporation assets were put on the auction block. The Elizabeth plant and the Chrysler Six prototype were sold to William C. Durant , then in the process of building a new, third empire. The plant built Durant's low-priced Star , while the Chrysler Six prototype was substantially reworked to become

511-497: A new holding company that leased some of the properties back to W-O. The parent company was thus able to ride out the storm. In 1936, the Willys–Overland Motor Company was reorganized as Willys–Overland Motors. In 1937, Willys redesigned the 4-cylinder model. It gained a semistreamlined body with a slanted windshield, headlamps integrally embedded into the fenders, and a one-piece, rounded hood transversely hinged at

584-466: A new model in 2005, intended to be produced by sister company Duesenberg Custom Coach. Designed by Jeff Teague , the new 'Duesenberg Torpedo Coupe' would feature a radical axial twelve-cylinder engine layout known as a 'Cylindrical Energy Module' or CEM. Adapted from a firefighting pump design by car designer Eddie Paul , the CEM would rotate on an axis, sucking in fuel and providing self lubrication and

657-667: A number of new innovative technologies. Despite plans of producing between 25 and 50 units per year, the project never materialised. Duesenberg's first car was the Model ;A. It is powered by the Duesenberg Straight-8 engine and was the first car to be mass-produced with a straight-eight. The purchase price for a Model   A started at $ 6,500 (equivalent to $ 116,000 in 2023). The Duesenberg Model   A introduced several innovative features, such as an overhead camshaft , four-valve cylinder heads , and

730-475: A possible nationalist backlash, and to become eligible for various government incentives. The little tail-engined Dauphine was a result of Kaiser's Renault connection, and was produced by Willys do Brasil from 1959 until 1968. Willys–Overland was one of the first companies to enter the Brazilian passenger automobile market, and their early entry originally paid off, with sales spiking in 1954 when Willys became

803-489: A system based on a transverse seven-leaf spring. The system, called "Planadyne" by Willys, was similar in concept to the "planar" suspension Roos had developed for Studebaker in the mid-1930s. In 1953 the U.S. military included the 4x4 station wagon models 463 and 473 as non (standard) classified 1/4-ton trucks under Standard Nomenclature List number G-740 in Technical Manual edition TM9-2800-1. The Jeep Wagon

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876-626: A wheelbase of 142.5 in (362 cm). The SJ was introduced in 1932. Only 36 units were built. A special version of the SJ, the Mormon Meteor , broke several land speed records. Investors in New York City originally supported the Model   J, but following the Stock market crash of 1929 , the market for Model   Js switched to Hollywood stars. The one-off SJ Twenty Grand

949-422: Is a phonetic pronunciation of the abbreviation GP, but Ford did not start manufacturing jeeps until February 1941, after news of "jeeps" made by "Bantam" had already been widely reported in the newspapers nationwide. The Ford designation "GP" did not stand for "General Purpose", supposedly the "G" signifying government contract vehicle and "P" indicating the 80-inch wheelbase reconnaissance car. Ford may have chosen

1022-464: The 1921 French Grand Prix , the first American car to do so. Duesenberg cars also performed well at the Indianapolis 500 during the 1920s, winning the race in 1922, 1924, 1925 and 1927. Van Zandt left the company in 1921, after which it struggled financially and entered receivership in 1924. Duesenberg was purchased by Errett Lobban Cord in 1926. August's role in the passenger-car side of

1095-619: The CJ series of civilian Jeeps. One variation was the Jeepster , which came with a 4-cylinder or 6-cylinder engine, but only with two-wheel drive to the rear. In 1952, Willys re-entered the car market with a new compact car, the Willys Aero . At first available only as a two-door sedan, it was available with either an L-head or F-head six-cylinder engine. Export markets could get the Aero with

1168-470: The Great Depression . About three hundred Model   Js were completed by 1930, short of the original 500-vehicle goal. The car's 7 L (420 cu in) engine was based on the company's racing engines of the 1920s and was manufactured by another Cord company, Lycoming . It output 265 horsepower (198 kW), aided by dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, making it

1241-814: The Maytag-Mason Automobile Company until they sold their stake in 1912. The Duesenberg brothers then moved to Saint Paul , Minnesota , where they established the Duesenberg Motors Company in 1913. Eddie Rickenbacker drove the first Duesenberg-designed vehicle to race at the Indianapolis 500 in 1914, placing tenth. During World War I , the Duesenbergs designed and built aircraft engines in Elizabeth , New Jersey . A Duesenberg driven by Tommy Milton won

1314-713: The Willys trademark was acquired by Italian Carrozzeria Viotti , declaration of Emanuele Bomboi (head of design of Viotti). Carrozzeria Viotti together with Fabbrica Italiana Maggiora introduced at the Bologna Motor Show 2014 the Willys AW 380 Berlineta, a concept car inspired by the original Willys Interlagos assembled by Willys in Brazil under license of the French Alpine. Viotti and Maggiora plans to produce

1387-464: The straight-eight engine and four-wheel hydraulic brakes . A Duesenberg car was the first American car to win a Grand Prix race, winning the 1921 French Grand Prix . Duesenbergs won the Indianapolis 500 in 1922 (when eight of the top ten finishers were Duesenbergs), 1924 , 1925 and 1927 . Transportation executive Errett Lobban Cord acquired the Duesenberg corporation in 1926. The company

1460-660: The 1919 Elgin Trophy . In 1919, the brothers sold their Saint Paul factories. In 1920, the Duesenberg brothers relocated to Indianapolis , Indiana , where they founded the Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, manufacturing the Duesenberg Model ;A . The brothers assumed engineering roles after signing over the naming rights and patents for Duesenberg engines to promoters Newton E. Van Zandt and Luther M. Rankin. The first Model   A

1533-604: The 1923 Flint . Walter Chrysler and the three engineers who had been working on the Chrysler Six all moved on to Maxwell - Chalmers where they continued their work, ultimately launching the Chrysler Six in January 1924. (In 1925, the Maxwell car company became the Chrysler Corporation .) In 1926, Willys–Overland introduced a new line of small cars named Willys–Overland Whippet. In the economic depression of

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1606-673: The 1930s, a number of Willys automotive brands faltered. Stearns-Knight was liquidated in 1929. Whippet production ended in 1931; its models were replaced by the Willys Six and Eight. Production of the Willys-Knight ended in 1933. There was also a pickup truck version of the Whippet, called the Willys-Six C-113 (reflecting its wheelbase in inches). This was not a sales success, with a mere 198 units being built. This vehicle

1679-414: The 1961 NHRA Nationals A/G title. Duesenberg 39°46′00″N 86°11′17″W  /  39.76667°N 86.18806°W  / 39.76667; -86.18806 Duesenberg Automobile & Motors Company, Inc. was an American racing and luxury automobile manufacturer founded in Indianapolis , Indiana , by brothers Fred and August Duesenberg in 1920. The company is known for popularizing

1752-568: The A   and the X were that the latter had hypoid differentials and all its valves were on one side. The Duesenberg Model X chassis is an upgrade over the Model   A chassis, offering a reworked 260-cubic-inch (4.3 L) straight-8 engine, an overhead cam, with a new crankshaft, revised valve train, improved pistons and superior intake manifold. Power is 100 hp, which made driving at 100 mph (160 km/h) possible. The chassis length increased to 136 inches (3.5 m), with additional reinforcements. Improved leaf springs are mounted above

1825-646: The CJ had already been replaced with the Jeep Wrangler (also known as the YJ and later TJ ). The Jeep marque, owned by DaimlerChrysler and later Fiat S.p.A. and Stellantis , produces Jeep vehicles at a new Toledo Complex . DaimlerChrysler introduced the Overland name for a trim package on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee . The badging is a recreation of the Overland nameplate from the early twentieth century. In 2014,

1898-633: The Jeep called the Rural, and the French Renault Dauphine small car. Also, an abortive plan was made to create a company called Chrysler-Willys do Brasil SA to build the 1956 Plymouth Savoy and a Dodge truck there, in the hope of taking advantage of Willys' "Brazilian-made" credentials. Willys went through considerable effort to appear as a Brazilian company, even selling a large portion of their company to Brazilian stockholders to forestall

1971-446: The Model   J's power output. Only the chassis and engine of the Model   J were displayed, as the body and cabin of the car were custom built per custom for luxury vehicles at the time. The company's chief body designer, Gordon Buehrig designed around half of the Model   J bodies, while the remainder were designed by coachbuilders around the world, including Gurney Nutting , Murphy , and Derham , among others. The J

2044-467: The SJ, was reported to have reached 104 miles per hour (167 km/h) in second gear and have a top speed of 135–140 miles per hour (217–225 km/h) in third gear. Zero-to-60 mph (97 km/h) times of around eight seconds and 0–100 mph (0–161 km/h) in 17 seconds were reported for the SJ despite having an unsynchronized transmission, at a time when even the best cars of the era were not likely to reach 100 mph (160 km/h). The SJ had

2117-475: The U.S., it was one of Willys' most successful post-World War II models. For some time after the 1949 introduction of a four-wheel drive option, the 2WD was sold as "Station Wagon", while the 4WD was marketed as "Utility Wagon". The 4WD Willys Jeep Wagon is often considered the first production sport utility vehicle . The Jeep Wagon was assembled in several international markets under various forms of joint ventures , licenses , or knock-down kits . The Jeep Wagon

2190-603: The US Army in 1940. Ford, American Bantam , and Willys all manufactured jeeps for the US Army in 1941. Production of the Willys MB , commonly called a jeep, began in November 1941. Ford, American Bantam , and Willys together produced 8,598 units in 1940. Willys–Overland ranked 48th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts. In total, 647,870 military Jeeps were manufactured by

2263-638: The United States after Ford Motor Company . In 1913, Willys acquired a license to build Charles Yale Knight 's sleeve-valve engine, which it used in cars bearing the Willys–Knight nameplate. In the mid-1920s, Willys also acquired the F. B. Stearns Company of Cleveland and assumed continued production of the Stearns-Knight luxury car, as well. John Willys acquired the Electric Auto-Lite Company in 1914 and in 1917 formed

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2336-679: The Willys Corporation to act as his holding company . In 1916, it acquired the Russell Motor Car Company of Toronto , Ontario , and the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company in Buffalo, New York , by 1917, New Process Gear , and in 1919 acquired the Duesenberg Motors Company plant in Elizabeth, New Jersey . The New Jersey plant was replaced by a new, larger facility in Indianapolis , and

2409-702: The Willys Rural/Pickup and its derivatives were built as the Ford F-75 until 1983. The only visual difference is that the post-1970 cars have a tailgate with "Ford" rather than "Jeep" stamped in it. The military version of the Jeep Pickup was called the F-85. In America, the company had already changed its name in 1963 to Kaiser-Jeep Corporation; the Willys name disappeared thereafter. Kaiser-Jeep

2482-597: The Willys and Kaiser cars continued to fall. Willys–Overland established its Brazilian operations in 1953, just before the Kaiser-Frazer takeover. The tooling for the Aero went to Brazil, where it entered production in 1960. In 1956–1957, Brazil's Executive Group for the Automotive Industry (GEIA) had approved Willys–Overland for production of the Aero, the Willys MB Jeep, a truck version of

2555-452: The boards and produce two new models – the 4-cylinder Willys 77 and the 6-cylinder Willys 99 – but since the firm was once again on the verge of bankruptcy, only the 77 went into production. It was forced to sell its Canadian subsidiary, itself in weak financial shape, and started a massive reorganization. Only the main assembly plant and some smaller factories remained the property of Willys–Overland. The other assets were sold off to

2628-452: The bodies for the short-lived Hudson Jet . Also in 1952, CJ-3B Jeeps went into production. By 1968, over 155,000 were sold. In 1953, Kaiser Motors purchased Willys–Overland and changed the company's name to Willys Motor Company. The same year, production of the Kaiser car was moved from Willow Run, Michigan, to the Willys plant at Toledo, Ohio. Although Jeep production was steady, sales of

2701-514: The business declined after Cord's takeover, and August worked primarily in Duesenberg's racing division after 1926, designing all Duesenberg race cars built from that year until the company's dissolution. Two years later, Cord had the Duesenbergs make a new model to "outclass" all other American cars. In 1929, the company began selling the Duesenberg Model J , which was powered by a 265-horsepower (198 kW) straight-eight engine. The body and cabin were custom-built by coachbuilders . Prices for

2774-584: The cars ranged from $ 14,000 to $ 20,000 at the time. Duesenbergs were considered to be among the most luxurious American cars ever made. Historian Donald Davidson called them the "most prestigious passenger car" in American history and likened them to an American version of the Rolls-Royce . The vehicles were popular with movie stars, royalty and other wealthy individuals. The company was sold by Cord and dissolved in 1937. The last Duesenberg to be made by

2847-537: The company in 1947, and an attempt by his son, Fritz, and car designer Virgil Exner to revive the brand failed after the production of one concept car in 1966. In 1970, Bernard Miller bought the Duesenberg Corporation and produced the SSJ model from templates taken from the original 1935 SSJ La Grande body. The body was aluminum over ash. There were grand plans for over 300 SSJ's to be produced but over

2920-403: The company's final year, making it a puzzle why it became popular: it was neither cheap nor plentiful. After the company revived, the 1937–1942 coupés, sedans, and pickups were again popular with hot rodders and gasser teams, and again, comparatively low production leaves unexplained why they gained so much attention. Ollie Olsen's Wil-A-Meaner 1940 coupé (driven by Bob "Rapid" Dwyer) won

2993-511: The company's life span of 1970-1974 only 8 were completed. In 1978, Elite Heritage Motors acquired the trademark for Duesenberg and started producing the handmade "Duesenberg II" in Elroy , Wisconsin , under the name Duesenberg Motors Company. The "Duesenberg II" retained the styling of the cars from the 1920s and 1930s, but included some modern updates, such as stereo systems, air conditioning, and an automatic transmission. Each "Duesenberg II"

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3066-537: The early 1960s, when they built an assembly plant for the Jeep in the state of Pernambuco . In 1962, Willys started building the French Alpine A108 as the Willys Interlagos. It was produced until 1966 and was the first Brazilian-made sports car. It was also the car in which many Brazilian racers cut their teeth, including greats such as Emerson Fittipaldi . Willys also designed and showed

3139-400: The end of World War II , 362,841 by Willys, 280,448 by Ford and 2,675 by American Bantam. The word "Jeep" was first used to describe US Army "midget cars" in a January 1941 newspaper article, mentioning "Bantam" as the manufacturer. In January 1941 American Bantam was the only manufacturer that had actually fulfilled purchase orders to deliver jeeps to the US Army. Some people believe "jeep"

3212-512: The factory built aircraft assemblies for Lockheed Hudson bombers. When the war ended, the factory resumed automobile production and was one of two locations to build the first CJ2A, as well as the Willys Aero. The factory was closed in 1954. The location is now occupied by Prologis Eaves Distribution Center. Willys–Overland was one of two bidders when the United States Army sought an automaker that could begin rapid production of

3285-426: The first four-wheel hydraulic brakes offered on a passenger car. It had the largest engine of any consumer vehicle at the time of its production. The Duesenberg Model A experienced various delays going from prototype to production. Deliveries to dealers did not start until December 1921. Sales lagged, and Duesenberg could not meet a 100-vehicles-per-month quota as the Indianapolis plant struggled to roll out one

3358-466: The frame rails, thus, lowering the center of gravity. The Duesenberg Model   X chassis is the rarest Duesenberg street production chassis ever made, with only thirteen ever manufactured. Only five of the Duesenberg Model   Xs manufactured are known to have survived. The first Model J prototype was created in 1927 and the first cars were delivered in 1929, shortly before the onset of

3431-540: The glass, and the Corcel line (which continued in production until 1997 as the Ford Pampa ) always showed its French origins in its characteristic three-bolt wheels. In 1967, Ford took a controlling interest in Kaiser and thereby gained control of Willys–Overland do Brasil. The Aero-based Itamaraty continued in production until the early 1970s, in latter years wearing "Ford" badges. Dauphine production ended in 1968, but

3504-580: The hope of offsetting their shrinking market and losses at home. However, unlike in the case of the Argentinian Kaiser operations, which were essentially developed around hand-me-downs, Willys built a very modern plant from the ground up in Brazil. The original promise was to build cars for export back to the United States, but such a situation never materialized. However, by late 1961, Brazilian-built Willys Jeeps began to be exported to Chile . Willys expanded into Brazil's impoverished northeast in

3577-460: The letters GP because Bantam vehicles were already being called "jeeps", even in early 1941. The first documented use of the word "Jeep" was the name of the character Eugene the Jeep in the Popeye comic strip, known for his supernatural abilities ( e.g. , walking through walls). It was also the name of a small tractor supplied to the U.S. Army by Minneapolis-Moline in 1937. Whatever the source,

3650-412: The most powerful car of its time. The Model   J was capable of a top speed of 116 mph (187 km/h), and 88 mph (142 km/h) in second gear. Duesenberg historian Randy Ema wrote that the Model   J spurred change in engine design, "single-handedly (starting) the horsepower race that drove the number of cylinders from twelve to sixteen," but noted those engines still could not match

3723-587: The name stuck and on February 13, 1943, Willys–Overland filed a trademark application on the use of the term "Jeep" with the U.S. Patent Office. After several denials by the patent office and appeals by Willys–Overland, the trademark "Jeep" was finally awarded to the company on June 13, 1950. Willys also built 1292 airframes for the JB-2 Loon . After the war, Willys did not resume production of its passenger-car models, choosing instead to concentrate on Jeeps and Jeep-based vehicles. The first postwar Willys product

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3796-400: The number-one selling car. Being distributed by the family of Getúlio Vargas ' closest advisor Osvaldo Aranha also helped, and Willys–Overland reached a 52% share of Brazilian passenger car production in 1959. Willys held a market share of around 30% in Brazil from 1960 until 1966, its last full year as an independent, mostly Brazilian-owned company. Willys entered the Brazilian market in

3869-503: The original company was completed in 1940, commissioned by German artist Rudolf Bauer and completed by August Duesenberg after the company had shut down. In 1998, The Franklin Mint started producing collectible scale models of Duesenberg Coupé Simone , a fictitious custom-made luxury car allegedly manufactured in the late 1930s. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to revive the Duesenberg name. August Duesenberg failed to restart

3942-461: The real wood-bodied station wagon versions at the time. Within the first two years of the Jeep Wagon's production, the only manufacturer in the United States with a station wagon that was comparable in price was Crosley , which introduced an all-steel wagon in 1947. The Jeep Wagon was the first Willys product with independent front suspension . Barney Roos , Willys' chief engineer, developed

4015-451: The rear. For 1939, the Model 39 featured Lockheed hydraulic brakes, a two-inch increase in wheelbase to 102 inches and an improved 134 DID four-cylinder engine with power increased from 48 to 61 hp. The Model 39 was marketed as an Overland and as a Willys–Overland rather than as a Willys. In 1929, the company built a factory that built vehicles located at what is now 6201 Randolph Street, Commerce, California . During World War II ,

4088-508: The same engine and transmission, with clear styling influence from the CJ-2A Jeep. The next year came a "Jeep" Utility Truck with four-wheel drive. In 1948, the wagon was available in four-wheel drive, making it the ancestor of all sport utility vehicles . Willys planned to re-enter the passenger car market in 1947 with the Willys 6–70 sedan. Its name came from the fact it was powered by a 6-cylinder engine that produced 70 hp. The 6–70

4161-464: The vehicle in limited edition and relaunch the Willys marque. Stellantis reintroduced the Willys name as a trimline for the Jeep Gladiator pickup truck in the early 2020s. The 1933–1936 coupés and pickups were very popular gassers . The best-known would be the 1933 Willys 77 . Only 12,800 were sold in 1933, 13,234 in 1934, 10,644 in 1935 (including a new panel delivery ), and 30,825

4234-432: Was an engine that developed 48 horsepower at 3,400 r.p.m., and could run continuously for only two to four hours ... It took Barney Roos two years to perfect his engine, by a whole complex of revisions that included closer tolerances, tougher alloys, aluminum pistons, and a flywheel reduced in weight from fifty-seven to thirty-one pounds. American Bantam was the sole manufacturer of serial production jeeps delivered to

4307-451: Was available in two versions of chassis with a different wheelbase; a longer one (153.54 in (3.90 m)) and a shorter one (about 141.73 in (3.60 m)). There were also other special sizes, like the SSJs with a wheelbase shortened to 125 in (3.18 m) and a few cars with the wheelbase extended to 160 in (4.1 m) and over. The supercharged Model J, referred to as

4380-505: Was capable of running on either petrol or diesel . The powerplant would also allegedly create only 1/6th of the heat of a conventional engine, meaning air cooling would be sufficient. A Mercedes V12 engine was planned to be used if this powerplant prove to be too costly or difficult to implement. Alongside this, the Torpedo coupe would be the first production automobile to use Bose electromagnetic suspension , alongside incorporating

4453-417: Was commissioned by Hawaiian businessman and politician Samuel Northrup Castle . The car had a 260-cubic-inch (4.3 L) straight-eight engine that output 88 horsepower (66 kW), the largest engine in a commercially available vehicle at the time, and was the first to have hydraulic brakes on all its wheels. The company continued to build race cars as well, and a Duesenberg driven by Jimmy Murphy won

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4526-463: Was designed in the mid-1940s by industrial designer Brooks Stevens . Willys did not make their own bodies, car bodies were in high demand, and Willys was known to have limited finances. Brooks therefore designed bodies that could be built by sheet metal fabricators who normally made parts for household appliances and could draw sheet metal no more than 6 inches (152 mm). The steel body was efficient to mass-produce, easier to maintain and safer than

4599-471: Was picked up by International Harvester , who installed their own 213-cubic inch engine and offered it in 1933 as the International D-1. In 1932, Ward M. Canaday, who beginning in 1916 had done advertising for the company before becoming a full-time employee, had taken on the role of chairman. He helped guide the company through its current receivership . At this time, Willys decided to clear

4672-596: Was precisely measured using an original example as a template. Over 5,000 manhours of craftsmanship was put into each car. In 1981, a new Duesenberg II Royalton had a base price of $ 125,000. The company produced several models, including the Torpedo sedan and phaeton, and the Murphy roadster. The factory produced a total of 67 cars before closing in 2001. In 1996, the Duesenberg name was purchased by Minnesota based company Maple Plain Corporation, who revealed plans for

4745-597: Was produced as the IKA Estanciera by Industrias Kaiser Argentina from 1957 to 1970. In the 1950s, a version based on the 1946 US version was introduced. A truck version, the Pickup, was introduced in 1961. Ford Brazil bought the Willys factory in 1967 and the Rural Jeep wagon was renamed Ford Rural , and the truck was later named the Ford F-75 in 1972. Both models were offered with an inline-six engine, which

4818-460: Was produced in 1933 for the Century of Progress World's Fair to represent Duesenberg's automotive progress. Two modified Model   Js, known as the SSJ, were produced in 1935 for actors Gary Cooper and Clark Gable . The SSJ reportedly produced 400 hp (298 kW) and could go 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in less than 8 seconds. Cooper's SSJ sold for $ 22 million in 2018, making it

4891-409: Was sold and dissolved in 1937. Fred and August Duesenberg began designing engines in the early 1900s, after Fred became involved with bicycle racing . The brothers designed a vehicle in 1905, and they formed the Mason Motor Car Company in 1906 with funds from lawyer Edward R. Mason in Des Moines , Iowa . F.   L. and Elmer Maytag acquired a majority stake in the company and renamed it

4964-435: Was sold to American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1970 when Kaiser Industries decided to leave the automobile business. After the sale, AMC used engines it had developed for its other cars in Jeep models to improve performance and standardize production and servicing. Renault purchased a major stake in AMC in 1979 and took over operation of the company, producing the CJ series until 1986. Chrysler purchased AMC in 1987 after

5037-425: Was the CJ-2A , an MB stripped of obviously military features, particularly the blackout lighting , and with the addition of a tailgate. Willys initially struggled to find a market for the vehicle, first attempting to sell it primarily as an alternative to the farm tractor . Tractors were in short supply, having been out of production during the war. However, sales of the "Agri-Jeep" never took off, mainly because it

5110-399: Was the first gasoline engine manufactured in Brazil. They were available in RWD or 4X4 configuration. The Rural was discontinued in 1977 and the F-75 in 1981. Willys In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company and in 1912 renamed it Willys–Overland Motor Company. From 1912 to 1918, Willys was the second-largest producer of automobiles in

5183-430: Was to be the site of production for a new Willys Six at an adjacent site, but the depression of 1920–21 brought the Willys Corporation to its knees. The bankers hired Walter P. Chrysler to sort out the mess and the first model to go was the Willys Six, deemed an engineering disaster. Chrysler had three auto engineers: Owen Skelton , Carl Breer , and Fred Zeder (later nicknamed The Three Musketeers ) begin work on

5256-466: Was too light to provide adequate draft. The CJ-2A was among the first civilian vehicles of any kind to be equipped with four-wheel drive from the factory, and it gained popularity among farmers, ranchers, hunters, and others who needed a lightweight vehicle for use on unimproved roads and trails. In 1946, a year after the introduction of the CJ-2A, Willys produced the Willys "Jeep" Utility Wagon based on

5329-660: Was touted as the 'first stock car' in America that offered independent suspension on all four wheels, but it never entered production. In 1948, under a contract from the U.S. Army, Willys produced a small one-man four-wheeled utility vehicle called the Jungle Burden Carrier which evolved into the M274 Utility 1 ⁄ 2 -ton vehicle. Willys later produced the M38 Jeep for the U.S. Army, and continued

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