1. Early 1930s Willys 77 automobile.
These two unusual photographs turned up in a batch of photos I bought from the USA early in 2006. Thanks to a reply on the site forum, the car has been identified as a 1930s Willys, probably a type 77 sedan, built around 1933.
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The first photo is dated September 1936, and shows a young child stood on the running board of the pre-war Willys 4dr saloon, which is parked at the side of a quiet road. The styling of these rare 4 cylinder cars is quite distinctive - note the wheels, and unusually-shaped bonnet (or 'hood'). The four side-vents on each side of the hood can be opened to improve ventilation to the motor, as shown in the second photo.
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This one shows a woman stood, leaning against the front wing ('fender') of the car, again at the side of a road. This photo is dated April 30th 1937. The front end treatment on the 30s Willys is unique too - note the faired-in headlamps which are housed within the front fenders, as opposed to on top of them, or off the side of the radiator surround.
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Later models, such as the example shown below, did away with the distinctive hood vents, and were replaced with more normal openings.
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2. 1936 Willys Model 77.
The Willys 77 in the following photograph wears a 1936 (British Columbia) licence plate, giving a good clue as to its date of manufacture. The family resemblance to the slightly earlier Willys sedan shown above is clear, although by 1936 the bonnet vents had altered, and the headlamps were now faired into the sides of the radiator shell. The following year the Willys would undergo a significant re-design, resulting in the Model 37 (an example of which can be seen on this page).
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Nowadays, the company is perhaps most often remembered for its wartime Jeeps, or Willys MB as they were called. Post-war, the Jeep continued in production for many years, with examples such as the civilian-spec CJ-2A being a popular choice for farm owners across the States.
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