1930 Willys Knight Model 66B Roadster

In 1913, Ford was the number one selling automobile in America. In second place was the Willys-Overland Company. That same year, doctors told John North that he had been working too hard and should either go abroad or to a sanitarium. Willys decided to go to Europe, but he could not stray far from his work. While in Europe, he met Charles Yale Knight. Knight had invented an engine with sleeve valves rather than the usual poppet valves. The sleeve valves were much quieter when opening, but they had the propensity to burn more oil. Ultimately, poppet valves won out, and since 1914 Willys-Overland produced more Knight-engined cars than virtually all other manufacturers in the world combined.

Willys-Knight were in the middle-market range. In 1929, at the New York Automobile Show, an upscale edition was introduced. It wore styling by designer Amos Northup, who was better known for styling the Reo Royale. He was responsible for its distinctive grid work on the doors, which the New York press labeled 'Plaidside,' and the name stuck. Around 400 cars were produced, all with bodywork by Griswold of Detroit, but only 13 survivors are known.

John A. Weierman, of Ogdensburg, New York, found this car, chassis number 48892, in the 1940s and carefully restored it in Polo White with Saddle Brown striping.

The car was originally purchased at the 1930 New York Auto Show at Madison Square Garden by a doctor in Massena, New York. That doctor was Dr. Charles F. Praire, who had bought it off the floor at the show.

Mr. Breed and his wife, Elba, purchased the Roadster in 1959, and after the purchase, they proceeded to restripe it in maroon and install complementary new upholstery, replacing what was, at the time, the original leather. The car stayed with the Breeds for the next two decades.

By 1974, the car had been driven fewer than 20,000 original miles. In 1976, Mr. Breed passed away and the car was inherited by his daughter, Loralee Lopez. At an estate auction, she was offered $18,000 for the car, but she could not part with her father's automobile, and when the estate was settled, the car was relocated to her home in Ridgecrest, California.

In the early 2000s Mrs. Breed's second husband, Larry Harstad generously agreed to fund the car's body-off restoration, but only if he was allowed to drive it. The family agreed, and the Plaidside was restored, in the same colors chosen by its earlier owners.

In 2005, the Breed family finally parted with the car.

The car is powered by a Knight sleeve-valve six-cylinder engine displacing 255 cubic inches and offering 87 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual transmission with synchromesh and four-wheel mechanical brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2014