1928 Willys Model 62A Rumble Seat Roadster

John North Willys was born on October 25th of 1873 in Canandaigua, New York. He sold bicycles for a number of years and later entered the automobile retaining business in Elmira, New York. He sold the Overland brand of automobiles and was one of the more successful salesmen in the area. When he experienced supply problems in the mid-1900s, he decided to purchase the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company and in 1912 renamed it Willys-Overland Motor Company. By 1912 it was the second-largest producer of automobiles in the US, a title it would retain until 1918.

In 1913, Willys purchased a license to build the Knight engine, a design that utilized sleeve-valve technology. The design was developed by American inventor Charles Yale Knight. This engine was used in a new car, which was named after John Willys, and was one of the more expensive vehicles produced by the company. The first Willys-Knight was introduced in 1915. It was powered by a four-cylinder engine and sold for $2,475. The following year, a six-cylinder engine became available and followed by a V8 in 1917.

Willys was the only United States-based automaker to use the Sleeve-Valve design. In Europe, however, it was very popular among the automakers, especially those in the luxury and upscale market including Daimler, Minerva, and Panhard.

The sleeve-valve design had many advantages over the contemporary units on the market. It had concentric sleeves which rotated to allow gases in and out. This did away with the need for poppet valves. Probably the biggest advantage of the sleeve valves was the silent operation. The more they were driven, the better they ran, since accumulated carbon helped seal the sleeves and prevented oil from migrating to the combustion chamber.

In 1928, Willys introduced its Model 56. This was the first sub-$1000 car offered by Wills-Knight. It rode on a 109.5-inch wheelbase and was powered by a 158 cubic-inch Willys-Knight six-cylinder engine. The following year, the price of the car fell by $50.

This 1928 Willys Model 62A Rumble Seat Roadster is painted in metallic silver with light green fenders. The upholstery is finished in matching light tan leather. There is a rear-mounted trunk rack and a tan leather-covered trunk. It was offered for sale at the 2007 Bonhams Important Sale of Collectors' Motorcars and Automobilia at the Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club. It was estimated to sell for $30,000 - $50,000 with the hammer price being $30,420 including premiums and taxes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2008