New Willys Aero Book

[Gordie]

Amazon is offering a new book from Brazil called WILLYS AERO.  It is written in Portugese but appears to have much information about the Brazilian Aero's with many illustrations.  Has anyone ordered one yet.  They are $29.95.  I am wondering if they are worth buying?  Rick Kamen's CD on the American Aero's contains about everything you would want to know about the Aeros built in Toledo.

[MarkH]

Yes, I thought it was worth buying. To me, the photos alone were worth the price of admission. One set was after Ford acquired Willys and their updated concept Aero looked much the same except for what (to me) looked like a period correct LTD-ish fenders, hood, grill grafted onto it. They didn't even bother to paint match the "graft". I learned a bit of Portuguese when I was surfing Mercado a lot and could generally get the gist of the text. There were a few sections I wanted to read word for word that I typed into a translator. There's actually two Brazil books I know of, both by the same authors. The other isn't a hardback but is larger as well as the color photos, and a little thicker.

I see a "Kindle" edition for the Willys Capeta on this page too. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=willys+aero&ref=nb_sb_noss

Here's a link to the other book I quickly found  https://www.saraiva.com.br/aero-willys-o-carro-que-marcou-epoca-3530087/p

I actually bought my books on ebay, I think a bit cheaper. They may still be listed there.

EDIT: I just took another look at the link above and also see the Aero book there that's listed on Amazon. At the current exchange rate of 4 Brazil Reals to 1 US Dollar, that makes one book 5 USD, the other 7 USD. Don't know about credit card or international shipping but if so, it could be both books for about the Amazon price for one.

[MarkH]

Looks like they had 2 headlight & grill designs with the "Ford" front sheet metal.

[Gordie]

Ford owned Willys of Brazil at one time and that was probably when that happened.  Thanks for showing those interesting images.  I have a postcard of a Willys of Brazil station wagon but it has Ford information on the back side and not Willys.  We all need to get that new book.

[MarkH]

Ford owned Willys of Brazil at one time and that was probably when that happened.  Thanks for showing those interesting images.  I have a postcard of a Willys of Brazil station wagon but it has Ford information on the back side and not Willys.  We all need to get that new book.

You're right, those photos are from after the Ford buyout. Even though the Aero didn't live on, the F-head did and powered the Brazil Ford Maverick, eventually reaching 135HP.

[joefrazer]

With the formal grille, the cars have the look of a 68 or 69 Lincoln.

[Aeroman]

Been off-line for a while, so sorry about the late response.

Jose Penteado Vignoli and I have been in touch since the early 1980's when he had a 1952 Aero Eagle with the 1955 grille. He never figured out how the American Aero came to be in Brazil, but assumed it came with an executive at Willys do Brasil. Unfortunately, that car was totaled in a collision. He went on the own several Brazilian Aeros of later vintage, including an Executivo limousine, which is for sale if anyone is interested. There is a thread about this car on the Willys Aero Survival & Preservation page in Facebook. You may have to go back a while to find it.

Jose is the author of this book and another about the Brazilian Aeros. Worth finding and owning, especially if you speak Portuguese. He lives in Sao Paulo, where the Aeros were built. The Aero was Brazil's first wholly built car, not a car assembled there from shipped in parts.

And Ford bought Willys do Brasil in 1967 and continued the line until 1972 when it introduced the Maverick. The F-head six continued on as the power source for the Maverick and Rural Jeep wagons for three more years. Brazilian Aeros had a longer run and greater production numbers than it's predecessor in Toledo.