The long story is what I have here is a 1953 Willys Aero Eagle. I purchased this vehicle in January 1960 with 47,802 miles. I was in high school at the time. The transmission was gone through at that time. The engine was rebuilt/replaced in 1964 at 63,770 miles shortly before I entered the Air Force. After entering the service the car was painted the original color and placed in my dad’s garage until as dad thought I would be taking it to my duty station. To the best of my knowledge this car has never been out of the state of California as I assume it was assembled in the Maywood Calif plant. I was to be stationed in Washington D.C. so it spent the next seven or so years in dad’s garage. When it was finally extracted from the garage the brakes did not function as designed, so it was towed twenty miles and placed in my garage where is sat for another five years at which time the master cylinder and wheel cylinders were rebuilt with not the result that I was expecting. So it sat for another five years at which time it was moved again another twenty miles to our new home. Life happened and I did not get to back to the brake issue for about another five or six years. This time there was a NOS master cylinder and wheel cylinders rebuilt again with some improvement but not satisfactory to be driven much. So it was trailered over to a local brake shop where the owner of the shop who had worked on these cars when they were new and his expertise was of value. His assessment after driving the car was that there was room for improvement but they were never very good even when new, and with the newer brake lining, the braking coefficient is not what it was with asbestos. So the car was placed back in the garage until 2012 when I decided by hook or crook I was going to drive the car to me 50th year high school reunion.
I have now replaced both the steel lines as well as the flex lines, professionally rebuilt the master and wheel cylinders and replaced the linings with asbestos linings. It does now stop, not as well as I remember it to have, but that was almost 60 years ago and my memory is not what is use to be. Also replaced were the Lower Outer Trunnions both left and right, with NOS parts. It’s in need of hood hinge springs and headliner. The headliner is serviceable but it was replaced in 1962 and I was just learning to use mom’s sewing machine.
It is now time for someone else to become the caretaker of this fine vehicle.
I would like to sell it, along with a 1952 Aero Wing parts car, and many other parts I have accumulated over the years. So I’m looking for input as to its value. Like I mentioned it was painted in 1965 and has been garaged, it was reupholstered in about 1963, engine and transmission in 1964 (less than 2000), tires have less than 100 miles but are 20 years old. All glass is good.
I have driven this car 19,800 between January 1960 and October 1965, another 260 in the last 55 years.
I have been delayed in my quest to inventory my storage container but the effort goes on. I am leaning towards trying to sell both cars as well as all the parts if I receive the acceptable offer. Some of the parts are front end, complete rear end and rebuild able brake parts and brake drums. I have the three section rear glass for the eagle, additional hub caps for the 1951/1953 Aero, along with extra hood, grill assembly, bumpers and small parts like tail lights, (one NOS lens in the box purchased in 1961 for $2.96) parking lights and interior hardware. Other vehicles I have accumulated parts for are 51/55 Kaiser, 64/65 Chevelle, and 56/57 Fords.
I'am new at this so getting pictures up is a challenge.
