Messages

1

Willys Forum / Re: Brazilian Willys in the US - how many known?

« on: March 29, 2020, 12:39:33 PM »

I remember when Tom called me, maybe 18 years ago, looking for a rear glass for the Interlagos. I did not know where to look but suggested the Renault Alpine. Apparently he found and replaced that glass. I do not know the history of any of Tom Null's cars other than the red '63 once belonged to Dave Horton in Florida, former (or possibly still) a KFOCI member.

2

Willys Forum / Re: Bird Aero Promotional model

« on: February 27, 2020, 11:58:53 PM »

Two pics of a 1953 promo, one showing the "noisemaker."
A tan 1953 promo with special lettering on the side commemorating a Willys-Overland luncheon.
A 1954 promo that I own, sorry about the picture quality.
Notice that all are 2-door sedans, the 1953 with a 3-piece rear window, the 1954 with 1-piece.

3

Willys Forum / Re: Brazilian Willys in the US - how many known?

« on: February 27, 2020, 11:52:43 PM »

The black Aero was Brooks Stevens car. It was the show car that toured Brazil announcing the restyled Aeros in 1963. Bill Tilden bought it out of the Stevens estate. It is currently for sale in North Georgia.

The red one, formerly owned by Dave Horton, was owned by Tom Null in Southern California who recently passed away. I believe that car is for sale also.

Those are the only two Brazilian 1963 or newer Aeros that I know about in the USA. I do not know any 1960-1962 (look like a 1955) Aeros in the USA, so, Gordie, please get me some info on the one in storage. Was that also Tom Null's car? Tom also had an Interlagos which may already be sold.

I have contact info if anyone is interested in either of the Brazilians. E-mail me.

4

Willys Forum / Re: New Willys Aero Book

« on: February 27, 2020, 11:44:33 PM »

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.

5

Willys Forum / Re: Power steering announced for the 1954 Aero's

« on: October 01, 2019, 12:21:36 PM »

I have never seen a power steering-equipped Aero of any year. That is not to say that none were made, but none have showed up in my travels in an Aero over the last 40 years.

6

Willys Forum / Re: willys aero falcon

« on: October 01, 2019, 12:19:03 PM »

From everything I've been able to tell, there were only two wiper motors for the Aeros. The earlier models with the split windshield and the 1953's and early 195's had opposed wipers. The Kaiser-built 1954's and 1955's had tandem wipers that worked the same direction.

7

General Discussion / Re: KF for Driving to Meets

« on: June 08, 2019, 10:01:21 PM »

I haven't traveled far recently in an old car, but Old Toby, my '54 Aero went from California to St Louis, and from L.A. to Denver in the mid-80's, Atlanta to Rochester, NY in the early '90's. Two weekends ago, I was at the Hudson Club's eastern divisional meet in Georgia and folks drove their Hudsons from Michigan, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania and other states not quite as far but still an impressive distance. The Vermont car broke down as it arrived in GA and went home on a rented trailer, but the others faired well. Good maintenance or modernization and there's no reason not to drive a Kaiser anywhere.

8

Willys Forum / Re: Willys Reunion Meet - May 17-18, 2019

« on: June 01, 2019, 10:27:48 PM »

joefrazer - sorry to nitpick: 1953 Aero Falcon. Only made one year. Thanx for the pics, glad the Aeros were represented.

9

Collector's Corner / Re: Books on Kaiser-Frazer

« on: April 24, 2019, 06:10:44 PM »

I know this is an old thread, but I'd like to add another KFW related book that was released to the public at the 2018 KFOCI convention: Willys Aero: A Reference Guide to the Cars Built in Toledo, Ohio from 1952 to 1955. Let me know if you're interested in a copy of my book on CD or USB flashdrive.

10

Collector's Corner / Re: Kaiser-Frazer toys

« on: April 24, 2019, 06:03:31 PM »

Bird updated the 1953 model to a 1954 - see lousy pic of mine. Note the larger taillamps and the removal of the rear window dividers. S.C. Miller did the resin casts.
Also here is a bunch of those MPC toys, Aero is the bottom left one.
The Brooklin 1/43 scale is good, but the taillamps appear to be inaccurate from their pics. I have not seen one in person.

11

Willys Forum / Re: Shackle reinforcement kit - 907120

« on: April 24, 2019, 05:50:49 PM »

I believe the kit took up the slack were the holes gullied out in the rear mounts. I'll get some pics next time I can get under Old Toby.

12

Willys Forum / Re: Shackle reinforcement kit - 907120

« on: April 22, 2019, 06:11:14 PM »

Probably 35 years ago or more, John Parker put one of those kits in Old Toby for me. I never saw anything but the bill. Sorry, no pics of the NOS parts.

13

Willys Forum / Re: Maywood, CA assembly operations

« on: April 22, 2019, 06:08:15 PM »

JNeely - any possibility of getting digital copies of your documentation on the Maywood/Aero operations? I have nothing other than what I posted in this thread.

14

Willys Forum / Re: Aero bodies

« on: March 21, 2019, 04:24:24 PM »

Brazilian dual carb head compared to American single carb.

15

Willys Forum / Re: Maywood, CA assembly operations

« on: March 21, 2019, 04:19:30 PM »

Oh yeah, the Willys-Overland Maywood plant was originally opened in 1928, see attached Los Angeles Times article. The building still exists.