The Overland Whippet was the line of small cars with which Willys–Overland replaced the old Overland models in 1926. It carried the Overland name for the last time: from 1926 the marque became the Overland Whippet and then the Willys Whippet, and when Whippet production ended in 1931 the cars were replaced by the Willys Six and Eight.
Overland Whippet at a glance
| Maker | Willys–Overland Company, Toledo, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Produced | 1926–1931 |
| Type | line of small cars |
| Name | Overland Whippet, later Willys Whippet |
| Replaced | the Overland marque |
| Replaced by | Willys Six and Willys Eight, from 1931 |
| Six-cylinder version | Whippet Six |
| Pickup version | Willys-Six C-113 |
| Pickup wheelbase | 113 inches |
| Pickup built | 198 |
| Pickup successor | International D-1, 1933 |
The Whippet has no article of its own on English Wikipedia; it is described in the sections on Willys–Overland in the Willys and Overland Automobile articles, and this page is based on those sections.
History of the Overland Whippet
1926: a new small car
In 1926 Willys–Overland introduced a new line of small cars named Willys–Overland Whippet. It was the end of the Overland marque as such: Willys–Overland had continued to use the Overland name until 1926, when it became the Overland Whippet and then the Willys Whippet. The Whippet was therefore the last Overland, and the first car of the Toledo company to be sold under the Whippet name alone.
1931: the end of the line
In the economic depression of the 1930s a number of Willys automotive brands faltered. Stearns-Knight was liquidated in 1929, and Whippet production ended in 1931; its models were replaced by the Willys Six and Eight. The Whippet Six, the six-cylinder version of the line, is the car most often seen today at shows and in collections.
The Whippet pickup
There was also a pickup truck version of the Whippet, called the Willys-Six C-113 after its 113-inch wheelbase. It was not a sales success, with a mere 198 units built. The vehicle was picked up by International Harvester, which installed its own 213-cubic-inch engine and offered it in 1933 as the International D-1.
Design and features
- The last Overland: the Whippet took over from the Overland models in 1926 and ended the use of the Overland name.
- Small-car line: Willys–Overland described the Whippet as a new line of small cars, aimed at the cheaper end of the market.
- Six-cylinder version: the Whippet Six was part of the range alongside the standard cars.
- Rare pickup: the Willys-Six C-113 was built in only 198 examples.
Overland Whippet versions
- Whippet tourer (Model 96): open four-door body of the late 1920s.
- Whippet Coach (Model 96-A): closed two-door body, as built in 1929.
- Whippet Six: the six-cylinder version of the line.
- Willys-Six C-113: the pickup on a 113-inch wheelbase, 198 built.
The Whippet closed the story told in the article on early Overland touring cars; more Overland and Willys cars are in the Overland collection.
Video: 1929 Willys Overland Whippet Six convertible
Video by William Downey on YouTube.
Sources
- Willys, English Wikipedia: the Whippet line, end of production, pickup version
- Overland Automobile, English Wikipedia: end of the Overland marque in 1926
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