Willys-Knight is an automobile that was produced between 1914 and 1933 by the Willys-Overland Company of

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

. John North Willys purchased the Edwards Motor Car Company of

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...

, in 1913, moving the operation to

Elyria, Ohio Elyria ( ) is a city in the Greater Cleveland metropolitan statistical area and the county seat of Lorain County, Ohio, United States, located at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio 23 miles southwest of Cleveland. As of the 2020 cen ...

, where Willys owned the plant that had previously manufactured the Garford automobile. Production began with a

four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

model which was priced in the $2,500 price range. The Willys-Knight employed a

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

sleeve valve The sleeve valve is a type of valve mechanism for piston engines, distinct from the usual poppet valve. Sleeve valve engines saw use in a number of pre-World War II luxury cars and in the United States in the Willys-Knight car and light truck. ...

engine, generally four- and

six-cylinder The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balan ...

models. In 1915, Willys moved assembly of the Willys-Knight to

, but continued manufacturing the engines in Elyria. Willys-Knight introduced a sleeve-valve V8 in 1917, which was sold until 1919. Willys-Knight enjoyed a production run average of 50,000 cars per year after 1922.

Willys Willys (pronounced , "Willis" ) was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II era and later military jeeps (MBs ...

also purchased

Stearns-Knight F. B. Stearns and Company, later known as F.B. Stearns Company was an American manufacturer of luxury cars in Cleveland, Ohio marketed under the brand names Stearns from 1900 to 1911 then Stearns-Knight from 1911 until 1929. History Frank Ballo ...

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, which also used a sleeve valve Knight Engine, making that marque the crown jewel in his growing automotive empire. Willys-Knight production ended in November 1932 (model year 1933) when the company, in receivership, stopped building higher priced cars, and instead focused on the manufacture of the inexpensive but durable

Willys 77 The Willys 77 was an American car first sold in 1933 by Willys-Overland from Toledo (Ohio), Toledo. It was a successor to the Willys Willys Whippet, Whippet. In the same year, Willys-Overland went into receivership but the 77 was still released o ...

. Seven Willys-Knight vehicles including two large trucks and a touring car were used on the

Martin and Osa Johnson Martin Elmer Johnson (October 9, 1884 – January 13, 1937) and Osa Helen Johnson (née Leighty, March 14, 1894 – January 7, 1953) were married United States, American adventurers and documentary filmmakers. In the first half of the 20th cent ...

photographic safari in the remotest areas of Africa. 1926 Willys-Knight Light Six engine (Series 70)

Models

References

Chrysler Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Cars powered by Knight engines Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Ohio Defunct manufacturing companies based in Ohio Willys-Knight {{Vintage-auto-stub

See also

Models

References