- Popular Willys "companion car"
- Full and accurate restoration
- Attractive rumble-seat roadster
Sometimes considered a "companion car" for John North Willys's
Overland, the Whippet was quite a different machine and became the
Overland's successor. Introduced in July 1926 as a 1927 model, it
was 200 pounds lighter than the equivalent four-cylinder Overland,
but had a quarter-inch longer wheelbase. Its engine, however, was a
dramatic advance, and while it was smaller than the Overland's, it
developed the same power and had the advantages of full-pressure
oiling and pump-circulated cooling. In fact, the Looks engine was
so sturdy that it evolved into the powerplant for the Jeep more
than a decade later.
This Model 96A four-cylinder Whippet was the recipient of a
1,005-hour restoration. Sporty in yellow with black fenders, it
carries the spare tire on the passenger-side fender, leaving room
for a trunk rack at the rear. The wood-spoke artillery wheels have
demountable rims, which are shod with Firestone 4.75 � 19 whitewall
tires. The cockpit and rumble seat are upholstered in brown
leather, and full side curtains are included. The roomy rumble seat
increases seating capacity from two to four. Other accessories
include wind wings, a deluxe winged MotoMeter, and running-board
step plates. Turn signals have been unobtrusively fitted for safety
in modern traffic.
The Whippet was the right car at the right time, and with the
addition of a six-cylinder model, it became the third-best-selling
marque in 1928. Whippet lost out to Essex only by a hair in 1929.To
view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/hf19.
