Vehicle Description
Although not nearly as well known today, the Willys Overland company at one time ranked second behind Ford Motor Company in sales and production in the United States, and when the Whippet Model 96 was unveiled on May 12th, 1926, within three weeks of its introduction some 14,580,000 people visited dealer showrooms to see the new offering from Willys Overland. The Whippet name itself was brainchild of founder John N. Willys, and was intended as a generic name for the broad class of vehicles that were fast, light, economical and stylish yet inexpensively priced, of which the Model 96 was to be the frontrunner, and a conscious effort was made by the company to get the public to refer to this new light vehicle as a 'Whippet' type. However, despite Willys' emphasis on the Whippet name, it wasn't added to the model until 1927, when the Whippet name replaced the Overland script on to the radiator emblem and the hubcaps of the 1926 models. Featuring mechanical brakes, water pump cooling, and pressurized oil lubrication, its 100-inch wheelbase made it the smallest car available in North America until the unveiling of Ford's Model A. This 1927 Willys Overland Whippet Model 96 Coach two door coupe is powered by a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder engine which produces 30 horsepower and 90 ft. lbs. of torque and is mated to a three-speed manual transmission. The 4-cylinder engine starts easily, runs well, and is believed to be original to the car, as its serial number is extremely close to the chassis serial number. The Whippet's two-tone electric blue and black exterior has been restored at one point and shows wonderfully, including the vinyl top, and the interior has also been redone in gray mohair upholstery and features the original Model 96 Coach folding front seats, which were designed to make passenger entry and exit easier. The Whippet rides on a set of Universal Highway 4.75/5.00-19 tires mounted on original wooden-spoke wheels which are in superb shape and feature all four original Whippet hubcaps. Other exterior features include a 'safari' front windshield, Boyce Motometer radiator cap, original Overland –script Monogram headlights, and a pair of 1927 California 'Year-of-Make' plates, which are in excellent condition and are currently registered to the Whippet. Overall, this 1927 Whippet is a rare and fantastic example of a bygone era of American motoring.
