The Willys 77 was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 car first sold in 1933 by Willys-Overland from Toledo. It was a successor to the Willys

Willys

Willys was the brand name used by Willys-Overland Motors, an American automobile company best known for its design and production of military Jeeps and civilian versions during the 20th century.-Early History:In 1908, John Willys bought the Overland Automotive Division of Standard Wheel Company...

 Whippet.

In the same year Willys-Overland went into receivership but the 77 was still released on the market.

The car had a four cylinder engine in the front with a 2.388 cm³ capacity which was powered at 48 bhp (35 kW). The wheelbase was only 2.540 mm and the car was sold at a price below $ 500, making it the cheapest American car of its era. The car was also highly economical, using only 9.4 litres of gasoline per 100 km.

The Willys 77 had a top speed of 120 km/h, which made it a good base for equipping a racing car. A tuned-up Willys 77 achieved an average speed of 104,93 km/h in the 24 hour race on the Muroc Dry Lake

Rogers Dry Lake

Rogers Dry Lake is an endorheic desert salt pan in the Mojave Desert of Kern County, California. The lake derives its name from the Anglicization from the Spanish name, Rodriguez Dry Lake. It is the central part of Edwards Air Force Base as its hard surface provides a natural extension to the...

.

In the years leading up to the United States participation in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 the model range was contined under the names Willys 37, Willys 38, Willys 48, Willys Speedway and Willys Americar

Willys Americar

The Willys Americar was a line of automobiles produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1937 to 1942, either as a sedan, coupe, station wagon or pick-up truck...

.

When civilian auto production was discontinued in 1942 the car disappeared from the market.

Sources

• Kimes, Beverly Rae, Clark, Henry A.: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942, 1st edition, Krause Publications Inc., Iola (Wisconsin) (1985), ISBN 0-87341-045-9