1930 Willys Knight 6-87 Sedan

Sedan

6 cyl. Knight

Manual

87-6199

Clear

OVERVIEW:This is a very original, complete, and unmolested 1930 Willys-Knight, Series 6-87 Sedan. It sports dual sidemounts, 6 wire wheels, a rear luggage rack, and the famous and desirable Balcrank bumpers. These cars rode on a 110” wheelbase and were powered by a 45 horsepower, 178 ci., Knight Sleeve Valve 6-cylinder engine. Willy-Knight automobiles were built in Toledo, Ohio, from 1914 to 1933. This Willys-Knight has been in Alberta since 2007 when it was imported from USA, and it has a state of Wisconsin title. The car is an estate sale. Having previously spent time in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the car was never registered in Alberta and as such will be sold with a bill of sale and the US title. The car is titled using the engine serial # 6003 as a VIN. A tag on the right rear frame horn provides a number of 87-6199, possibly a body number, and the odometer shows 46,795 original miles. The car was running when acquired but has not been started in about the last year since the owners passing. There are no keys, but aren’t needed as there is an ignition on/off switch wired in. There are still several tags attached to the dash panel and control knobs with starting instructions that were placed there by the previous owner. Judging from the vintage American Legion decals on the car and the 4 flag holders attached to the bumpers at the 4 corners, the car must have been used as a parade vehicle by the Legion at one time. There have been no modifications from original done to this vehicle, other than the vacuum tank is disconnected and a fuel pump added. This is a solid original car with low miles, and with some inspection, maintenance and TLC can likely be rendered roadworthy again without much trouble. It is also an excellent candidate for restoration given its originality, condition, and completeness. DRIVETRAIN:The engine is the original 178 ci. 6-cylinder Knight Sleeve Valve engine, renowned for their engineering and long life reliability. It appears that all components on and around the engine are intact and original. The only changes noted are that the original vacuum tank has been disconnected and a 6 volt electric fuel pump added. There is also a starter solenoid or relay bolted to the firewall that has been wired in. The battery is 2007 and does not appear to take a charge, so it will need a new battery. A brief attempt was made to start the car. The electric fuel pump works, and we did get the engine to turn over but it did not fire before the other battery died. Connections at the relay and starter were cleaned, but a subsequent attempt could not get the engine to turn over again, and we suspect possibly a faulty solenoid or starter. No further attempts were made. The radiator is original and appears in good condition, and it holds coolant. The rest of the drivetrain, transmission and rear end, all appear complete and original. CHASSIS:The chassis, including steering, suspension, mechanical brakes, is all original and unrestored, and shows the road dirt and grime of its miles. The frame appears very solid and straight. The muffler and exhaust system appears to have been recently replaced and is in good condition. All tires are 19” blackwalls, bias ply, Garfields on the ground, Allstates on the sides. They all have decent tread remaining but some have weather/age checking on the sides. All hold air. They are mounted on six original wire wheels sporting original Willys hubcaps on the running wheels, and two interesting and unusual chrome caps on the sidemounts. BODY & PAINT:This is a very original and rust free body. Apart from the surface rust you see here and there, the only blistering is down low on the forward cowl. They are quite few and small, but will likely require a minor repair. There is no evidence of previous or failing bodywork, and no signs of major collision damage. The rear bottom of the body tub is solid, as are the rockers below the doors. The metal floor pans are very clean and solid. The only spot of significant rust out is the bottom of the right spare tire well in the right front fender. These wells are easily replaced. The left one is fine. The doors and body are quite straight. The is a dent along the body line on the right front door, and the biggest dent on any of the fenders is at the leading edge of the right front fender. All other fenders are very good. The hood top and side panels are nice and straight. The wood remains solid today, and the doors appear to fit well with no droop or looseness on the hinges. The door bottoms are clean and rust free. The running boards are wood partially exposed due to loss of the rubber mats. Judging by the firewall and door edges, it appears to have originally been a maroon color. And judging by the decal, blue and gold may be the American Legion colors, explaining the color scheme of the repaint. By all appearances it looks like it’s only ever had the one repaint. Given the years that have passed since paint work was done, I believe there are no hidden surprises with this car. Overall a very solid and original car with one older repaint. The car sports an integrated exterior sun visor and rear luggage rack. The top fabric appears to be original and in pretty good condition except for one rip which has been covered over with duct tape to keep the weather out. ELECTRICAL:The car retains its original 6-volt electrical system. The wiring is for the most part all original and much of it is frayed, so a new wiring harness would be in order. The battery, dated 2007, will need replacing as it won’t take a charge. It has an attractive gauge cluster, and the instruments are in very nice original condition. There is no key. A switch has been mounted under the dash ahead of the heater for ignition on/off. A starter button is located strapped to the steering column. Both of these have tags attached in the pic which have the starting procedure spelled out. The other tag on the dash is on the choke pull. The glass lenses on the front driving lights and rear tail light ‘STOP’ lens are good. It has add-on lights on the front fenders, but is not equipped with turn signals. INTERIOR:The interior upholstery is totally original in all respects, and although not perfect, it has survived quite well all things considered. It could still be enjoyed as is if you don’t mind a few tatters, or it would be ideal for restoration patterns, and the only items missing are the front carpet and kick panels. An Arvin hot water heater is located under the passenger side dash. The front header panel hosts the rearview mirror, windshield crank, and wiper motor which has vacuum and hand operation. Much of the attractive original wood graining on the dash and window garnish moldings remains. The steering wheel is also in original condition, cracked only where the 3 spokes meet the hub. It sports a ‘Fingertip Control’ bakelite knob in the center which is the light switch. Rear seat passengers are provided with a grab bar on the back of the front seat backrest, and a moveable footrest. The original headliner is not torn, but has some staining along the rearmost seam. Original dome light is present. There are pull down privacy blinds for the 3 rear windows, and exit assist pull cords on both sides. The car retains all original inside door handles and window cranks. All windows roll up and down, but some are a bit stiff, so the regulators could likely use a cleaning and lube to get them operating smoothly. All glass on the car appears to be original plate glass in good condition. BRIGHTWORK: The radiator shell is original chrome, now surface rusty but no rot. It is straight with no cracks. It sports a nice Willys-Knight emblem in good condition. The rad cap is not correct. The left headlight bucket is very nice, as is the ring. The right bucket has a dent on the back side, not really noticeable, and the ring has a crack and is dented. All other bright work on the car is original and in generally good condition. End caps on the bumpers have some minor dents and some rub thru. SUMMARY: This is a very affordable car to enter into the hobby with, or add to an existing collection. It has low miles, is very complete, original, solid and unmolested, key elements when choosing a project. These are the qualities that save time and money over the course of a restoration, or maintain a car’s value if simply kept as is. Restoration tasks for this car can be done over time while still having fun with it. There should be no hidden secrets or horrors with this car. If you are considering a unique car from the late ‘20s, early 30’s, then this could be it! If you’re not familiar with the engineering of Knight Sleeve engines and their appeal in the past and present, there is a wealth of information available online through a Google search. The car is being made available with a reasonable reserve. It is understood that the market will ultimately set the price, so the high bidder will either own the car or be in the best position to negotiate should it not meet reserve. PAYMENT TERMS: This fine collectible is being listed on behalf of the owner. Please email ‘carsgoneby@telus.net’ or phone Rick at (403)534-2222 for additional honest and accurate information from a professional auto restorer. All information listed has been gathered from the owners files, and visual inspection by myself. A total of 106 pics are available for viewing at www.carsgoneby.com/PhotoAlbums/1930WK. Additional specific pictures are available upon request. No warranties expressed or implied. Successful bidder to make a minimum payment of 50% of closing bid amount (US funds) within 5 days of auction closing, with the balance payable upon vehicle pick up within 21 days (international) or 14 days (US/Canada). Payment must be in certifiable form such as cash or wire transfer. Other forms of payment only acceptable with time allowance for instrument to clear bank prior to vehicle being released. Any deviation from, or changes to the preceding terms must be reasonable, and should be requested, discussed, and agreed to prior to bidding and auction closing. IMPORTANT OTHER: Please submit all inquiries prior to bidding, and please only bid if you are able and willing to conclude the transaction should you be the winning bidder. This vehicle is being sold with a clear Alberta registration (title) and bill of sale. The car is located in Mossleigh, Alberta, Canada, about 3 hours north of the Montana border. Please be aware of your shipping costs before bidding, quotes can be provided upon request if necessary. We can help make this a smooth, hassle free experience by arranging all inclusive international transportation and brokerage for you. References relating to similar transactions are available. Cars Gone By has sold and shipped numerous collector vehicles to the USA and worldwide, the majority through Ebay transactions. Please do not ask us to disclose the reserve price. In fairness to all bidders we will not do so and request that you simply place a bid that is comfortable for you. Thanks for looking! On Sep-27-14 at 21:56:53 PDT, seller added the following information: The Knight engine had little vibration and smooth revolutions. These motors were known to be quieter than others when new, and became quieter with use. They were also known to increase in power with use, a reversal of the experience with other engine.The Willys-Knight was the Willys-Overland Companies' best-selling car, and the Knight engine was used by other companies, such as Mercedes, Stearns, and Russell.On Oct-04-14 at 07:16:27 PDT, seller added the following information: CORRECTION: Please note, this car is being sold with a Bill of Sale and a Wisconsin State Certificate of Title, not an Alberta registration as stated under the Important Other paragraph. The car was never registered in Alberta. Our apologies for this oversight.