History of John North Willys and Willys Overland

I give a history of John North Willys and the formation of Willys-Overland. I cover the origins of the company and how Mr. Willys built a automotive empire during his life. I hope you enjoy!
Here is the link to the article I reference in the video.
www.hemmings.c...
#willys #willysoverland #jeep

[@mattj6676]

It's amazing to think there was a time when someone could have a good idea and the ambition and courage to pursue it, and could create an empire. Those days are sadly gone...It wasn't all rosy, workers were often abused terribly and there were some truly bad actors out there, but it was still a fascinating time in our world. Thanks for the story!

[@redclaytraveler1949]

I agree completely! Those things are not really possible today. Sadly the treatment of employees in my experience is still not what it should be. I have worked in some dangerous jobs where production was always ahead of any common sense safety. lol But with all the regulations and taxes and what not, the days of me and you starting a car company in a rented building are gone. Some folks prefer it this way, but I sure long for those days, it certainly wasn't perfect, but people today are not as advanced as some folks think. I have always found it interesting when I explain to folks that people in 1910 had the same emotions and flaws that we have today, a lot of people I have told that always seemed surprised to think of these people as people and not just as history. They just expressed the flaws or evils in ways different than we do in modern society, but as we know, nothing is new under the sun. lol

[@leonmeuchael5453]

You are the very best it's in my high interest it's been a great pleasure I'm a Willie's fan from way back and old engineering you've been the best

[@redclaytraveler1949]

I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’m hoping to do more videos like this in the future! Check out my new history channel if you enjoy stuff like that, it’s called Red Bearded History.

[@jimhoran5445]

That was awesome! Nice job!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thanks man, I really appreciate it!

[@bryanpoole4749]

'Nuff said I'm keeping my Jeep! What an absolutely wonderful offering of history in this video. Well put together and presented. When I was out of college I read a book called 'Ford, the man and the machine ' it was a fascinating read. The pure synergy in the ether at that time was was nothing short of miraculous. The way cars were being produced and motorcycles and farm equipment and not to mention aeroplanes. You mentioned Curtiss, he was another guy who did it all. There is a motorcycle company in New Orleans that is producing an electric bike under the Curtiss badge. There is a Cool documentary on KZbin about them and in it they tell why they wanted to be in the Curtiss shadow so -to -speak. While watching this my distain for California and it's choke hold on the rest of the world with it's mandates for everything internally combustible was causing a bitter bile to rise up into my gullet. I yearn for simple but effective technology unhindered by computers and superfluous gagetry. Thank God my beloved Harley is naturally aspirated. I got into a rather heated argument with a guy in a deadwood bar over wether my bike had a carburator or had efi. He commented on why in the heck was he catching a buzz after only one pint, and I must have gotten bad gas at our last stop because my bike was running rough uphill and backfiring down hill. Out the corner of my mouth I muttered "altitude ' . He then said "altitudes' got nothing to do with it" and I said my carburetor was not liking the not so thick air compared to the flat Nebraska air that it usually breathed he informed me I wasn't running a carb. In protest I retorted,"I ought to know what I'm running on my own damn bike! He didn't shut up about till we got back to the bikes with a pint buzz and he reluctantly acquiesced when I pointed out the said carb. I never let on but I was a little troubled that 5000 feet would even make that bit of a difference but it did.

[@redclaytraveler1949]

That's what I'm talking about! Don't you give up on your Jeep! I'm glad you enjoyed it sir, it was a little different but I enjoyed it a lot. I feel your pain! I had a friend tell me just the other day that Cuban cigars are made with imported tobacco and that Cuba doesn't grow and never has grown tobacco. lol Well I don't know what color the sky is in my buddies world is, but in my world Cuba has been growing Tobacco for several hundred years, I admit that I generally find Cuban cigars to be overrated, but that doesn't change the fact that Cuba has only a handful of exports and chief among them is cigars and rum. lol We all know folks or have met them that really speak with authority on something that they are wrong about and honestly all of us have done it ourselves, if we are honest. lol I had a older man explain to me that Willys Overland made all the weapons carriers, trucks, ambulances, and so on during WW2. Well the rest of us know that is not true, but he was 100% certain that Willys made it all, hell even half-tracks to I guess. lol I agree completely on stuff being to complicated these days. Carbs will usually still get you home even when they are jacked up. Fuel injection is a lot more reliable than it once was, but if your out in the sticks and a chip or module or something goes, your up the creek with no paddle. But what do I know, I should have taken a bullet to the chest at Gettysburg or died jumping out of a plane over occupied Holland. lol

[@ruck-n-adventures8290]

Very well put together and articulated.

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thank you buddy!

[@stevenhagebusch9561]

i have a 51 2wd truck and a 49 2wd wagon.....love em there one of the coolest little vehicles to drive....and they turn heads like crazy....

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Right on! I need to get a wagon one of these days, I have never found one in the right shape. I’d love to have one for camping.

[@stevenhagebusch9561]

@@redclaytraveler1949 lol well i went the totally other way with mind....ford suicide front axle with chrome hair pins pontiac 389 with a offy intake with 6 strombergs....

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Haha that’s a lot of work and I can appreciate that! I still feel bad for working on putting a dauntless in my other 49 lol

[@stevenhagebusch9561]

@@redclaytraveler1949 ya it was but its also alot of fun to drive.....not many flat fenders ive seen went the "gasser" way but i fig something diff that will turn heads.....best thing for em....gettin em back on the road and enjoyin em....this was the first of your vids ive found....and if youre in to willys stuff to.....well ima be here for it....good luck on your 49...

[@redclaytraveler1949]

I agree, about keeping these rigs on the road. I’m a purist on Willys but then I decided I want to be able to drive my 49 more regularly and that’s where the v6 came in. lol Welcome aboard buddy, I’m a Willys man for sure and I hope you enjoy the videos.

[@davebrooks2942]

Great job

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thank you!

[@BTCmate]

Good one mate

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thanks, I’m working on some others similar to this

[@bobbrinkerhoff3592]

I had the good fortune to have known the man that ran the body shop at the local Willys Jeep dealership . He had started working there before the Kaiser days in the early Fifties . One day I asked about the pronunciation of the name , and was given this answer . " The factory told us to say Willies . That Willis crap came about after Kaiser took over " . The man that owned the dealership was standing there , and he verified the story .

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Haha that’s awesome, I love stories like this! Thanks for sharing!

[@TI14928]

I googled 500,000 in 1900 is worth now 17 666.000 over 17 million

[@redclaytraveler1949]

It’s a lot of money lol He was a empire man for sure

[@terrymaynard2718]

W0w he was from new york. City. Or caniduaga. And partners. from elmira . Hmmmm .

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Absolutely

[@arnenelson4495]

That was great, Thank you! My Dad restored a Willys-Knight car. (I've always been amazed how many car companies there were back in these days, never could count them all).

[@redclaytraveler1949]

I appreciate it! It really is amazing how many car manufacturers existed prior to the depression. I wish more had survived lol

[@joegrabowski6011]

Outstanding! Information about this Individual and company has been

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thanks buddy!

[@brucewinningham4959]

Who actually owned Overland Motors before John North Willys got involved? Who & what was the Standard Will Company? THANK YOU for the Excellent History.

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Claude E. Cox was the founder of Overland Automobile Department which was created by Charles Minshall decided to expand the Standard Wheel Company in making automobiles. Standard Wheel was a major producer of wheels for carriages and early automobiles. Interesting stuff for surely. All the automakers early history is very convoluted. lol

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Later Cox bought it out from Standard Wheel and then shortly after David M. Parry bought the controlling share of the company and formed Overland Auto Company.

[@vicferrari9380]

Thank you for the history lesson.

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@eddysvault7603]

Fascinating!

[@redclaytraveler1949]

It really is, a lot to his story

[@eddysvault7603]

​@@redclaytraveler1949The Dodge Brothers biography would make a great talk.

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Oh yes! The dodge brothers are incredible!

[@ericcoffedgp40]

Excellent! I really enjoyed this installment. Yes, that would be awesome if you did a video about the development of the trucks and wagons. Brook Stevens was absolutely amazing!

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thanks buddy! Stevens really was the Man! I think I will do a whole series on AMC, Kaiser, Stevens, and other Jeep History.

[@ericcoffedgp40]

@@redclaytraveler1949 Awesome! That will be sweet!

[@lisadean2937]

Love to hear you talk on history. You are a fantastic story teller!

[@redclaytraveler1949]

Thank you!