Willys Americar export sales

[filozof97]

Hello;

I wonder if the 1937 - 1942 Willys was ever sold outside US? I especially mean in Europe. Why am I asking? Becouse I found photographs of something that once was a Willys, taken somwhere in Russia.

And I have absolutely no idea how did that car ended up in Soviet Union. It's clearly too old for Lend - Lease help, so there are only two or three possibilities:
- Car of american embassy in Moscow or some other diplomatic corps (but... would they really use cheapest of the cheapest?)

- Bought by one of car factories, such as GAZ or KIM, as an example of world - leading design, thus valuable as a pattern
And, most possible - war trophy, taken from Germany after the war

So... were they exported? Or maybe You have ideas how this car get to Soviet Union?
 

Edited July 2, 2019 by filozof97 (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

38 minutes ago, filozof97 said:

I wonder if the 1937 - 1942 Willys was ever sold outside US?

Can you post the picture on the forum please, rather than as a link to somewhere else. I am not a subscriber to instagram and cannot see it.

[filozof97]

As downloading from Instagram is impossible, I've made screenshots.

[DLynskey]

The Russians copied Packards. Did they copy Willys'?

 

Don

[mercer09]

that is a 70s hotrod..........

[filozof97]

2 hours ago, DLynskey said:

The Russians copied Packards. Did they copy Willys'?

 

Don

No, they don't. But the same way as any motor company in the world, they  probably bought examples of other cars, to copy some of the engineering, to see it's pros and cons. They finally made GAZ M-20 Pobieda, which's motor was close relative to Chrysler Flathead Six, front suspension was very simillar to that of Opel Kapitan, styling of dashboard was clearly 40s GM etc.

 

That Willys surely ended up in Russia when it was new, and then, well.. it was used for many years, being rear - ended sometime. The trunk was too small, spare parts - non existent,  so using the opportunity, it was enlarged. Typical story in places when getting new car is very hard or impossible, same story in Cuba. In front end I see grille and headlights trim from Volga M-21, wheels look "Volgish" too. Rear lights seems to be of late Moskwicz.

 

[auburnseeker]

36 minutes ago, mercer09 said:

that is a 70s hotrod..........

Well I wouldn't go that far,  but I can see some Cuban influence.  

Definitely not Ed Roth or Barris.  Even taking into consideration some of their wildest quite questionable creations. 

[Rusty_OToole]

I'll bet Willys cars were sold in Europe. Possibly they had an assembly plant. All kinds of cars were stolen and taken back to Russia at the end of WW2 along with other things. Given the shortage of cars and parts it is possible that car has been in use, off and on, since then. Body modification may have been done in the fifties or sixties. Look under the hood, you may find a Russian tractor engine lol.

Those don't look like Willys wheels either. I may be a Willys body transplanted on a Russian truck chassis.

Edited July 3, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Restorer32]

The back end reminds me of my 3rd grade elementary school teacher.

[edinmass]

28 minutes ago, Restorer32 said:

The back end reminds me of my 3rd grade elementary school teacher.

 

Too much junk in the trunk!

[auburnseeker]

7 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

Too much junk in the trunk!

It's called a business sedan.  Don't you guys know anything. 

Probably a former KGB car.  

[hanski]

A friend of mine owned a 1941 Americar. As far as I know they were not officially imported to Finland but here is one in 1958! The grille is not original but taken from an Opel.