Willy's Aero Ace/Eagle/Falcon/Heavy Duty/Lark/Wing/Bermuda/Custom Series

Manufacturer:	Willys Overland
Production period:	1952 to 1955
Class :	Motor car
Body versions :	Sedan
Engines:	Gasoline : 2.6-3.7 liters

Willys Aero was a series of American cars, from 1951 to 1955 by Willys Overland in Toledo (Ohio). It was the first postwar car series by Willys.

The new pontoon wagons were designed by Phil Wright and designed by Clyde Paton . The wheelbase of the two-door sedans was 2743 mm and they were equipped with six-cylinder in-line engines with 2640 cc displacement (bore × stroke = 79.5 mm × 88.9 mm).

Until 1955, the cars were manufactured in different trim levels as two- and four-door sedans and two-door hardtop sedans. Later, the 3.7-liter engine of the Kaiser Special was available. 1955 accounted for the name "Aero".

Models history and range

Aero Lark

The Aero Lark was the basic model. It was offered in 1952 as a two-door sedan with five seats. Its side- mounted engine delivered 75 bhp (55 kW) at 4000 rpm.

In 1953, a four-door sedan was added. In 1954, engine output increased to 90 bhp (66 kW) at 4200 rpm due to higher compression (7.6: 1 instead of 6.9: 1).

In 1955, the Aero Lark was no longer offered.

Aero Heavy Duty

The Aero Heavy Duty corresponded to the four-door Aero Lark and was only sold in 1953 in exactly 186 copies. His price was $ 100 higher than that of the Aero Lark.

Aero Wing

The Aero Wing was better equipped than the otherwise identical Aero Lark. The 1952 offered two-door super-luxury sedan offered in addition to a two-tone paint and bumper horns above all a counter-rotating engine with 90 bhp (66 kW) power at 4200 / min.

1953 accounted for the Aero Wing from the model range.

Aero Falcon

In 1953, the Aero Falcon Super DeLuxe replaced the Aero Wing. The speed at unchanged 90 bhp rated power rose to 4400 / min. In addition to the two-door sedan was now also offered a four-door version. 1954 also accounted for the Aero Falcon.

Aero Ace / Ace

Willy's Aero Ace 2-door Sedan (1952). This vehicle is a custom car technically and optically not the same as theoriginal vehicle. The best equipment of all sedans in 1952 was the Aero Ace . The two-door custom sedan was technically and outwardly the Aero Wing, although the interior was more luxurious. Like the other models there was in 1953 next to the two-door sedan also a four-door. Also, the cars received the higher-compression, side-controlled engine of the Aero Falcon with consistent performance. However, the Aero Ace offered this year for the first time a one-piece windshield (the others had a split in the middle) and a panoramic rear window .

In 1954, the Aero Ace models an Aero Ace Deluxe 226 was set aside. Kaiser Motors , which had bought Willys-Overland in 1953, delivered the new side-controlled twin-rotor 3703 cc engine with 115 bhp (85 kW) at 3650 rpm. from our own production. Thus, the car reached a top speed of 136 km / h. Some models were also experimentally equipped with a turbocharger and reached a performance of 140 bhp (103 kW).

1955 accounted for the name Aero, the car was called only Ace . Also accounted for the two-door sedan and Willy's own six-cylinder engine with 90 bhp; only the Kaiser engine with 115 bhp was available. In the two-tone painting now not only the roof, but also bonnet, trunk lid and all parts above the swinging in the rear doors side line was kept in the additional color.

Aero Eagle

The Aero Eagle was the hardtop coupe of the Aero series. Technology and equipment corresponded to the Aero Ace. This top model also made with the technical and stylistic changes of the Aero Ace in the years 1953 and 1954 (including the new Kaiser engine).

In 1955, the model was no longer offered.

Bermuda

In 1955, the Bermuda replaced the Aero Eagle. The stylistic changes compared to the predecessor corresponded to those of the Ace compared to the Aero Ace.

Custom Series

In 1955, the two- and four-door sedan were offered as a successor to the Aero-Ace -226 models of the previous year in simpler equipment. The four-door sedan was at least 131 US $ cheaper than the Ace.

Brazilian Aero Willys 

The Aero Willys in Brazil. After the end of production in the US in 1955, the production facilities were preserved. In the late 1950s, a new use was found in Brazil, where the government was keen to build national vehicle production.In March 1960, the Brazilian Aero Willys was introduced. He initially largely corresponded to the US model from 1955. There was only the four-door sedan and the well-known 2.6-liter six-cylinder engine with 90 hp (66 kW) power.

In the fall of 1962, the car was thoroughly revised. He received a new body, the engine output rose to 110 hp (81 kW).In 1966, the program was supplemented by two models. The Itamaraty was a luxury version of the Aero Willys 2600, the Executivo a long version mainly for the Brazilian government, which wanted a representative vehicle from national production. 1967, an enlarged engine was introduced with 3.0 liters of displacement and a power of 132 hp (97 kW).

In the same year, Willys do Brasil was taken over by Ford. The Aero Willys was further built until 1971 and then replaced by the Brazilian version of the Ford Maverick .A total of 116,967 cars were produced in Brazil from 1960 to 1971, including only 27 Executivos.

General Specification

Engines: Gasoline engines : 2.6-3.7 liters
Power: 55-85 kW
Length: 4592-4821 mm
Width: 1830 mm
Height: 1520 mm
Wheelbase: 2743 mm
Curb weight: 1122-1316 kg