EXCLUSIVE: 1928 Willys Knight 70A Special six

What Makes It Special? Found in a barn in Holland, Ohio back in June 2018 and hauled it home on my trailer. I then scoured the internet for info on how to get it running. I found a guy in New York to rebuild the fuel vacuum tank and a company in Arizona to rebuild the updraft Tillotson JR-3 carburetor. 6-months later it was back together and with fresh oil and clean gas it was purring in 10 minutes…the Knight sleeve valve engine runs amazingly well with no smoke. Sounds like a sewing machine running as it has no poppet valves. Have many manuals included with the sale.

Body Condition: The body is in very good shape for being 90 years. Apparently, it was stored correctly in a dry building and had a repaint along the way, but the interior looks original, including the window shades on both rear sides and rear windows. The wooden spoke wheels are in good shape with new 6.00 X 19″ 6 ply tires installed.

Mechanical Condition: Runs great with no smoke. The transmission shifts well. The underside is clean and in amazing shape for a 90-year-old classic.

If you’ve not studied about Knight’s sleeve valve engines, they really are fascinating design. Rather than using a conventional poppet valve, these engines used a sleeve between the piston and engine block that moves separately of the piston, to allow air in and exhaust out of the cylinders. It proved to be a quite and durable design, but high oil consumption and manufacturing cost meant they were fairly short-lived. This one is the 70 A which is a 177 cui inline six-cylinder and was rated at 53 horsepower.

Of the cars that ended up being equipped with a Knight engine, the Willys was the only one built in significant numbers. There still aren’t that many of these out there and this one appears to be in really nice shape. If you’d love to own it, be sure to message Alan L via the form below with your best offer!

  • Asking Price: $10,000 OBO
  • Location: Pickford, Michigan
  • Mileage: 80,932
  • Title Status: Clean
  • VIN: 70A-78843

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Comments

  1. Luki

    Such a great car and so well looked after.
    Bravo.

    Like 11
  2. Sandy Claws

    The four cylinder really is the way to go here. My grand dad bought a new 1928 Whippet in the fall of 1929. Nice little car I am told but he hadn’t got around to paying for it yet when his bank folded and all his money was gone. Trying to make payments on that car almost cost him his small farm, but he did eventually get it paid for. Had it well through the war and beyond. Never got to drive it, I was far too young, but I sure wish I could have. Dad told some great stories about that car.

    Like 8
  3. Greg Wells

    This is a great buy IMO.

    Like 3
  4. Chuck

    My mother’s family had one of these when she was a little girl. She used to tell me (brag) about it.

    Like 3
  5. bigdoc

    Beautiful car. I have never seen on before. Restored perfectly.

    Like 3
  6. Del

    Wow ! What a great story and resto.

    Nice car and good price

    Like 2

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