The Willis Americar

It was about 1952, Christmas break from college. It was 800 miles from Boston to Akron, and this was before the Interstate, so getting home for Christmas was basically 24 hours on US 20 right through the towns like Albany and Syracuse and skirting Buffalo and the lake-snow belt.
Somewhere along the way the Willis had appeared. I still don't have a clue who offered it for sale- and I had never seen one up close before-- but for $65.00- a considerable sum for a part-time taxi driver- it was all mine. I think it was 1936 vintage.
The Willis was called the American Austin- just like other cars but smaller-- way before its time. It was streamlined, and instead of a hood, the whole front end lifted tilted up from the windhield forward. A two-seater, it was SMALL!
Ray Taylor, Helen, and I set outat midday to make the trip to Ohio-- three squeezed so tightly it was dificult toshift. Painful. The trunk was jammed full, but there was a sloping rear winscreen and shelf behind the two little seats, so Ray and I persuaded Helen to ride up there behind us, like on a very very small bunk. That lasted for, maybe, half an hour and then total claustraphobiua set in and we were back to sardine time.
Forty-fine was a good speed- and I noticed that going UP the hills the Willis had a tendency to sputter and lose power. It became a source of worry before we reach Albany, maybe five hours out. So we stopped at a roadside filling station. It "so happened" that the man who owned the station was a top mechanic and he soon discovered that there was a pinbhole radiator leak that was spraying a tiny bit of water back over the spark plugs only when the car was going up hill at a rather steep incline. He brazed a patch over the leak right there- little or no charge and that problem, at least, was solved, and on we drove through the night. And morning. And day. And snow. And all-- cramped. I hated the tension in wondering if my $65.oo car was going to get to Ohio.
So I couldn't understand after Christmas why both Ray and Helen decided to take the bus back to Boston. The ride back to school for me was solo. It was another adventure i I won't gop into. But as soon as I got back to school I sold the car- for $65.00- to Raymond Thorpe, who later was a missionarty to South ASfrica-- we called him "Gifty" for some reason. Gifty fixed up the little Willis and drove it bacxk and forth to Ohio many times.
I have a picture of this amazing little car somewhere. No insurance. What a way t0 go back then!