Willys Overland Model 86-Antique Muscle-1916 images

In 1916, Willys-Overland was Americas second-largest automaker behind only Ford, and this Model 86 was its answer to what a flagship car could be: a seven-passenger, 45-horsepower luxury tourer loaded with then-modern features. It only lasted one model year. Heres why Overland built it, and why it disappeared just as fast.

From 1912 until 1918 Willys was the second largest automobile manufacturer in the States. The 1916 Overland had a MSRP of $1,145.00, or $25,083.00 in 2016 dollars. This “model 86” is powered by a 45 hp 6 cylinder engine that is coupled to a non-sychromesh 3 speed manual transmission. Newly added features for 1916 include the “one man” convertible top, electric control buttons, electric lights and door pockets for storage. The starter is activated by a floor mounted peddle and the carburetor has a dash mounted manual choke to aid starting the engine before it is warmed up. The unit shown is complete and correct in every detail; sportimg wooden spoked wheels, 34×4 Goodrich 4-ply tires with hub caps.

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Long before anyone was arguing over quarter-mile times or horsepower wars, American car buyers were already choosing sides between competing manufacturers, and in 1916 there was really only one company seriously chasing Ford for the top spot. This particular car represents that company at its most ambitious, a seven-passenger flagship built for buyers who wanted size, presence, and every convenience feature the era could offer. Its easy to look at a car like this and assume it was just transportation, but the engineering choices packed into it tell a very different story about where the American auto industry was actually headed in 1916. What made this specific model such a big swing for its maker, and why didnt it last?

Second Place Behind Ford, and Determined to Stay There

By 1912, the Willys-Overland Motor Company had become the second-largest automobile producer in the United States, trailing only Ford, and it held that position all the way through 1918. That scale mattered, because it meant Overland could afford to build genuinely ambitious flagship models like this one instead of sticking purely to economy cars, betting that a slice of Fords massive customer base wanted more size and comfort than the Model T offered.

A Luxury SUV Before That Category Existed

With a 125-inch wheelbase, a 45-horsepower six-cylinder Continental engine, and jump seats that stretched capacity to seven passengers, the Model 86 was effectively Overlands version of a luxury SUV decades before that term existed. New for 1916 were features that felt genuinely modern at the time, including a one-man convertible top, electric control buttons, electric lights, and dedicated door pockets for storage, all wrapped around a body that carried an MSRP of $1,145, roughly $25,000 in todays dollars.

Why the Model Didnt Survive Past 1916

Despite its ambition, the Model 86 lasted just a single model year. Willys-Overlands parent structure was tied to the Willys-Knight brand, and the decision was made to discontinue this flagship after 1916 rather than continue developing it alongside Willys-Knights own lineup. That short production run is exactly why surviving, correct examples like this one, right down to its wooden spoked wheels and period Goodrich tires, are so rarely seen today.

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