Quiz Archive

About Quiz # 297: 1939 Overland Model 39 plus a Mystery!

Some of you thought that when we named our quiz car a sharknose, it must be a Graham. Wrong! Many were not fooled, looked in the right direction and mentioned Willys. Wrong again. We gave as a clue that the company switched from one name to the other and that the name we were looking for was briefly returned. We quote the Willys-Overland Register: “1938 brought the Willys Model 38, yet 1939 saw it designated a Model 48. The Model 39 designation, surprisingly enough, was saved for the Overland name which made a brief comeback for 1939. This car featured hydraulic brakes, 2 inch longer wheelbase (now 102 inches) and 13 more horsepower (now 61 bhp @ 3600 rpm) and was more expensive than the Willys - another break with logic since consumers might remember the Overland name as being used on the cheaper vehicles.” Several correct answers came in (see Read More for list) and from those we figured that the one from John Robins was the most complete. Congratulation on your second win, John!
(photos by and special thanks to Hans Compter)

But we are also left with a mystery… The Overland was built in the States, but also assembled in Australia by Holden and in Holland by H.C.L Sieberg and that is where this Overland -although found on the island of Corsica- comes from. Several of you mentioned that the headlamps were incorrect for this model, but we don’t know. It could very well be that Sieberg used up the early style fenders and headlamps, before fitting the later style headlamps that mimicked the hood. Can anyone shed some more light on this?

The winning answer from John Robins: “1939 Overland Model 39 2 door sedan. 102” wheelbase 2.2 litres producing 61 bhp at 3,600 rpm and given hydraulic brakes for the ’39 model year. The engine came from the “77” at 48 bhp and finished up in the Jeep with 54 bhp. The 2 door sedans used the same pressings as the 4 door, rear doors welded shut and leaded over, Willys being notoriously parsimonious due to being in receivership from February 1933 for three years.”

Other correct answers came from:

Robbie Marenzi
Adrian Pascu-Tulbure
JC Stokes
Tom Mckibbin
George Cassidy
Jaap Ter linden

and jury members
Harry Schley
Kit Foster
Mark Dawber
Fried Stol
Frans Vrijaldenhoven

And with thanks to Hans Compter for the quiz idea

Saturday, 30 April 2011