Inventory Listing

Used in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde” starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Seen in the film as the first car they stole. Nice 1970s restoration in good shape, runs and drives, complete and in need of a little TLC after long storage.

This Model 87 sedan was restored, probably in the early 1970s, and at that time it was given a color change from tan to brown with black fenders and jaunty yellow wire wheels. Even after nearly 40 years, the finish is holding up remarkably well with only minor signs of age and use. The bodywork is in excellent order with four doors that close easily with a precise sound and a hood that opens and closes without a lot of wrestling or drama. The chrome is in good condition, likely restored at the same time, and we especially like the oversized tubular bumpers that give the car a very substantial look. Cosmetic demerits are few: one of the front bumper brackets was missing and a replacement was fabricated, the running board rubber is probably original and starting to degrade, and, well, that’s about it.

Inside, it’s a mixture of original and restored pieces. We strongly suspect that the front seat has been reupholstered in a period-correct gray/green mohair while the striped upholstery in back is quite possibly original. The front seat floor area is covered with a very crudely cut rubber mat that looks like it was made from a door mat and that could definitely stand to be replaced with proper carpets as a middle-market car like this would likely have used when it was new. The gauges are all housed in a woodgrained panel in the center of the dash, and aside from the fuel gauge, they’re all fully functional (the sending unit for the fuel gauge is in the trunk). The row of knobs along the top of the dash are for the choke, throttle, headlights, and spark advance, and the key is on the far right. In the back seat area, there are numerous storage pouches as well as delicate silk shades for the three rearmost windows, offering a modicum of privacy for rear seat occupants. The rear-mounted trunk is in great condition and is an interesting green color that actually works rather well with the brown bodywork and inside you’ll find the original vacuum tank and aforementioned fuel gauge sending unit, as well as an ancient fitted cover that’s probably too far gone to be reused.

Willys used a 178 cubic inch inline-six with the Knight sleeve valve mechanism, and for those familiar with these engines, it should be no surprise that it’s a bit of an over-achiever. We’re guessing that this one has never been apart and externally offers no surprises for the experienced hobbyist. Everything appears to be intact from the carburetor to the generator to the distributor. With a little choke and a little coaxing, it starts and runs, although due to long-term storage we haven’t explored the outer reaches of its performance envelope. The sleeve valve mechanism will sound a little unusual to those more familiar with poppet valves, but the engine makes good oil pressure even at idle and moves the car around easily. All the fluids have been recently replaced, the radiator was cleaned, and the carburetor was adjusted just last month. The transmission is a standard 3-speed manual driving a set of 4.89 gears out back, so it’s probably happiest at 40-45 MPH. An older exhaust system sounds good and yes, as with all sleeve valve engines, it’s a bit smoky. It offers 4-wheel mechanical brakes and relatively light steering, making it easy to maneuver even in tight areas and the Goodyear whitewall tires are both old and brand new, probably installed in the 1970s but showing so few miles that even the casting flash is still visible on the treads.

The car comes with a binder full of documentation and photos from the “Bonnie and Clyde” film, restoration receipts, and other interesting tidbits that help track its history. You can also look it up on the internet, where it’s been a known quantity for many years. This is not a perfect car, but it’s ideal for the guy who likes unique, interesting machinery and the price is certainly right. Give it a little TLC and go out and tell people all about its history, a story everyone seems to love to hear.