Editing Overland Automobile (section)

==History==
The Overland Automobile department was founded in [[Terre Haute, Indiana]], by Claude E. Cox, when Charles Minshall of '''Standard Wheel Company''' decided to expand into automobile manufacturing. Standard Wheel were major suppliers of wheels to the carriage industry. Cox, a recent graduate of [[Rose Polytechnic Institute]], developed a gasoline [[Runabout (car)|runabout]] in 1903.<ref name=":1">{{Georgano-EncAuto3v}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Cox's runabout was an advanced design with a [[Water cooling|water-cooled]] 5-[[Horsepower|hp]] vertical [[Single-cylinder engine|single-cylinder]] engine mounted up front under a [[Hood (car)|hood]], rather than under the seat which was common practice. It featured a [[Spark-ignition engine|jump-spark ignition]] and a two-speed [[Epicyclic gearing|planetary transmission]] operated by a foot pedal. Priced at $595 ({{Inflation|US|595|1903|fmt=eq}}), 11 were built in 1903, doubling to 23 in 1904 when a [[Two cylinder|two-cylinder]] engine was introduced. Claude Cox continued development adding a 16-hp [[four-cylinder]] engine, [[Drive shaft|shaft-drive]] instead of chain and a [[steering wheel]] instead of a tiller, by 1905.<ref name=":0" /> 

In 1905, Standard Wheel moved Overland production to [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], but decided to leave automobile production and sold Overland to Claude Cox for $8,000, {{Inflation|US|8000|1905|fmt=eq}}.  [[David M. Parry]] became a 51% investor and formed the '''Overland Auto Company'''.  Overland production was now in an extension of Parry's buggy factory. Now producing two models, production was only 37 cars in 1905 because of the moves, and in 1906, production increased to 47, all sold to [[John Willys|John North Willys]], a car dealer in [[Elmira, New York]].<ref name=":1" /> 

The [[Panic of 1907|1907 Panic]] caused David Parry to go bankrupt, including the loss of his house. By 1910, he had recovered enough to start the [[Parry Auto Company]]. J. N. Willys arrived in Indianapolis to protect his investment and ended up taking over Overland Auto Company.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

In 1908, control of Overland was purchased by J. N. Willys, and he managed to increase production that year to 467 Overlands. Overlands were rationalized to one design of a 24hp four-cylinder car on two different wheelbases selling for $1,295, {{Inflation|US|1295|1908|fmt=eq}}. In 1909, the production soared to 4,907 Overlands, and Claude Cox left for [[Inter-State Automobile Company|Inter-State]] and later to form his own laboratory business (now Testek, Inc.) in [[Detroit]].   In 1909, the [[Pope-Toledo]] factory was purchased and Overland moved to Toledo.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

Production continued to grow, and Overland remained a top three U. S. automobile manufacturer through 1919. In 1912, it was renamed [[Willys-Overland|Willys-Overland Company]]. Overland models expanded in the mid-price automobile market until 1917, when a new $500 ({{Inflation|US|500|1917|fmt=eq}}) Overland to challenge the Model T Ford was announced. A disastrous strike delayed introduction until 1919, when it was priced at $845 ({{Inflation|US|845|1919|fmt=eq}}) with electric lights and a self-starter. Willys revised this car to the Blue Bird and Red Bird models, which helped Willys-Overland return to strength following a Receivership.  Willys-Overland continued to use the Overland marque until 1926, when it became the Overland Whippet and then [[Whippet (car)|Willys Whippet.]]<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />