Photo: carreauski on eBay
Penned by Brooks Stevens and inspired by the cab-over trucks of that era, the Forward Control is a pretty rare breed. The FC-170 we’ll cover today, for example, is one of 3,816 units produced for the 1957 model year.
Featuring a gross weight of 7,000 pounds (3,175 kilograms) and 52,000 miles (83,686 kilometers) on the clock, the long-wheelbase Forward Control before your eyes is a one-owner truck according to the seller. Following a nut-and-bold rotisserie restoration with great attention to detail, the FC-170 has been listed on eBay by “carreauski” with a buy-it-now price of $39,950 OBO.
Considered brand-spanking-new because the FC-170 wasn’t registered or titled until the summer of 2020, the cab-over truck spent its entire life on a farm and around town in Mississippi. The original radio and fan are still featured; they were the only optional extras available that year, according to the seller.
Refinished in the original red-and-white exterior combo and beautified with red upholstery for the seats, the Forward Control “runs and drives beautifully.” Chassis number 615681646 hides a Super Hurricane straight-six motor under the cabin, matched to a Borg-Warner T-90 stick shift, a two-speed transfer case, and Dana axles for great off-road capability.
From 3.7 liters of displacement, the 6-226 engine is much obliged to crank out 115 horsepower and 190 pound-feet (257 Nm) of torque. It’s not a lot, but don’t forget the Forward Control wasn’t designed to go anywhere fast.
Take, for instance, the four military variants of the FC-170 contracted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Powered by a Cerlist three-cylinder and two-stroke diesel, these variants are the M676 cargo pickup truck, the M677 four-door cargo truck, the M678 carry-all truck, and the M679 ambulance.
Not the big seller that Willys had hoped it would be, the Forward Control was phased out in 1964 after a little more than 30,000 examples were sold. After its original tenure, the Forward Control lived on under license in India and Spain thanks to Mahindra & Mahindra and Vehiculos Industriales y Agricolas.
Considered brand-spanking-new because the FC-170 wasn’t registered or titled until the summer of 2020, the cab-over truck spent its entire life on a farm and around town in Mississippi. The original radio and fan are still featured; they were the only optional extras available that year, according to the seller.
Refinished in the original red-and-white exterior combo and beautified with red upholstery for the seats, the Forward Control “runs and drives beautifully.” Chassis number 615681646 hides a Super Hurricane straight-six motor under the cabin, matched to a Borg-Warner T-90 stick shift, a two-speed transfer case, and Dana axles for great off-road capability.
From 3.7 liters of displacement, the 6-226 engine is much obliged to crank out 115 horsepower and 190 pound-feet (257 Nm) of torque. It’s not a lot, but don’t forget the Forward Control wasn’t designed to go anywhere fast.
Take, for instance, the four military variants of the FC-170 contracted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Powered by a Cerlist three-cylinder and two-stroke diesel, these variants are the M676 cargo pickup truck, the M677 four-door cargo truck, the M678 carry-all truck, and the M679 ambulance.
Not the big seller that Willys had hoped it would be, the Forward Control was phased out in 1964 after a little more than 30,000 examples were sold. After its original tenure, the Forward Control lived on under license in India and Spain thanks to Mahindra & Mahindra and Vehiculos Industriales y Agricolas.
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