Hot Rods Willys we have known !

My old 39 with 40 nose from SA how it was when found and top pic is how it ended up when finished sadly sold on.

 

AWESOME CAR!!! g-willys

 

Hey G-Willys thanks for kind words it does put a smile on my face every time I walk in my shop and see it sat in the corner, great thread you've got going here can't believe I've missed it. Got a few more pics of other Willys that have passed thru if it's ok to put them up, many thanks Wayne

 

G willys im not mad at nobody but theres no need for chucky to call a man like myself a rapist and pillagist over buying a car thats taking it too far.glad you posted the picture of my coupe i didnt get the ones I was promised but then again im used to dealing with assholes.the sedan wasnt actually bought for the clip.but after advertising it complete and it not selling i figured fuck it I'll tear it apart and yes i paid strong for the car but its not as good as one i bought 6 months prior from a field in southern ks.ive found out years ago everyone wants a willys till its time to pay up for one.were no longer living in 1980.lve also found out ive got junk when im selling and everyone else has gold when theyre selling.thats life i guess.oh well aint gonna hurt my feelings if I die with my collection its all paid for from working my nuts off.hopefully you wasnt that same arrogant guy i met in illinois at that recent auction 2 months ago from minnesota.have a good one man.

 

Yes...have at it...I have to ask...do you know Ian Dawes from out your way?

 

I believe that may be Ralph Jennings car. The first time I seen that car was 1984 when I was 12. Loved them ever since. He rarely gets the car out. I spoke with him about a month ago and he would like to redo it. That’s the first time I’ve ever spoken to him. He told me the story about how he bought it at an nsra show down south in the late 70’s. It’s a brandywine color and has a big block. Did the car have some fiberglass parts on it? He told me he gathered all the parts needed to replace the glass ones when he completed it in the early 80’s.

Jason


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

The '40 looks great as well...my race car from the 60's was a '40.

 

Here's an early coupe...lots of work left, but he does have it on the road...for two years now, at back to the fifties, and around town. g-willys

 

The only early coupe that I ever found, was up near the border of Canada in Northern Minnesota, back in the early '90's. I had it a grand total of 3 weeks...someone from Kentucky found out about it, we agreed to a price, and he was up to get it a week later....we saw it a year later at the swap meet at Indy Goodguys, on a chassis, with a fiberglass front end for Seven grand...that was a lot more than the price we agreed to the year before. I felt it was too far gone for me to do...wrong, wrong, wrong ! g-willys

 

Hey G Willys yes I know Ian he's a great guy, he's had a few Willys I loved his 39 sedan he done in late 90s was sold soon after he built it think it went to Finland.
This was a 38 I bought 4 years ago was sold new in the UK last pic is how it was found sat behind a guys workshop, I bought it as you see it on the trialer part restored with lots of parts missing, I have since sold it on.

 

'39 Willys...how can you sell such a kool car...just kidding...I know whoever got it, wanted it very badly.
Neat car.
Met Ian at the Meltdown Drags, and we talked for about a half hour before we realized that many years before, I had sent to him a trim ring (like the one below)for one of the headlights on that neat '39 sedan...I have a british magazine some where in my mess that has his sedan on the cover. I also have a nice picture of his black '41 coupe. We talked for another hour, and strange as it may be, we ran into each other about 3 more times, at a restaurant, at the motel. etc. He wants to come to the Back to the 50's that is in St Paul, near where I live...it is the largest US car show, getting more than 12,000 cars registered in recent years...1964, and older, and so many you can't see them all...I hope he can make it here. What are you driving now, and why did youget rid of that neat coupe? g-willys

 

G Willys I last saw Ian about 3 yrs ago at HRR in Bakerfield CA and his 41 coupe was real kool It's still in UK I know the guy that has it just sat in his shop and never moves.
I bought that 38 with intentions of leaving it as it was although the resto job wasn't the best I had just sold my 39/40 gasser and needed to replace it, then Paul Kennedy told me of the 38 so contacted the guy and a deal was done, then a guy contacts me to see if I want to buy back the 37/39 I have now as I sold it to him 2 yrs earlier and the body on that one is so much nicer, couldn't afford them both so had to sacrifice the 38 I was gutted at the time but now my 37/39 looks so cool and I love it, Garry in SA has one coupe left and I keep trying to buy that one but he won't let it go it's a 42. Cheers Wayne

 

G Willys don't suppose you have one more of those 39 trim rings for head lights I have one missing, I've made one up to hold glass in but not great.
Always fancied doing the Meltdown maybe one day.

 

This one was even harder to let go bought this via Paul Kennedy and Trouble who put me in touch with Jim Oddy i had it around 6 yrs and decided to sell it last year as just didn't get the time to build it as real busy building cars for customers plus needed the dosh, was a real nice car, body was from USA front clip and rear fenders came off a SA sedan I had.

 

'39 Willys,
That's an old picture...I lent it to a guy in Canada, so he could drag race his Yellow Pickup, called the Hairy Canary.
He kept looking but never found one...I eventually sold him that one about 10 years ago. I have a spare for my '39 coupe, and I do come across some from time to time...if I do, I usually buy it, so you'll have an extra set of eyes looking. I might be able to find another one...it would be nice to get one for you, your coupe is very awesome.
Here's a couple of Meltdown pictures too. g-willys P.S. I love that early coupe too....you can't keep getting rid of these nice cars...there aren't many left to find !!!!!!!!

 

Man that truck in the last pic is AWESOME in person

 

We have a bunch of pics from the meltdown that are in the thread that is linked in my signature.

 

Hey G Willys that would be great if you find another light trim please keep me in mind there's zero chance of finding one this side of the pond.
I've still got a 40 pickup left to keep my coupe company although it's all in bits at mo. This pic was taken at CA shippers about eight years ago.

 

Like I said...DON'T sell them all...get one or two done and enjoy them ...g-willys

 

Hi bill. Great thread. Jerry K.

 

Thanks Jerry...it's been fun ...with all the involvement over the years!!!

 

Here's some of my Willys Picnic pictures...this year will be # 29 straight years. I hold it on the Thursday before Back to the 50's in St Paul. I have it at my house. g-willys

 

This was my old 41 I built around 14yrs ago was a South African import real nice body with little rust, ran a Chevy V6, M2 front and Volvo rear axle. This is the very first Willys I owned and got me hooked on them.

 

Few more I imported from South Africa to UK 38 coupe was saved from the crusher and is now with a new owner being built as a gasser., 37 was found abandoned on a hill top with many years of abuse with an axe by the look of it the doors had been ripped off there hinges.
The 37 sedan was used to repair the first 38 coupe a shame really as the shell had zero rust unlike the fenders, Anyone have any info on the extra grills in the front fenders as this is the second pair I've seen like this ?

 

I have a theory after crawling around these cars for nearly 50 years. I had heard it said that the air flow through the radiator on the 37-38 was less than efficient at going through the full core of the radiator. I have seen 3-4 cars with louvers punched through that area to increase the air flow, and of course in 1939 the company actually did louver that section of the front end to aid in cooling, and the inner fender planels of the 39 actually has holes similar to what is seen in your picture. My theory is that in very warm climates, (such as South Africa, etc) that maybe these holes were cut by a shop to allow more air in...the theory however is that they were cut after seeing how effective the air flow was on the '39's...so as an after market procedure, and not a factory fix. As air flow is so important, I even had a friend make a scoup for the bottom of my coupe to direct the air flow up and into the radiator of my coupe. I show also the inner pannels and what the opening looks like (somewhat similar to the cuts in the 37-38). g-willys

 

Good theory !! On the 37-38 with the louvers in that area, the bottom of the front fenders would act like an air dam. The panel inside the hood to stop the air flowing over the top helped a lot. JW

 

Right you are...I've got a mint one of those in the attic somewhere...took it off some Willys hood at some point in time.
g-willys

 

Hey G Willys think your totally right they had nice grills with trim round the outside looked like they were factory shame I never took a pic, wondered whether you had any similar in USA, I think they may have been an export thing as you say to hot countries.

 

Hey guys...I've still got a ton of pictures of Willys I have know, but I am going on a spring break trip for a couple of weeks, so I won't get the chance to post more for a while...Keep doing a good job of posting the Willys YOU have known, and when I return, I'll post some more...there's a thread on here about owning a Willys Pickup, versus a Ford pickup...I am going to post some sweet pickups (willys) to tempt them. Here is a coupe done by an old friend from the Eau Claire WI. area...very well built. He has since sold it, but it is still in the Area and we see it every year at back to the 50's in St Paul. Notice that he did a very slight CHOP to the top. g-willys