Hot Rods 1940 Willys coupe project

That Coupe looks way better than what you started with. It will be interesting to see what it looks like after it’s sand blasted.

 

Hey buddy from Rags to Riches you have a great start going there, the thing about these Willys is they need a lot of work, but they are so DAMM Kool when they are up and running, it's like a fever when you get it you almost don't want it to go way. I guess that's why I can't bring myself to let my 38 Sedan go. Well keep up the work and soon it will be a runner. Later Tony

 

Tough decisions, do I cut the perfect firewall out.
I think I am going to run my Olds engine and keep the car a daily driver weekend racer. No interior, simple roll bar, simple color paint. If I decide to go balls out racing later, I guess I could cut the fire all out and jam a Hemi in it.

 

I just realized, Hydromatic's came stock on an Olds. I have this clutch Hydro for a Hemi but if I take the adapter off, it will attach to the Olds fairly easily, I think. And I have a shifter.

 

One of the mags, probably in the mid to late 60's, did a very similar Willys project. Pretty much stock with a 394 Olds, probably an Olds rear end and a Hydro, a standard combo for the time. I wish I could remember which mag, it seemed like it was a couple of weekends type of swap ( least as far as the mechanicals). As to your current project, I don't see where you can go wrong, especially with that Unconditionally Guaranteed shifter! Subscribed, Carp.

 

Thanks, Gringo! Looks like PHR, what year and month?

 

Hey EG71,

Could the person in the article called Rick Lorenzen be the same one who is responsible for the Lion's Dragstrip Museum and Price Transfer Automobilia complex? Here is a photo I took back in 2017 when the first, original Lion’s Dragstrip Museum opened up to the general public. The red primer and black wheels/tires gave me a shock.

I thought it was our old red primer Willys Coupe that we left in a scrapyard driveway back in 1960. The whole scene sent chills up my spine and memories came flowing back like a wildfire. The scrapyard was in Wilmington near Lion’s Dragstrip, the owner of the museum grew up in Wilmington, CA. So, the whole thing was a cloudy mess until further inspection in the then, empty museum/automobilia complex.

But, upon closer inspection, the grille is a 1941 single model, whereas, our 1940 Willys Coupe had the split chrome grille inserts. Since the hood was closed, no other information was listed, and the 671 SBC motor sitting in against the wall all contributed to the mind games. The rest of the coupe and atmosphere played tricks on my mind, while filming the rest of the day.

Do you have the rest of the complete article? and perhaps the original cover issue? Thanks...

Jnaki

From Lion’s Dragstrip Museum 2017:

This collection has a red primer Willys Coupe with black wheels and the set up of a 671 supercharged SBC motor. It gave me chills to see one built similar to the one my brother and I built in 1960. At first glance, it looked exactly as we last saw our home built Willys Coupe. Although, ours was a dual grille 1940 and this one was a 41 single grille version. But even the black tow bar under the front end was exactly the same. Recollection and memories play a big part of a great time in our lives. This museum version just happen to tickle a few cells to get the memory ball rolling again.


671 SBC along the rear wall, black tow bar under the engine compartment on the floor, black rims, aluminum panel interior parts, etc.

Versus 1960 Lion's Dragstrip

Similar build in 1959-60, red primer paint, 671 292 SBC motor, black wheels, tow bar and towing wheels/tires, etc... all part of our first hot rod/street legal drag racing coupe.

Price Transfer Automobilia Willys section

 

Ynaki, I assume El Gringo has the article. Must have slept in this morning. I'm pretty sure that I have it, but would definitely take some time to find. We'll see. Hope all is well with you and yours, Carp.

 

@catdad49, @jnaki
Unfortunately I don’t have the magazine. I saved the photo from the internet but I don’t think that it said which magazine it was out of. I think that it’s very likely that it is the same Rick Lorenzen from the Price Transfer-Lions Museum. The person referred to in the Magazine was in Long Beach and the museum is very close to there.

 

Rats, looks like I’ll be hitting the archives!

 

Eureka!

 

Hey CD49,

What a great library you have and the gumption to find that long ago article in the PHR Magazine. OUTSTANDING work... !!!

Wow, I guess giving away my old magazines a long time ago was not the best thing. But, at the time, our mom was in one of her household cleaning modes and that meant everything we (teenagers) did not use daily was going to the dump or left outside by the curb for anyone to come and pick up the stuff.

Jnaki

Later on, my wife must have been listening to my mom. She was in one of her own house cleaning modes, listened to my story about this neighborhood kid without anything cool to read or play with, so I gave him a complete set of hot rod magazines. (not from the original stash that got dumped by my mom) I had collected more reading material, as 20 somethings, to the time I gave them away. Also, I gave the kid my slot car wooden tackle box and all of my custom hot rods and drag race vehicles we built from scratch, Including a power transformer and some track for a short dragstrip/tuning area.

The old saying of "Pay It Forward" rang true for me. My brother gave me some great training and ideas and after all of our adventures, it was time to pay it forward...

The simplest way to define “Pay It Forward” is that when someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person instead.

 

Great article! It's nice to look back into these young hot rodders thoughts on the builds of the 60's.

 

I have seen a couple Willys sedans recently at decent prices. I know they aren't the desired coupe, but this article shows what can be done for reasonable money. C'mon youngsters, not many Started with their dream car! Gone, but just shows that they are Still out there, https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ding-sale-on-both-cars.1249556/#post-14394694

 

I’m glad that you found it. Thanks for going to the trouble of looking for it.

 

I just welded in the FINAL large portion of body steel!!! A little bit of sanding and it's ready for sandblast and primer.

 

OMG...that picture just says COOL! Wish we were neighbours.

 

It’s definitely come a long ways. I really like this picture. What kind of seats are those?



This picture kind of reminds me of one that I saw of Doug Thorley’s shop. There were plenty of cool rides around there too.

 

1966 VW beetle.

 

The proportions are great and I like the worn look too.

 

@drumyn29 any updates?

 

Sent it out to get blasted

 

started the olds for the first time!

 

rebuilt the rear brakes.

 

Man on a mission! Looks great!

 

A buddy of mine sent me some vintage Cyclone header flanges.

 

Waiting for the painter to schedule me in.

 

until then.... I am building a comp coupe dragster! https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/comp-coupe-dragster-build.1294144/#post-14901484