I still cant believe im the caretaker of this amazing machine, the history and changes it went thru in its first 6 years or so of racing were crazy, and then basically nothing major has been changed since 1970! My friend John Zechbauer had know of the car for a few years before he was able to buy it around 2014, the front clip and suspension had parted ways but he was lucky to be able to track them down and then the research began, and it was traced back to being owned buy Dave Fure, Gary Farsund and Al Tschida. Gary and Dave bought the car first, then Al joined the team, this was early to mid 1965, Al just came off of winning the National in his 40 willys gasser, pulled the drivetrain and installed it in the new coupe with new partners, it was then entered into the 1965 Nationals under car number 331 where it was runner up in c/g. following that event they brought it to the 1966 winternationals under car number 331 again but it was dropped down to C/G where Al thought he could be more competitive, well guess what, it was, and it tok home the championshit in C/G. it then competed in the 1966 indy nats, i believe Gary Farsund had left the partnership so it was just Fure and Tschida and was entered with the number 235 on it now and competed in B/G, im not sure of the outcome but they didnt win. at this point Dave Fures interest in the car was bought out by Bill Mitchell, who was actually Als brother in law! Bill took the car to the 1967 Winternationals and entered under car #612 and ran in D/G, the car was still a hard charger and Bill got runner up that year. then in september of 1967 it was entered in the Nationals at Indy again under car number 612, but did not do well. i havent found any race entrys for 1968 so they must have taken a year off. it came back in 1969 to the winternationals entered as 332 with a fresh paint job and the Antelope Valley Speed Center lettering and raced in C/G, in one of the races the car got out of control and slid against the guardrail. After new glass rear fenders and some more custom paint the car show back up to the 1969 spring nats in Dallas under the Triad Land Company 331 and rand in C/G. they didnt win. the last race ive found was the 1969 Indy Nats, it was back as the triad 331 car in C/G and nade it to runner up. After its serious racing career was over. Ill add to the story below more below. Pictured below is what i believe is the my car pre Fure Farsund Tschida but i have not be able to confirm, Gary remembers the car being white or light color primer when they got it, i also have a bunch of comparison pics and it has alot of things in common. this car also disparaged when my car appeared Photo from Gary Farsund, believed to be Pamona 1965 1966 pamona winternats D/G champion 1966 Indy possibly, or Mn dragways, were not sure, B/G 235 Minnesota dragways 1968. starting to get the look it still has. Antelope Valley Speed Center,Feb 1969 Triad Land Co June 1969 in 1970 Doug Mosch from Marshall Minnesota bought the car in California and flat towed it sans motor back to Minnesota, he installed a wheel built big block but never had it running, doors were also re lettered to reflect Dougs business. In 1972 Doug Woltjer bought the car from Mosch and reletered it "Wild Willys" and got it running with the big block Chevy and street drove it until roughly 1980. It changed hand a bunch of times until Jim Minnichsoffer from Scandia bought it, Jim probably owned the car for the longest of any owners, roughly 30 years My friend Johnny Z was able to buy the car and after a couple years re-aquire the front clip for the car that was given away when the car was starting to be street rodded! John knows ive always loved the car and offered it to me this spring and i jumped at the chance, he was a good friend and has me on the easy payment place, but its well worth it!! Here is a pic of Gary Farsund, he hadnt seen the car since roughly 1966! and he brought me a few presents
That is so frighten cool! What engines did it have in it when it was racing? What kind of times did it turn?
Congrats Titus...that's a nice one...I really like the 511 livery on the trailer...but it hard to F' up a Willys...they all look like serious business...
It seems to always run .030 327s and a 4 speeds and hilborns, Al really liked the 327. i only know a few times like when it won at the 66 winternats it did 12.21 at 111 mph, i also found that it was runner up at 65 indy nats and did 12.48 at 107.52. i keep looking for old national dragster magazine to find more. later in life it got a big block chev with a tunnel ram.
right now its a got a 350/th350, my buddy is getting that stuff back and ill be building a nice 327 for it and putting a 4 speed back in it, will try and run a hilborn on it also. i want to do some exhibition runs to or race it a little but also want to try and drive it some locally and travel and show it around. JEFF
I know I posted this car in it's different variations over years in this thread: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1937-to-1942-willys-picture-thread.550556/ BUT you would have to manually search the 200+ pages because I don't think I used the names when posting.
Great to see these cars still in there former glory , I know how you feel when I bought my fairlane that was raced in the 60's then put away I'm just the care taker congrats.
I got the opportunity to look your Willys when it was featured at the gassed wars magazine display for the Meltdown drags. What an awesome machine you have. I am curious how the Triad lettering was restored on the doors?
Kathy Weeks of weeks end sign repainted the Triad lettering back on the doors, she said she got lucky and could make out the ghost outlines of it so that helped.
Had to come back and look at this one…man that paints amazing..this car would look killer at autorama
The Jalopy Journal
