Midwest gasser guys, need info on this old willys gasser from Iowa!!!

any info will help to restore this car. rumored to have run a small block chevy.

 

Well people say a lot of things.

I'll give you a bump, maybe BobWop has some idea about it. I think he did the gasser scene for quite awhile around the mid west.

 

I have no info on the car, but since Ricketts is in NW Iowa, the car probably would have run at the Sioux City IA track. There was a thread started a year or so ago about Iowa tracks. Find that thread and put a picture of the car on there and see if anyone knows it.

 

Tom Grasso...Omaha, Nebraska....G&G Chassis, could probably provide some info. Been a long time Willys guy in addition to being a track announcer at Scrivner, NE and a couple more in that area.

 

thanks guys, i will try to find that thread and post a pic!!

 

I have a friend in Ricketts, I'll send them the pic of the car and see if they can tell me anything or who you might contact about it.

 

sorry, I have no history to contribute. Let me know if you wish to sell it.

 

I have some info, Arlen Henning was the owner of the 66 Station in Ricketts. The station has been closed for years, ie it was closed prior to the 1990's.
I have the phone number for his younger sister, I'll pm that to you.

 

Wasnt that sedan down in Texas for sale?

 

thank you, i will give her a call.

and yes that car was in texas for a while.

 

Here's a picture of the gas station as of today, 12-18-10

 

Wow, what great looking building ! thanks for sharing that!

 

wow still in good shape!!
thank you.

 

great leeds!!!thanks guys!!
I just talked to Arlen Hennings. He had it back in the 80's and doesn't know much about where it had been before that except that he bought it from a fellow in Davenport, Iowa. It was a gasser running a big block 4-speed.

He's pretty sure it has a 5:13 posi. Olds/Pontiac rear for sure. He ran it with an L88 big block chevy single four barrel and ran 10.2's-10.9's. He ran Ansen slotted mags and 14/32 inch slicks. Says it pulled the front wheels high.



He raced it at an NHRA track in Scribner, Nebraska just in case anybody might have some action shots out there. anyone with pics please post them.

 

You have no Idea how lucky you are finding history so fast, I had several old gassers with no luck searching for history for years. Good luck on your picture search and enjoy your Willys Gasser!

 

==================================================

Hey Dave;

ALL these old drag cars have history,some just more than others.
Don't get "hung up" on finding and recreating "history cars".

Make your own history !!

Take care Dave;
Rick

 

Looks great and sounds like you are getting some good information. Do you plan on putting it back on the track?

Jon

 

Contact "cougardan" here on the hamb. He bought and had plans for it, but ended up selling it. Maybe he can help.

 

cool car.........

 

best thing is to get them all race prepped, then give up and sell them, cheap. I am interested!

 

yes those are the plans, just need to find some old pics of the car.

 

I will try to ask around here in Davenport -Did he give you a name of the guy here in Davenport - was it ever raced at Cordova ?

 

that would be great!!
he could not remember the guys name who he bought it from, but it was from Davenport-and he did mention that he thought it was raced at Cordova

 

sweeeet I'll put my ear to the ground and see if I can drum up some info

 

Neat car and a big block chevy powered one at that. Now you have my attention. There's an L-88 sitting out in the shop with only 3 passes on it since new............................HHMMMM..........wonder if I should give it a new home and let her stretch her legs..........film at 11:00

Frank

 

Sounds like a plan - man

 

sent pm on that L88!!!

 

Here are pics from Sioux City, you might find pics in it ?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232331

 

Hey, That old girl gets around. Saw that car in Odessa Texas about 2 years ago. In the care of another hamber at that point. I think he sold it to someone in Oklahoma later.

 

thanks for the link...still no luck on any pictures of the old willys.