Projects Gene (Moonlighter) Cromer's A/G Willys Resurrection

DA friend had two henry js in his. Junkyard ill find out if he has brake drums if he dose and ill let you know dose. Dale maddox know how two get in tuch with you

 

I have some out in the garage, I just did a disc brake swap on my Henry J so this stuff is in working condition. The drums were redrilled for a chevy pattern and rivets removed from drum to hub if that doesn't matter. Send me a p.m. so I don't forget and we can work something out I'm sure.

 

Let me know we are going to need them Gene has been looking ever where with no luck.

 

I'll ask gene but I think he had re drilled his for a ford bolt pattern but your backing plates are in a lot better shape than his so we might could use them anyway I'll talk to Gene and let you know.

 

Thank's every body for the help it unbelievable how a bunch of hot rodders pull together to help each other.

 

Nice Build!!!!!!

 

I would love to recreate the lettering on this car!

 

edweird here's how they looked I think that someone has already offered to do the lettering but I'll check and let you know. [/IMG]

 

...all I can say about this thread is,...excellent, just fucking excellent!!!!!

 

I've seen these radiators before in '70/71 Ford pro stock cars. The off-set radiator cap indicates it is likely modelled after a 65/66 Galaxie/Fairlane.

What a great restoration project!!

 

They are a factory ford pattern but use lug bolts instead of regular studs and nuts, useless Henry J trivia...lol

 

Cromer tried his hand at pro stock before he quit racing in the early to mid 70s the radiator was in the maverick pro stocker you can see it in the pix, [/IMG]

 

I'm getting bad off topic here but here's a pix of the maverick [/IMG]

 

I'll get back on topic here's a bigger pix of the lettering on the doors. You can also barely see the mustang funny car in the back ground. [/IMG]

 

This is how the moonlighter looked in 71 gene was using it as a backup car for his funny car bookings this is when he added the flip front end later style wheelie bars and halibrand wheels. Note the rear wheels are turned backwards Gene didn't have a lot of money so he had to use what ever he could find cheep. The fronts were 4 lug halibrand (very rare now) [/IMG]

 

Here's a link that some of ya'll might be interested in. Drag Illustrated did a wright up on Cromer and I a few months ago. It's 2 pages just go to the top of the page and hit the arrow to flip to the next page also you can enlarge it so you can read it. Oh yea when you read the part about the oil in the rear bumper the writer and I got crossed up it should read lead in the bumper not oil.
http://www.dragillustrated-digital.com/dragillustrated/201206#pg104

 

VERY COOL! It's guys like Cromer I read about as a kid in the 60s and 70s that lit the fire and made me want a hotrod coupe.Here is what i came up with...I have owned it almost 30 years! I look forward to watching this car (Genes) come to life!

 

Another awsome Willys being resurrected !

 

Awsome thread Its great that he kept the willys . From your other thread he has a good guy helping him restore it that's quite an honor. If I would have grew up in the south near him, he definitely would have been my hero. Please let us know when its makes its return to the track. It would be worth the long drive to see a original ford powered willys gasser go down the track.We are working on building a ford powered willys gasser to run at some gasser meets

 

Gene this is Jason welcome to the HAMB. I am glad to see that you started rebuilding the moonlighter and that you have some good help on the build. I will keep looking for some door hinges for you and I can't wait to see the moonlighter go down the track.

 

If you still need henry j front brake drums let me know I can help you. I have a couple of cars

 

Cromer raced against some big names here he is on a hand out with Fred Hurst. I think Concord dragway was the return road at Charlotte N.C. now Lowes motor speed way. [/IMG]

 

Thanks we don't have any yet but we have several other offers I'll try and let you know as soon as I talk to Cromer and see if any have came through yet. It's unreal how every body has stepped up for us on this project Thanks again.

 

Man this is going to be a resurrection to watch.

 

Quain/Gene..It's awesome to see you guys teaming up to resurrect the old Gal!..This will be a great story unfolding right here on the HAMB!..

Please keep her Ford SOHC powered!!! I'm partial to Ford FE powered Willys coupes having one myself!!

 

Concord Drag Strip was a 1/4 mile track about 3 miles from Charlotte Motor Speedway. There were also 1/8 mile drag races held at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the '60s and '70s, first on the back stretch then on pit road. The back stretch was longer but elevated slightly not suitable for doing burnouts. I raced motorcycles at Concord Drag Strip and on the back stretch and pit road at CMS. Tom Ferrell promoted drag races at Shuffletown, Greer, Spartanburg, CMS, Concord and other drag strips in the Carolinas. As far as I know he still has the lease at Greer.

 

Thanks for the info Frank I knew that they raced on pit road and always thought that Concord was the same place now I know better. I have some video of some racing on pit road but not any on the back stretch. Tom owned some of those tracks that you mentioned except Spartanburg. He also owned Shelby drag way. He sold Greer about 3 or 4 years ago.

 

I forgot about Shelby. I raced there too but the track wasn't in business very long. There must have been 50 drag strips in North Carolina in the '60s. Some were dirt. When I made my first pass at Shuffletown in '63 it was still dirt. I remember Dan Allison's '36 Chevrolet Coupe Gasser. The rear fenders were bobbed to allow the dirt to escape. He usually won there and I can still see those two 50 feet tall dirt rooster tails coming from the back of those bobbed fenders. Ask Gene if he was racing at Shuffletown when it was dirt. I believe it was '63 or '64 when it was paved. When it opened in '59 I was only 15 but lived close enough to ride my bike out there. The track manager, Scratch Whisnant, would let us kids in free. He thought we might come back when we could pay. IT WORKED!

 

Quain im still trying to get in touch with gary about the brake drums hes changed his number and his shop is in leesvile s.c. i may have to go see him in a couple weeks after the bracket finals ill let u know as soon as i can