History The Planets Align & I Buy a '41 Willys Coupe: Can you help track its racing history?

Bass,

How is the Willy's coming along. Have her running by LSRU 2013?
Have you decided to go with the Hemi or is an Olds still a possibility?

Will you be running the front Tow Tabs or orig bumpers? Are you
going to build the frame up thats with the car or build a new one? Will be
an amazing car when you finish it up and make some history with it.
Here are some pics of some Willy's for some inspiration.


Conner

 

I'm late to the party, but that's pretty bitchin Brian. Very cool!

Has anyone looked at any of the Don Montgomery drag racing books for any clues?

 

I still haven't been able to track the history, but I did just find a set of the same style headlight rings that are on the Stone, Woods, & Cook car.

I don't know which ones I'm going to use yet, but it can't hurt to have another option.

 

YES!!

 

UPDATE!

I just got a call from a man named Todd Johnson from Minnesota, and he provided me with all the info on the car!

The car was built and raced by a gentleman named Larry Shipshock, who was also from the Twin Cites area of Minnesota. Mr. Shipshock found the car as a stocker in a wrecking yard in Chetek, Wisconsin (just east of Minneapolis/ St. Paul) sometime in the '50s. He did all the work on it, installing an Olds in the car, with a '37 Lasalle trans behind it. Eventually the Willys ended up with a 394 Olds in it that was bored out to 418ci. He ran a home-made 6x2 set-up on the car, and raced it in the late '50s and early 60's...I am told it was raced at Twin Cities Speedway. Larry ran the car until he switched to an Anglia/Prefect that took the place of the Willys.

Todd told me that his uncle, Mark "Chubbs" Johnson acquired the car from Larry Shipshock in trade for a 4speed transmission. The slotted mags that were on the car when I got it were off of one of Mark Johnson's dragsters. He reportedly raced a couple of front engine dragsters and a rear engine dragster up until about 1974. During this time the Willys sat in his garage next to a '39 Buick Sedan.

The Willys ended up selling in 1982 or '83 to the man that stored it up until this year. I believe this man's name is Henry. Anyway, Richard bought it through the other guy that was on the show, Thomas, who drove up to Minnesota and picked it up.

If anybody out there knows about Larry Shipshock or remembers either his Willys or Anglia, please let me know. I do know that he passed away a few years ago, but any other info or especially photos of the car would be much appreciated.

I am extremely happy to learn about the cars racing history, and can't thank Todd enough for giving me a call with the info he gave me.

 

Thats cool news I hope some photos show up! Good on you!

 

That is very cool news Brian. Now you should track down the track photographer from Twin Cities Speedway. Maybe some old pics of it racing will turn up.

 

Holy shit! That's cool!

You are really gonna piss people off now when you put a blown Chrysler in it....

 

That's great news that you found out who raced it! You must be so excited

 

Well , that's great that you got the history on the car ...makes the whole deal look sweeter . I like the Olds power idea .

T

 

Lucky Bass... That thing is cool just the way it is too. Its like a rolling history museum. I'm sure you will do it up right, the way it deserves to be done. Good luck! Rusty

 

That's awesome. Way cool to hear the history of that car.

Personally, I'd go with the Olds motor for nostalgia reasons, the way it was kinda thing. But the Hemi would be just as cool, I mean, who doesn't like a blown Hemi in a Willys gasser?

 

Funny thing is that I have a '56 324 Olds with a Weiand 6x2 set-up, AND a '37 Lasalle trans sitting not ten feet from the car right now.

Maybe it was meant to be?

 

Must be destiny.

 

Yep, the hot rod gods are directing you.

 

What else are you going to do with that old "junk?" haha! The planets did align.

 

Check out the GSTA for more info about early MN drag racing. They were the sanctioning body in MN. The GSTA is made up of many of the local car clubs in MN. I am a young member of the GSTA now with the Scavengers Car Club.
http://www.gstarod-custom.com/gsta_home.htm

 

awesome find, now just get it going

 

Fantastic!! Congrats on getting that info, Brian. I think now you know what you must do.

 

Was it asked if this was tye car on Fast and Loud? Did.you actually buy it from them or was that.all setup after you bought it?

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

You might also talk to the Rocket Man Ky Michaelson as he was around the track at that time: http://www.the-rocketman.com/thunder_memories.html

Billy Bissonet writes a monthly column in the MSRA Linechaser about MN drag racing from that era as well.

 

Seems there's still some magnetic pull between the Willys and the Olds/Lasalle since they ended up so close to each other in your shop! Might be a sign from the car Gods!

 

Brian, I googled his name and Minnesota and here is what I found:

http://www.whitepages.com/name/Larry-Shipshock/Minnesota

81 would be about the right age, and he shows a relative. Maybe she can shed some light on it or steer you to another family member. Shipshock isn't like Smith, so there is a good chance these guys might be related.

Good luck on your hunt. Hell, the car has already been a TV star.

Don

 

Olds, olds, olds.....

 

Definitely a sign, now go make them as one....

 

Shows several relatives in my search:
Possible Relatives:Aaron R Shipshock, Elaine Darleen Shipshock, Loren Lee Shipshock

 

Damn that is so cool on finding the history. Got any new pics of it??

 

knowing the pedigree is too cool. Hope you get some historical pics too.

 

great news will see if we can fill in the blanks

 

Mmm.. LaSalle.