Historic 1933 Willys AA/GS Match Race Car Build in 1968 by Hart Automotive (Chuck Finders, Larry Sikora, Will Barath, Mickey Hart) The body is one of the first Cal Automotive (I have been told #2 actually) , the Car was first painted black and ran a blown injected big block Chevrolet. In 1969 they switched to a Blown injected Hemi. Then for the 1971 Cleveland Auto-Rama it was painted white as the car sits now. The car was sold without an engine when the driver Wild Bill Levic passed away from a wreck at Thompson Dragway. Larry Covert purchased the car in 1973 and took the engine out of his Pure Determination model A coupe and put the injected Big Block in the Hart Automotive 33 and ran it mostly at Dragway 42, Norwalk, and Thompson. Larry stopped racing a couple years later and parked the car in a small garage. When Larry passed Ron Wilson purchased the car from Larry’s widow and proceeded to turn the car into a street rod. He removed the paint and race equipment and installed a 454 Tunnel Ram with a Muncie 4 speed and did drive the car on the street. I remember seeing it around 2000 at Annebelles, a local cruise in. Ron passed and I was contacted about the car by Big Al (Big Al’s List) and purchased the car in 2010. I did get the car running and drove it one the street for a summer, yes this car is titled as a 1933 Willys. A complete restoration was in order. The body was removed and the original (they had been hacked) floor and cage were replaced by E&J Precision Welding. I still have them if the next person is interested in them. The car is certified to 8.50 and has a flat floor for my size. He also added some strength to the inside of the original frame rails and made a new transmission cross member and a slick cross bar on the front of the cage that ties in with the Ultrabell to hold up the transmission while the engine is out of the car. The suspension is still the same vintage set up with new street rod shocks. I believe a chrome molly dropped axle up front with a buggy spring. The rear is a Chrysler 8 ¾ with Mark Williams 35 spline goodies including a billet yoke and main caps. The brakes are Willwood discs in the rear. The rear springs are Corvair coil springs in unique adjustable pockets. Denny’s Drive shafts provided the driveshaft. The powerglide is all new with less than 12 passes same with the Perfect Convertor blower unit. Speaking of blowers; that is a new Littlefield Teflon stripped 6-71 on top a Littlefield modified intake that was lapped in by Dean Gellner. Gellner Engineering is responsible for the power coming out of the 427 tall deck Chevrolet with Merlin cast iron heads. The ignition is a period correct Vertex Magneto rebuilt by Vertex. The injection is a vintage Hilborn 4 port with a chromed scoop. All other injection parts are new. The combination with a novice blower car driver and only an initial tune on startup plugs with 11 year old slicks went 5.28 @ 139.4 in the 1/8 at the 2019 Rock’N’Race. The car sat dormant last year….It is booked for 3 events this year with an exhibition event as well. There is a ton of photos and documentation that go with the car including some of its trophies! The car looks just like it did back in the day thanks to Mark Swartzlander for his impeccable recreation of Jerry Shieve’s original design. The pictures do not do this car justice as the all pearl white with candy graphics light up in the natural light. Many of the parts on this car are original to the car including all the plastic windows and wings. The windshield has been replaced with mar resistant lexan. The wheelie bars are also original with adjustment modifications. All safety equipment is new and the car only has a few passes on it. It is ready to go, either 1/8 mile or ¼ mile (goofing off it ran a 9.03 @ 156 with a brief let off and get back in it) I have yet to make a serious hit off the line as the slicks are old and the suspension needs tuned. The car has shown at the US Nationals, and had a double issue feature in Rod’N Kulture magazine. Photographed by the famous Spike! I do not have the time or means to give this car the justice it deserves. This car is a local legend and was one of the fastest cars in the country back in the day. With the right team, it has the potential to be the fastest nostalgia gasser in the country now. I would listen to 3 window coupe trades or partial 57 nomad / 59 ElCamino trades.
Update on performance, Won the Indy Big Gasser Madness Go in 2021, went a best of 5.06 @ 142 in the 1/8 and we are still chassis tuning!
The Jalopy Journal
