Event Coverage A Willys for the Wise

Wow. Isn’t that a sight.
I too always dreamt of having a gasser Willy’s. Seeing one that complete is really rare.
My 1st cousin has a period correct Stock Anglia. I always teased him about making a strip racer out of it.

 

It would be a shame to restore this .......or would it?!

 

As much as I love one that's been hot-rodded, I'd drive that pretty much as is as well.

More pictures? Interior, engine, etc...?

 

That car is from my home town Waseca MN.
EVERYBODY wanted it.

 

Man that’s weird to look at lol may be the first stock one I’ve ever seen!

 

That’s awesome!!!!!!!

I still say make it a gasser !

 

Here's an unrestored, Bedford Gray 1941 Willys Americar Coupe:

all images from the "Having a gas in a BONE-STOCK WILLYS" OldCars Weekly article
​

 

Those things look fast just setting still.
Thats a beauty.

 

there is a really nice original stocker here in the Bay Area somewhere. I have only seen it at the Strangers show in San Jose. it is grey or greenish. looks all original.

 

Willys and later Kaiser made great cars for the money - light, simple, stylish and quick. It just baffles me that they fell by the wayside after 1955. We had a '52 Henry J and a '53 Aero Ace as family cars in the mid-50s to about '64. The Aero Ace was roomy, even as a two-door. The 161 c.i. F-head was quicker than the Fords and Chevies.

 

Danny Blocker's "Anti-Gasser" 1940 Willys Coupe:

circa 2012 image by Mitch Prater


circa 2013 image by Tim Bernsau
​

 

Patina cars always leave me with the feeling I may be able to buy the car. When restored I kind of back off thinking would be out of my league....the hope is there then the interest is there and that is why I am drawn to patina.

 

Never fear the owner of the red/white coupe also has a Willys gasser

 

Willys just don't look right without the optional HEMI and big slicks!

 

This little Willys rocks !!!
Sort of makes you wonder how many of these were bastardized in the pursuit of power to weight ratio.....

 

Ok, we have our one original Willys. Now can we get back to the SWC coupe?

 

1940 Chevrolet Willys Coupe - Willys Come True (motortrend.com)
Story on Danny Blocker's all steel 40 Willys Americar.

 

Ok, seeing as you asked so politely.........

 

Wow,what a beauty. Have never seen .
Great patina.
Looks so authentic ,original .
Let me know when you let she go .

 

Very cool! Yep, it caught my eye too, ten years ago... took this at BTT50's in 2012!
Whatever your views are on the current fascination with patina, I think most of us will agree that keeping this one "as found" was the right call.

 

I saw this coupe drive into the swap meet at the Blacksmith lounge here in MN a few years back. There were 3 or 4 guys running behind it trying to be the first to reach it. It wasn't for sale.

 

There has to be a better term for stuff like this than “patina “. Patina, to me, is a piece of old furniture that has been cared for but not refinished, an old guitar with some belt buckle rash and worn spots on the neck or an old car that has the paint worn through on top of the fenders. That Willys is a rusty and dented project car. I know that it’s very popular on the HAMB, but it’s not patina. YMMV. or not.

 

You almost never see an original one and it is very eye catching. A Hickey High Compression Head and a Burns Dual Carb Intake on the original engine would put it over the top cool in my opinion plus it would help the cars performance. With that said good luck finding an original Coupe in the first place because they are almost impossible to find.

 

Awesome!!

 

This was a local sale last week, think it went for 1500 euro,

 

I always thought these coupes had the best roofline/trunk curve ever. This one is a beauty!

 

@34 GAZ, That is a 1942 Willys. It’s interesting because the grille and headlight rings aren’t chromed like the 1941s. I believe that this was to not reflect light during the war.

 

The last time I saw an unrestored Willys was at NSRA Bakersfield about 5 years ago. Owner had it for at the unbelievable price of…..$65k. To which most guys said HELL NO!

 

@chryslerfan55,

I believe that this is the one that you were talking about from Bakersfield. It has one of the Burns Dual Carb Intakes.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/new-willys-at-solo-speed-shop-only-took-12-years.973815/