Looking for Stone Woods Cook Willys information.

I'm looking for information sources for the Stone Woods Cook Willys. Basically, any build history, which versions are from what years, things like that. Does anyone know of any books that they are featured in? I understand there was 4 cars being ran, but other than the light blue one being first, and the dark blue one with the bottom trimmed off being last, that's all i've been able to find out. I've googled the hell out of it, found some pretty good pictures, but no real understanding of what version was ran when.

I'm getting ready to start a mostly scratch built model of their Willys, and i'm trying to decide which version to build. Thanks for any info!

 

Mojo, I had the good fortune to live in Bellflower in the early and mid-sixties and lived on Walnut street, not far from Lakewood Blvd. One day while I was working on a 28 RPU (I never finished) I heard a really nasty motor revvin' - walked down the street and across Lakewood to a small shop complex, and what do you know? Stone, Woods, and Cook shop! They were just t******* the bottom off the fenders, etc - I think it was 4" if my memory is still functional. They had just recently switched the Olds motors out for Hemis
and were great putting up with me hangin' around. Got to see lots of action from the g***er wars at Lions, great time! It's funny that we just happen to be around at certain times in history to see cool stuff - the AFX altered wheelbase cars, Greer, Black, and Prudhomme, all the really beautiful front engined top fuelers, ALTEREDS, etc. I'll look in my old Drag News pile and see if I can find any SWC stuff.

 

go to g***ermadness.com pretty much answer your questions on the cars.... i guess your talking about the black one and the candy blue one (which may have ended up as the cropped fender one....) swindler a & b ..? brandon

 

www.g***ermadness.com is your friend. You should be able to find what you need there. If not, join the gas/fx group. They can help ya'. One of the guys even has the original "Swindler A" car. Mike

 

Google Stone Woods & Cook and you'll find tons of info.... I just did!

 

Seen the new issue of Rodders Journal? Multipage feature on Mike Wales / Joe Trilio's restoration.

 

P.M. Littleman...He's friends with one of there son's.

 

Swindler A is at the NHRA museum in Pomona....

 

nmpontiac - man, that would have been so awesome to see that going on!

I'll look for that Rodder's Journal. I forgot to check and see if they had done a story about it previously. I've googled a lot before for the cars, found a lot of great pictures, and occational blurbs about the history. I'm mostly looking for a timeline of the different cars and versions.

I'm considering building this version, but i'm not sure what the specs were. It's the Swindler B, but i'm not sure if it's the 61-62 version with different wheels, or if it was a different car. Also, if it was still running the Olds engine. I'll join the that group and see what I can find.

 

www.g***ermadness.com as mentioned previously is a great source for info.

 

Without doubt, one of the most famous drag cars of all time!

 

I read some where that the S-W-C bunch was a couple of African American brick layers. That the driver was the only causian ...

Pretty amazing ... for the times ... if true.

Truely a legendary car ... fast and beautiful .

 

G***er Wars,
drag racing's street cl***es 1955-1968
Gas, Gas Supercharged, Street Roadster, Modified Sports, Modified Production,

By Larry Davis

Great book, lots of info and color pics. Would be of interest to all here.

Craig

 

Well, it's true that Cook was the only white guy, and his family ended-up with the last Willy's, probably because he was younger.

Stone and Woods both had good incomes. I don't remember which one, but one of them had a garbage pickup company. Maybe the other was a bricklayer, don't remember.

They did not get much press, and very few pictures of them were published. Even today, you don't see many black people in the car magazines. You see their cars, but you don't see the owners. Not all black men want a pimp-mobile.

Stone and Woods mostly wanted a winner. They had many people build and tune on the car. In almost every pit picture you see a different set of people working on it.

Dennis Taylor in Arkansas built a clone of the blue one a few years ago. But then he went crazy and went out of business. His was named after the alias name of Pebble, Pulp, and Chef. Turned out pretty nice, but never got raced.

 

Contact Mike @ mgbrattland@gerlecreek.com He is the president of a Willys Club. They are a great source for information, parts and Willys members from all around the world, Hope this helps....

 

I had the honor of photographing the recent restoration of the "B" car for The Rodder's Journal. Joe did a great job putting her back together. He even saved the Martinez interior and the Halibrands. The "Swindler II" was restored to 1962 status, but changes were made to the car every week back then, so you would have to pick one that you like. I really don't think there is a "perfect" way of restoring a drag car as they changed up so often. Sometimes after every race!

Spike

 

Here's Swindler A, and man the stands are full. Don't remember the track name (somebody probably recognizes it). 6-lug wheels and all. Take a look at some of the cars in the pits. Fun, fun...

 

I can only add that the car they had at the '64 Indy Nationals was the one that was painted black. I have movie film of that one.

 

thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it.

 

Call Mike Cook, son of driver Doug Cook
Cook Motorsports
951-278-4243
Norco, CA

DW

 

Definitely check out G***er Wars by Larry Davis, Most if not all of the SWC cars are there, and g***ermadness.com, between the 2 you can piece them together.

If you are into models, Sli** has decals for at least 4 SWC cars. Revelll now offers either the dark blue or black version and it's a great kit.

 

Some people background:
Copyright Los Angeles Sentinel Nov 8, 1995
Timothy L. Woods, 87, Business Pioneer, Drag Racer, P***es.

Timothy L. Woods who p***ed away on Oct. 23, was born in Georgetown, Ga., Aug. 26, 1917. His late parents were Louis Woods and Easter Woods. He met his wife, Velma Aaron Woods, while she and his only brother, James "Jim" M. Woods, Sr., were students at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Ala.

The Tim Woods are the proud parents of two children: Timothy "Lenny" Woods, II and Sandra Mac Beth-Reynolds. He was a devoted father, who was a driving force--on the one hand, and the ultimate promoter on the other hand--in all the accomplishments of his children.

With the untiring support of his father, Lenny completed undergraduate school at Notre Dame. He also earned a master's degree from Atlanta University.

Following completion of this phase of his education, Tim Woods and Lenny founded the Stone Woods and Cook team, and pioneered in the field of drag-racing, to the extent that the two of them revitalized this sport across the land. They were the first blacks in the country to win a national ***le.

Upon retirement from active racing in 1972, the company sold the model car to Revelle Tcy Manufacturers, of which over two million were subsequently sold.

Lenny along with his partner, Bill Shack, with heavy influence and support from his father, became the largest African American automobile dealership in the country. This business is known as Chino Hills Ford.

The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Woods, Sandra, completed Indiana University with an undergraduate degree in psychology. She then earned two master's degrees and a law degree from Pepperdine University. Presently, she is the largest African American Mortgage banker in the state of California. The name of her business is International Mortgage.

Tim and Jim Woods enjoyed remarkable success in a number of business ventures. As enterprising children in their home town they sold fruit and peanuts. Their first experience as adults was the ownership of the first black taxi company in Montgomery, Ala. It was affectionately known as the New Deal Cab Company--a business which continues to operate to this day.

Following this sojourn, the Woods brothers relocated to Riverside, immediately after which the Woods Construction Company was founded and fully operationalized. The latter is the business from which Tim Woods recently retired. Several offices were opened, including one in Los Angeles; and it became the largest African American construction company in California and Nevada.

Although the Woods brothers developed both residential and commercial property, their primary interest was based in a vision to build affordable housing for minorities, and thus, to also provide employment for said populations. The two of them had as many as two hundred jobs under construction, simultaneously. This company overcame unprecedented barriers in financing projects, and in other aspects of the marketplace.

Funeral service for Mr. Woods was held on Oct. 28, at Knox Presbyterian Church. Condolences may be forwarded to Harrison-Ross Mortuary/View Park, 4601 S. Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA90008. The telephone number is (213) 295-6601.

Photo (Timothy Leonard Woods)


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People: Woods, Timothy Leonard Woods, Timothy Leonard
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Since 1994, a group of Black hot rodders, car buffs, and gear heads from St. Louis, Mo. and its surrounding area have been burning rubber down drag strips, putting on car shows, visiting schools and holding seminars on the sport of drag racing and hot rods in general.

The United Black Drag Racers ***ociation is actively involved in the motorsport of drag racing and still reaching out to those who want to get involved as racers or as racing fans.

The founding of the UBDRA, however, began way before 1994, according to long-time member Loris Williams. She said in 1985 a group of Black hot rodders from St. Louis would brag about how fast their cars would go a****st each other.

"They would talk trash and brag about who's van beat who," Williams said. "They would show up on Sunday at the strip and place their bets on who would win.

"As time went on into the early 1990s, friends and families would show up at the strip by word of mouth and the races began to grow and spark interest."

In 1989, Williams said the group began to have an annual Christmas party, which gave everyone a chance to talk shop. In 1994, the group began collecting donations and fees, and in 1994, the UBDRA, a non-profit organization, was born.

"We wanted to start an organization to promote and present drag racing and hot rodding in a positive light to members of the Black community," Williams said. "We want to educate our community as well because when you look at the sport of drag racing in a historical sense, Black people are hardly mentioned or represented."

Williams explained that Blacks have been involved with drag racing since the early 1960s. She mentioned Tim Woods and Fred Stone of the Stone Woods and Cook Racing Team and Malcolm Durham. She said the UBDRA wants to promote African Americans in the sport.

"We try to inform people about the NHRA racing school and how they can race anywhere," she said. "We're excluded from the sport in many ways by not knowing the insides of drag racing. This happens so often.

"We use drag racing as a form of giving back to the community."

To get the Black community informed, the UBDRA puts on car shows and makes appearances at schools throughout the St. Louis area and parts of Illinois.

"When we go to the schools, some of the kids aren't even aware of us or our history in drag racing," Williams said. "When we were working with the youth at the local Job Corps, the kids didn't even have a clue of our past or the history of what Blacks went through and endured in this country. We're showing young people that they can do things with dignity."

The UBDRA does more than putting on drag meets and making public appearances. It puts on fundraisers and makes donations to organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs, American Heart ***ociation, American Diabetes ***ociation, and others. Since 1994, the organization has donated over $120,000 to those and other non-profit organizations.

UBDRA also helps to get scholarships for youngsters who want to go to the college or to study to become an automotive service technician (mechanical and body repair) at Rankin Tech in St. Louis.

The biggest event the UBDRA has put on since 1994 is the popular Black Sunday Drag Meets at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis. Hundreds of race buffs compete annually and it continues to grow to this day. The event has grown to add two other venues in Byron, Ill. and at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind.

UBDRA also has grown beyond the borders of Missouri and Illinois. There's now a Southeastern Wisconsin chapter with 25 active members who help to put on the Black Sunday event at Byron, Ill., near Rockford.

"We want to show the world that the UBDRA is here and we can compete with anyone," Williams said.

For membership and information on the UBDRA, contact Loris Williams at (314) 575-4934 or Joyce Pickett at (314) 853-4476 or go its website www.ubdra.net.


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Companies: United Black Drag Racers ***ociation
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Author(s): Harry M Anderson Jr
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There is an article in Rodders Journal issue #6, and #36 on the Willys'

 

think mazmanian was the garbage guy....brandon

 

As I remember it the B car was the first. Had lots of chrome and a fancy interior. I think the black car was second but am not sure that it wasn't painted blue first. I think the black car started with an Olds engine and was latter switched to a chrysler hemi. It was built to run in A from the start while the B car ran in B most of the time. I seem to remember that the A car had a ch***is that looked like a Willys but was purpose built from scratch.

 

The model i'm building is in 1/8th scale, it's going to be quite a bit of scratch building, but i've wanted to build this model for years so i'm giving it a go. I believe the revell 1/25th scale model is based on the first car from about 61-62. I think the black car was a different one that ran a similar setup, except the rear axle (5-lug, semi floater? instead of the 6-lug, possibly full floater?). The dark blue car was the black one I think, it had the bottom 3 or 4" cut off to make it more aerodynamic, and a hemi. That's what i've gathered so far from the past couple of years. I've been all over the g***ermadness site, have been for a couple years now. I'll check again for new stories and pics.

I've read somewhere else that there was 4 cars at one time, but i've never seen anything else to support that. I might just build the 61-62 version, and use the 1/25 revell model for the prototype. I'm really interested in the blue version before they cut it, but I haven't seen much about it. I think it had a different ch***is, but the Olds motor. I'll follow up on the leads suggested!

 

There was 4 cars, but never more than 2 at a time (A and B). Original Swindler B was first. It crashed, towing accident I think, and got re-bodied. That makes car #2. Blue Swindler A was #3. It was was originally on a Willys frame and painted blue with Olds power. Got repainted black and received a Hemi while it was black. Got repainted blue. Car crashed and a new 2X3 frame was built with the bodywork repaired. That made car (technically) #4. Then the Willys coupes were loosely retired when the Mustangs took over.

Mike cook ran the Swindler A as a bracket car in the 80's with a tunnel-rammed BBC. Got restored in something like 87, and crashed AGAIN. Don't know if it got rebodied or if the damage was repaired, but it is still on the same 60's 2X3 frame. Look around, there is 2 distinctly different paint/letting restored versions. One has the chrome spears on the side, other doesn't.

The pics below were from the NHRA Museum, about 2.5 years ago. Car has been in this condition since it's 2nd resto which I think was 1990 or 91, after it crashed. Between this and the Rodder's Journal article, you should have all the reference you need.

http://public.fotki.com/bowtie0069/cruises-car-shows-etc/nhra_museum_83105/

 

thanks for the info, and the candid pics of the last one (#4 I guess?). I had no idea the frame was drilled out like that. Interesting to see the hack job on the floors.

 

I,ve been told this is the same Mike Cook who is a marshall or main organiser at Bonneville?