any C.H.Wills roadsters out there?

Anybody have any C.H. Wills roadsters or parts?

I just picked up a mid twenties cowl from Owens Salvage in Texas.
I thought it might be the 29 Buick cowl I've been hunting for... but no.

Turns out it is a C.H.Wills company mid 20's roadster.

If somebody's into these, I'd like for them to have it.

Let me know


Jeff Brock

 

Interesting. Would it be possible for you to post more pix of the both sides of the cowl? Sure is interesting looking. Gary

 

Here is a shot of the C.H. Wills dash.
My side view shot didn't down load.
I'll get another, later.

 

Theres a museum for the Wills Sainte Claire in Michigan, connected with this website. They might find a home for it.

http://www.willsautomuseum.org/willsstclairemuseum.htm

 

Wow. Some mighty fine looking roadsters and coupes. And the bio on Mr. Wills is amazing. Gary

 

He was making overhead valve V-8's in the early 20's.
... so close , yet so so far.

... he created the FORD logo, as we know it today.

Pretty cool cars, but pretty obscure.

 

good morning

 

Nice find Jeff! Here is a photo of the Roadster fron The Standard Catalog of American cars. Looks to be a 1921-23 with that side light on the cowl. C.H.Wills made his money working for Ford, he is even given credit for designing the Ford script logo. Rare cars today, hope it can be added to someones restoration project. Bob

 

Here is the one that was in the Harrah Collection in Reno years ago. Jeff does your cowl have the alunumun cowl light on both sides? Bob

 

Tom Lieb at **** Crankshafts in Redondo Beach collects these cars

 

That explains why his '29 Ford Roadster has Wills St. Claire headlights, Thanks, Bob

 

Hey Bob,

My cowl only has the driver side cowl light. I thought it was added ( very nicely ) later... NOW ( thank you) I see it was factory. Pretty cool cars !
I guess they were high end, luxury roadsters.


Thanks guys. I'll try to contact Tom Lieb at ****, Redondo beach.

Jeff

 

Jeff, Can you post a photo of the cowl light, I'm guessing it was designed to light up the street or driveway for safe exit since I can't see a lense. I saw that maroon car at Harrah's back in the late 1970's really nice car, it sat a lot lower than other cars of the era. Bob

 

Sure, I'll shoot it and post asap.

 

side view with cowl light.

Looks like it was designed to light your path / running board, for getting into the car at night.

 

What state is the metal(s) in? Wasn't Harold Wills a fair metallurgist that turned Henry Ford onto molybdenum/ ***anium alloys for the 'T'?

 

Wills was the first to use molybdenum in an automobile, vanadium steel was what made the Model T so strong. I always enjoy these HAMB discussions that start off from a simple parts find. That cowl sidelight is a really nice feature, thanks for the closeup photo. Bob

 

that's really cool. I find myself becoming more and more intrigued by obscure cars like this these days.

 

Wow, interesting history. Thats a rare cowl.

 

Here's one of Tom Lieb's I did some work on. http://www.nordellrestorations.com/wills.html

 

Thank you David, that is one heck of a project, thank you for the tour. I really like this photo using string to get a perfect alignment of things. Bob

 

Wills St Clair was an expensive car with many luxury touches. First model had an overhead cam V8 replaced the next year with an overhead cam six. They only made cars for 2 or 3 years.

See if you can find any other parts to go with the cowl. They could be of value to a restorer or collector.

The company was owned by Childe Harold Wills. His mom was crazy about a poem called Childe Harold's Pilgrimage by Byron. That's where he got the name.

 

^^^^^ He really didn't like it and used C.H. in place of it. Bob

 

Thanks but I'm not David, I just did some body work for him on this build. Dave's forte is machine work, he's been making some incredible Bugatti parts lately.

 

I picked this up at Owens Salvage in Wellington Texas.There were no other obvious parts... but I also purchased a real decent pair on coupe or roadster rear fenders that i didn't recognize. In reviewing these Wills shots, I think they are from the roadster.
Ohhh, for the love of those long gone, rear quarters and doors!!!

 

Check this out! Posted on the Vintage Shots from days gone by right here on the HAMB page 2360, Thank you ehdubya!

 

And another view.

 

WOW! What a beauty.
check THAT cowl light out!

Thanks.
* I checked with Flat Top Bob of Owens Salvage (coolest yard around) and he said this cowl has laid around his yard for so many years... he couldn't recall where it even came from.

 

Seems like the man upstairs is telling you to get started on a restoration.

 

I know this is a LONG time past the original post but the guy to contact on Wills Sainte Claire is Terry Ernest, a fellow photo lab owner buddy of mine that's president of that museum in Port Huron, Michigan and was (maybe still is) the head guy of the national car museums, forget the exact name of the ***ociation- see one story about him here-
https://www.hemmings.com/blog/index...eunited-with-his-old-wills-on-100th-birthday/