Projects Gene (Moonlighter) Cromer's A/G Willys Resurrection

I'd buy a few. Christmas is only 12 months away!

 

If shirts are done, I hope they make a new one with a picture of the Moonlighter on it.

 

I'm in for a couple a t-shirts!! XXL...

 

Cool art work, I'm sure we'd buy several.

 

id buy 2 with the moonlighter on it--

 

The T-shirt was based on the logo on the door. HRP

 

I added these bars down to the motor mount The NHRA rule book don't require these but they do a lot to tie the chassis together. I didn't won't to use the new style bar that goes over the top of the headers and then down I think they take a lot away from the look under the hood of a 60s Gasser. Plus they don't work as good as this way if there is no x bar in the door area.

 

The tabs for the steering column the ones with nuts tacked on will be a blind hole that you can't get to when the dash and fire wall is installed. I hate making little brackets and then trying to drill the holes where they need to be. You might notice they have a small curve because they have to fit the dash.

 

The ones that will be on the inside of the dash welded on

 

The top side of the column finished there will be another brace at the bottom. There will be a gold anodized aluminum panel bolted in the v brace where the gauges will go just like it was when Gene built it in 1963.

 

Another angle I know they don't look level at the dash in this pic but they are dead on, the dash has a crown in the middle top.

 

Awesome work my friend.

 

This is a great build and it is coming along really well. Can you tell us more about the Henry J brakes on the Willys axle? Is this a bolt on to the Willys spindle?

 

Man I love old willys gassers and I think its totally awesome seeing this one come back to life. You are doing some wonderful work. Can't wait to see it finished.

 

I know that you have to turn the center of the backing plate out for the register on the spindle and 2 of the bolt hole have to be moved a little. I'm not sure what you have to do with the bearings and hub if anything maybe Gene will chime in and answer that one, if not I'll ask him next time we talk.

 

That would be much appreciated. I have a Henry J that I put a Willys axle under... I never thought to check if the Henry J brakes that were on the car fit the spindles. I'm running 64-67 volvo 122s disc brakes. They are almost a direct bolt on and have a the small ford pattern like a Henry J. I still have the J brakes and a spare Willys axle, so I'd like to mate the 2 if possible.

 

Hey just glad to help out, I sure enjoy the heck out of this build myself.

 

The bracket for the bottom of the steering column

 

Welded on the front side of the fire wall

 

The lower steering column brace the fire wall is sandwiched between the two brackets. Note I have also welded on the tabs for the gauge mount in the top v support for the column.

 

The front lip for the trans cover welded on.

 

The trans cover in the car there is still some trimming and adjusting to do but it's getting close. You can also see that I have finished the passenger side dash end cap.

 

Quain you are doing an awesome job! and quickly to boot!

 

I'm having to work fast I got to get back to my real job. I hope to be finished with my part next week then it's going home for brake lines wiring paint prep and little things like that. Then I'm going to help with the final assembly.

 

im simply floored

 

With the absolutly Awesome fabrication you are doing, I can't imagine anyone wondering if something wasn't dead on. Gene is a very lucky man to have you doing what you are foe him.

 

Is there a bushing in that support tube for the steering shaft?
I've always been a fan of that style steering on old drag cars, and want to use that style on my current project.

 

Yea I'm going to make an aluminum bushing for it later I didn't have any aluminum stock the right size at the time so I made some temporary ones out of nylon to mount it. Don't use nylon for the real ones if it's going to be a street car where it will be used a lot because when dust and dirt gets in there it will embed in the nylon and act like sand paper and wear the steering shaft.

 

Hey Quain i havn't said for a while but your doing a great job, gonna be great to see it pounding the quarter again.

 

Great work! Wish I would have had the foresight to install a removeable trans tunnel on my gasser! Had to replace the flexplate the other day and it was a bitch to do! Ended up holesawing access holes to get the bolts out of the bellhousing.