Features 1937 to 1942 Willys Picture Thread

I don't think I've ever seen the Stone, Woods & Cook Willys painted black, most were painted blue, is there a story there?

Bob

 

Bob, In 1964 the Stone, Woods and Cook "A" car was painted black. Often called the Black Widow it was disliked by photographers as they said it was not photogenic. Both cars were painted candy blue for the 65 season.

 

Thanks! All total how many Stone Woods & Cook cars were built or did the same car/cars get repainted for different seasons?

 

End of a great era when the new bodies replaced the old.

 

Just 2, the "A" & the "B" car. Although, the original "B" car was damaged, I believe totaled, in a towing accident and was replaced. This was very early in it's life.

 

Hello,

Sometimes, we just happen to be in the right place at the right time and have captured some drag racing history for the next generations. I happened to be invited to Atts Ono’s debut of his immaculate B/Gas 1940 Willys Coupe at Lion’s Dragstrip. We had not been to Lion's Dragstrip since our own 1940 Willys Coupe accident in the C/Gas class final elimination race in August 1960.

A combination of no more participation, future college work and trying to make the most out of our remaining teenage lives played into not going to Lions from 1961 until this All Gas Coupe/Sedan drag race came into being. I had to go just because of the hard work our friend, Atts Ono, did on our Willys Coupe and his dedication to his own Willys Coupe build.

So, with my trusty 16mm point and shoot movie camera in hand one more time, I shot what was shown to me later, after developing the film loops, was a "piece of history" as others have said, many years later.

Jnaki

Here is the story as shown in an earlier HAMB post.

Hello,
History is sometimes confusing. The Gas Coupe and Sedan classes were going through some changes not all good, but none the less, changes were made. So, the need for lighter, faster, more powerful Gas Coupes and Sedans were on their way and who cares if the moniker of “street legal” is listed as part the class rules.

Jnaki

Here is a synopsis of the origin of the black Willys Coupe of SWC, that also made its debut at the All Gas Coupe and Sedan Races held at Lion’s Dragstrip in 1964.
Lion's Dragstrip 1964
“In 1964 the A/GS car was painted black and given a Hemi. It was a terror and set several records. The black car was run for one season, 1964. It was known as the "Black Widow". The car did not get the magazine attention because it was not photogenic in black. Most of the photos you see are B&W…”
thanks... @Joe Troilo

In April 1964, the new lighter-weight Willys, informally referred to as Black Widow because of its black paint scheme was fitted with a fiberglass front end as well as various other lightweight components to make the most out of the new rules. Still, the car weighed nearly 1,000 pounds less than Swindler II.

I just happened to be at Lion’s Dragstrip in 1964 for the biggest, All Gas Coupe/Sedan Meet. I was invited to film the debut of our friend and fellow Willys builder, Atts Ono. He helped us with our 1940 Willys 671 SBC coupe and now, after years of painstaking work, he was ready to make his own debut. What a meet to make a debut.
1964 Lions SWC single run
Every powerful Willys Coupe and/or Sedans/Trucks, made an appearance at Lion’s Dragstrip on that day. These are the only SWC film clips available from that past historic event.


Extra note:
The SWC camp just came off of a match race against the Northwest’s fabled, Wilbur-Massey Ford modified sedan, in the event the day before, on Saturday night. Then on Sunday, they competed in the All Gas Coupe and Sedan drag meet.


“Coming down from Davenport, Washington to race Stone-Woods-Cook tonight was Wilbur-Massey’s little DFMC. It’s a sanitary early Ford sedan with a 267 inch Chevy on fuel. The block is of the 1958 vintage. Home strip is Deer Park, Washington. The best time for the car is 9.80-150.00. The driver is Vern Masse, 28 and single."

"He makes his home in Spokane, Washington and has been around the sport some 10 years. The mechanic is Don Wilbur, 24 and single who makes his home in Davenport, Washington. The best the boys could get out of the car this evening was a 10.60-144.00. They had mixed feelings about Southern California. But both said the racing plants out here are boss.”

 

Here is a recent photo of my pickup.

ironandsteele.com​

 

I think your headlights are out of proper adjustment!

 

Gewed lawed buddy, put the dang camera down and grab a fire extinguisher before there's nothing left

 

Here are both Stone, Woods and Cook Willys coupes as they appear today.

 

You are the perfect person to give the history of the "B" car. Let's hear it.

 

Bob, The story is long and full of information. For those interested you can read it all in this PDF file. This was written several years ago. Some of the contributors have passed on and the car has indeed found it's way to Rick Lorenzen's Lions Dragstrip Museum. Enjoy.

 

Went to the Arlington WA Drag Strip Reunion show last weekend, I'll post a few of the Willys at the show. Got to meet Mr. Scatena and had a wonderful time bsing with him, 40 stocker is his. This car spent some time in Poland as the model for the panel beaters that made the aluminum Willys bodies a few years back. His old race car survives but not in this guise. Yes, that is him standing behind the 41.

 

Ya take yer Pick!

 

4th row, 3rd from the right I think a black 39 Willys sedan. If I'm correct it's brother Mikes that I took out to the Home Run.

Pat

 

Gentleman Hank Johnson's old car.

 

I have Revell model kits of both of those....^^^^^^

 

And, The Home Run only got Bigger

 

This one has been around my area forever. My humble old sedan in the background.

 

'National Cash Register building Ultimo, under construction, showing old cars on street'; Max Dupain and Associates records and negative archive, 1905-2011; Mitchell Library/State Library of New South Wales

 

One more from Arlington.

 

'Jockey Edgar Britt in India, 18 April 1945'; photo by N. Herfort; State Library of New South Wales

 

Hello,

How does a street legal 1941 Willys Sedan go from one class to another within a period of weeks at different dragstrips back in those good old days of Gas Coupes and Sedan Class racers? Early racers wanted as much competition as they could get. By adding extra weight to the normal coupe/sedan build was the way to drop down a class or two using the same motor for power.

In 1959 and earlier, most drag strips allowed loose, round, lifting weights to be added to the trunk area for such a purpose. Most were bolted or strapped down to keep them from moving. But, as time and protests continued, those weights in 1960 had to be a part of the chassis or structure of the whole coupe or sedan.

So, the weights went back to the weight rooms and heavy steel plates were neatly cut and welded into place, strategically at first. Then as more racers found that idea appealing in different classes, those steel plates became a part of the chassis welding structure and gave the build some rigidity.

The welding took place and was approved by all tech committees at the local So Cal dragstrips. A strong running motor set up could be a class winner in two different categories, separated by weight. As long as the welded in extra weight was a part of the whole build and not just bolted in place.

Jnaki


In 1959, we saw an Army Green 1941 Willys Sedan in the pits at the Riverside Raceway drag meet.




We had also seen it at Lion’s Dragstrip in the C/Gas class competition in 1959. Then it began to set some class records. We started our own 1940 Willys Coupe build in late 1959 and by February, 1960 had some resemblance of a street legal Gas Coupe for the competition classes. Ours was labeled a B/Gas Coupe with 283 C.I. 6 Stromberg carburetor motor. So, we knew our work was cut out for us in future competition.

Then, in 1960, the Army Green Willys Sedan set a record in the B/gas class at Lion’s Dragstrip. Who said racers can’t compete in two separate classes on different days?
1960

SIDE NOTE: The Green outline shows the Gold Dragmaster Group Street Roadster built by
Quint Meland winning the A/Street Roadster Class in 1959.
Old Friday Art:
Carlsbad Oilers Quint Meland A/SR class

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/friday-art-show-6-24-22.1267437/#post-14523814