Features 1937 to 1942 Willys Picture Thread

Thanks everyone, it looks good in the video but it was painted 25 years ago and has lots of cracks, blisters and chips. I like it that way so I dont have to baby it. When I get it more together I will share better photos. I dont know if I will be taking it to any of the East shows this year, im sure it will be at the Columbus Goodguys Nationals here in my home town in July.

 

^ you mean it has character

 

Dave, I just looked at the video! NICE!!!! Thanks for that blood rush!

 

My 38 sedan

 

Bitchin' coupe, can't help but wonder about the AZ connection, anybody well known?

 

Cheap-Thrills Nice 38 sedan. I wish all car builders and replica builders would rebuild or build cars to stock or moderen stock equipment: Windshield wipers, handbrakes, etc. Restores have to, so should all builders. ITS CALLED SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR A RESOUND!! I no rain-x works great but not as good as wipers all the time. I run Rain-x and Rain-x wipers also on my cars and trucks! Well thank you for this thread and everyones Pictures. Please keep it coming.

 

Dave, the coupe looks great and sounds it too!

 

Cheap Thrills...Neat looking car!!! Being a Willys owner since the 60's, I've come to expect the unexpected, and I continue to ask so that I can expand my knowledge base of my favorite car. So let me ask a few questions about your car. (one of my cars was a '38) Some of the things that were not native to that year of car got me wondering, did you put it together that way, or did it come to you that way. Here are my questions...you have both the '38 and '39 tail light combination. I have seen 39's with the lower tail light set up, but not a '38 with 39 lights, let alone both styles. How about the rocker panels...haven't seen a stock '38 with them either. And the trunk set up...every '38 I've seen has the license plate on the outside left of the trunk, you've got the center plate bracket, plus the license light from that later style. Hood ornament looks like it is more forward on the hood than the couple of '38 hoods I have here. Front bumper doesn't look like '38 either, but the bumperettes look the same as the ,38 ones I have. Also, what type of headlight set up did you use...they look good. Over all a very neat car!! Lots of questions, but I am still learnin' .
g-willys

 

looks AMAZING Dave.

 

Beautiful car. I love that nose.

 

g-willys...The sedan is a combination of cars, the 38 body on a 39 chassis. the front inner fenders are 39 the hood is 38 the fenders I am not sure of. They are the ones with the separate headlight pods like a 39 sedan but had the openings for the round headlights, I believe they may be 39 truck. The beltline tailights were added as I thought it would be cool to have both types. The trunk lid had the license light and bracket changed. The hood ornament is a little too far forward, it is a repo from WRP, the holes were drilled where the original was but I didn't catch it till too late. The headlights assemblys are jeep..It still needs some work ( not too much ) to get it on the road this spring.

 

Thanks for the reply...good to know that what I saw was somewhat correct.
Having had several over the years, I did run across '38 fenders with the separate pods, even saw a car that had one of each. I had heard that they came from a different sub contractor that made them for Willys Co. But they could have been a result of a tooling change getting ready for the '39 style. My driver is a '39 style coupe, but if you saw it you would recognize the dash, as it would look just like yours...alas it is a '38 coupe body with everything else '39. I still have a pair of '38 fenders of the original 1-piece style (they are not in the best of shape)...the hoods I have are decent. How about that front bumpber...it looks like it could be a 1940 style, but without the slots that were on the '40 deluxe. I have several 37-38 bumpers, and they are different.
What do you have for a drive train? Was the body decent when you started?
g-willys

 

I am pretty sure the bumper is a 40 ( not deluxe as you pointed out ) turned upside down. The 38 body was a rust free car that was being streetrodded, 4 link, mustang 2 , 5.0 L ford, ect. I didn't want a computer FI, independant front suspension so the body was set on a 46k mile 39 chassis, all 39 Willys drive train. The 39 set outside and the body was so rusty it could not be saved. All 4 bumper guards are 37-38 front, I could only find one rear guard.
I am trying to find another chassis to build to turn the sedan into a hotrod. I have spent too much time building cars and not driving them so, I will drive this as is untill I have something to transfer the body onto.

 

Anybody have any or pictures of interior pull handles for Willys 37 to 42's. Not window or opening handles but pull handles to close the doors.

 

I have had 3 unmolested sedans,38, 40 and a 41. None of the ones I that I owned had a separate door pull. If there was a difference between the deluxe and the other models I would not know.

 

Dave McCauley,
All of the 37-38 bodies I've had over the years had a door pull that was more like a fancy rope about 10-12 inches long, mounted right above the door panel, and that was used to pull the door shut. It had an ornate mounting piece on each end to mount to the inner door metal. Even saw a display of Willy
add-on's, options, extras at Ron Ladley's that had one on it...must have been a factory option.
g-willys

 

I have seen the rope type deal but having a hard time finding pics of it. You never see them but they were available. Al Lindren had them in his 41 coupe, first I had seen.

 

Ask and ye shall receive....

 

Weasel,
That's different than the ones I described...mine looks like a braided piece of rope, and is suspended between two ornate clips that hold it on...but located in the same place as your picture. (make that just above yours on the metal surface above the door panel)
g-willys

 

Here's a rare one - they are still out there - 1941 Woodie wagon. One of reputed five....

 

cool a potential Willys Woodie Gasser

 

Stocker on the salt....

 

Stock 441 Coupe - a black beauty....

 

Weasel-

I thought there was one like the one you pictured. My doors have a dent and two holes right where your pic shows the strap. I have seen the rope type but it was mounted between the garnish molding and the door panel and looks like a hardware store add on. Have you seen those straps in many Willys? The woodie is a rare find, are you getting it? Thanks, Dave.

 

Here's some interesting Willys pictures for ya, sorry I couldn't scan them, they are pics of pics.


Same car.

 

Thats a first for me! Never seen a real Willys coupe running sand drags, wow!

 

The Crazy Horse coupe was at our 1994 Willys Reunion get together in Denver...ran very well. Strong off the line.
g-willys

 

yeah not sure if ive seen one run sand drags

 

The braided rope type door pulls were common on mid/late 1930s cars and were also used on seat backs. They used end pieces similar to some used on soft tops - most likely they were an aftermarket accessory offered by dealers. That door strap shown is on an early 1937 coupe I ran across in Santa Barbara - I was just driving down the street and there it was parked outside a bank - stock as a rock. I got talking with the owner who said his dad bought it new.

I am not buying the 1941 woodie as I already have the architectural remains of an original 440 woodie. I am in the process of 'de-acquring'/downsizing some of my Willys collection....

 

Is this what you were thinking of Dave?