Differences between 40 and 41 willys?

Can anyone tell me all of the differences between a 40 and 41 willys?


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This could take some time. To start off, the wipers moved from above the windshield on the 40 to below in 41(think 39-40 Ford) The wheelbase changed from 102'' to 1o4''. JW

 

As said above on wiper location. I thought the '40 & older had !00" WB and '41 & 2 had 103"... I could be wrong due to CRS (can't remember ****). The grille is completely different - '40 has "Bat wings" and '41 has one piece rectangle. Dash is different, door handle escutcheons are round on '40 & older and tear drop shaped on '41 & '42. Stock engine (not the blown Hemi) had different HP rating? I believe there are other small differences but in general, these are the major obvious ones.

 

33-39 model 48 were 100''wb, 39 model 39 and 4o model 440 had 102''wb and 41-42 had 104''wb. JW

 

We don't have many40-41 Willys in NZ so I don't have many pics. This is a 41. JW

 

And a 40. JW

 

Got me thinking...haven't built any, but have taken quite a few apart...here are some more differences that most know, and one that few know. Head light trim ring has inner circle (I like these the best), and parking light at the bottom(good place for turn signal). Stainless body trim about 5/8" wide and peaked like the bumper, in contrast to the round, 1/2 " trim on the 40's. Frame is quite a bit beefier, and wider on the back half than the other year's. I have never seen a '41 with a stock floor shift, while the '40 standard had one. ('40 was first year of the column shift). If you look at the area around the base of the windschield, there is a reveal in the windschield lip that is not in earlier models, and the windschield is slightly taller. Hood latch, totally different in '41. Flat dash in '40...curved in '41-'42. Coupe and sedan trunk floor pan different stamping in 41-42. Bumpers in 41-42 completely different than other years. Gas tank filler in the fender (41-42) versus the body in earlier coupes. Sedans added the opera windows in 41-42, and the one difference few people know of (unless you are looking for one) the rear window on 41-42 sedans is the only piece of curved gl*** in the pre-war Willys. Rear sedan door has a stamping change, and the botom will not fit earlier sedans. Rocker panels are different also. Rear fenders are notched for bumpers in 41-42, versus body notched in 40 and earlier.
If any more come to mind, I'll add them. g-willys

 

Wow, so helpful. What I am learning is that my willys is a 40, not a 41 as I have been told.


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There are many 38-40 Willys running around with 41 front on them and being called a 41. I tend to like the 37-40s more than the 41s, just me.
Got some pics of yours Jim. JW

 

I love 'em all!!! While it's nice to have the wipers on the bottom, you can do more with a '40 dash...it's flatter.
How many other cars with that big a year spread (37-42) can you swap so many parts to, so as to have the one you wanted.
I had all models except the '39 and an early car. I called my old pickup a '41, but it was a 38 cab with '41 sheet metal.
Now my coupe is the '39 I wanted, and I have a 36 sedan nearly done, but boy are they small. See if you notice anything different about my tail lights in my avitar ...they are stock, but.......? It's fun.
g-willys

 

I cant see your taillights well enough on my small screen. The series 77s are very narrow as i could hand signal out both sides of my 35. JW

 

This one really has an iden***y crisis going on, im not sure the body was made from my old 39 sedan I sold him or a 37 sedan he also had. Its a bit of a mess up close, anyway that's a 41 front. Remember if the wipers are above the screen its not a 41-42 !! The 41s didn't have that hood trim did it? That was a 40 thing. JW

 

Here is a 40 without an iden***y crisis.

 

Another way to tell is by the ID tag on the p***engers side of the firewall if its still there. Also if it has the original frame with the ID tag this can also be used to tell what year it is. Another good indicator is the style of dash that it has since the dash wasn't often changed out even if other things were changed on the car. These are a few things to look for in addition to what has already been said. Now days the majority of steel cars have been pieced back together with parts from different years. The 40 deluxe had the stainless whiskers on the hood and more trim on the dash.

 

I was going to say the differents between a 40 and a 41 is one year! Damn there always has to be a smart ***.

 

Ding Ding DingJW

 

You can see what happens when you install a '41 frontend on a '40 car - the front wheels sit a few inches back in the opening. It looks a bit funny to some people but it don't bother me so I never corrected it.

 

I always thought 40's had the 392" engine and for 1941 the buyer could opt for a 350 sbc, no?
Jacked front end was standard equipment for all year coupes.

 

The factory Hemi's were just a myth (all years) sorry to say. JW

 

I wonder how many could name all the differences between the 37 and 38?!?! JW

 

I never cared for the two piece 40 grill. Installed a 41 grill on my 40 pick up.

 

Differences between the '37 & '38...humm! There are some...here's what I remember. Biggest difference for me was the hood...'37 had 2 outside hinges (like today's cars) '38 was the first year of the piano hinge in the center of the cowl. That contjnued on thru '42. The hoods and areas around the head light pod had little slivers of stainless trim.
Word has it (my old mechanic friend again) that some cars went out without the trim, but had the holes, and the dealers were supposed to install it there,when Willys sent it to them. Many cars got out the door to eager customers without the trim, but with the holes...I've seen a few! There were also some different hood ornaments between the 2 years. More '37s came with a single tail light, but as I mentioned in an earlier reply, the 2nd one was optional and most had it installed. I always thought that they were mostly the same in both years, with cable brakes, 4-bolt wheels. The dashes were very similar, but I think one of the years ('38) had a center guage (small) below the two large guages. Some came with cigar lighters in the top middle of the dash in '38...don't know about the '37's.
Just remembered another big one that allows you to tell them from a distance (no drip rail on the '37's...they came in 1938.) There may be a few more, but at this late hour I can't remember. .. '37's never had a factory 2-door sedan, but there were some in 1938. g-willys

 

Im impressed !! Also the floor on the 37 it didn't have a drive shaft hump, the 37 had 7 slots in the wheels, 38 had 4 and the one most forget is the 37 has a shorter rubber on the running board.
Merry Christmas Willys fans JW

 

A friend took this for me (Canada I think) years ago of a 37 with a 41 front clip. I think it has nice lines with that combo. JW