Hot Rods The Ultimate Willys Gasser Thread

Hello,

We were teenagers on a long distance road trip to Bakersfield in March of 1960 from Long Beach. It was the 2nd annual March Meet run by the Bakersfield Smokers Club. We missed the 1959 first one, so we vowed not to miss this 2nd annual drag race that has connotations to this day.

We were heavily invested in the Gas Coupe and Sedan hot rod/drag race culture. Our 1940 Willys Coupe build was through its first phase of a 6 Stromberg powered SBC 283 motor. Now, the more powerful 292 c.i. SBC motor got a 671 supercharger, the latest Isky-Gilmer blower kit and we were in the phase of putting it back together.

We had seen the top racers in the Gas Coupe Class and with the new motor and car weight, we were in B/Gas. We opted for more specific weight over the rear axle and the E.T. times were starting to fall nicely. But, we were now racing in C/Gas as per our small SBC motor.

So, it was fun to watch the top racers in the Gas Coupe and Sedan Classes compete and see what we could get as pointers from those sedans, coupes and trucks.

Jnaki

Here is a story that inspired us to finish our build and get started to compete in the highly competitive class at So Cal’s Lion’s Dragstrip.

Then:
March 1960 Bakersfield
Here is one other film clip that I took in March 1960 at the Bakersfield Smokers March Meet.


It is of the Al Hirshfield vs. the Al Dal Porto Willys Pickup Truck. The history of the Al Dal Porto Willys pickup was that it won the A/Gas division in 1959 as per Drag News weekly.

Watch the power of the Studebaker Sedan as it gets off of the starting line with authority and does not lose any traction…

“Another gasser that had an early influence was the Al Dal Porto Yellow Willys Pickup that was later bought by the Panella Brothers and became their Candy Apple Red pickup. Al was a lakes racer and built this pickup to go drag racing. He won the A Gas Coupe Sedan class in it at the Smokers Meet (March Meet) in it in 1959. It turned 114.94 Mph with a Chevy engine.”

Note:
Yes, that is the Panella Brothers Willys Pickup in an earlier stage, but in drag racing history, that truck can go back to 1959-60 with the Al Dal Porto Willys Truck in it A/Gas Class record setting ways.

The history of the Al Dal Porto Willys pickup was that it won the A/Gas division in 1959 as per Drag News weekly.

(one month later in April 1960, our own 292 c.i. 671 supercharged SBC Willys Coupe turned a 106 MPH in C/Gas)

We saw the truck in its Yellow paint stage as photographed nicely by Geri Tarvin from 1959. So, the comparison can go back a few more years to see the start of the Panella Brothers truck when it was owned by Al Dal Porto.
Panella Bros.

A similar photo captured by a pro photographer for the Drag News weekly... versus the same angle from my film of Al Dal Porto Willys Truck. YRMV

 

His son is a Ford engineer and still involved with drag racing.

 

Todd Merkel is the Ford engineer I think he worked with Jack Roush for a time, and his other son Scott runs the family business Merkel racing engines on LI. Had my 377" SBC built there for my 57.

Pat

Pat

 

Hey, that's my car.
Thanks Dean,
Mick

 

I only remember seeing one Willys with the spare tire indent removed, and I don't remember if it was Reggie Jackson's Willys, or not. I think they look good with it removed.

 

If that is the same B&C car that was totaled on the drag strip in a Jackson Brothers video it is an amazing restoration. With the extensive damage it took I'd have written it off.
Kudos

 

same car. those pictures are from Goodguys Pleasanton 2011

http://www.seabrighthotrods.com/?p=557

 

@49ratfink, Thanks for that.

 

Wow! Lotta man hours fixing that. Beautiful.

 

Hello,

Mike Bamber’s Silver Dollar 41 Willys Pickup has a long history of drag racing. The chopped top and stance is unmistakably one of a kind. But, in 1964, I was able to see the original version and took a film of the pits area that had the Gas Coupe and Sedan racers getting ready for the big show.

In 1964, our close friend was going to make his debut of the immaculate 1940 Willys Coupe at Lion’s Dragstrip. Not just any weekend, but the one weekend of the gathering of the top racers in the Westcoast at the All Gas Coupe/Sedan Class drag meet. The big names were all there and what a place to be… yikes!

The pits area was full of the top racers and the little Silver Willys Pickup stood out among the coupes and sedans.

Here are some of the films I took while wandering around the pits:

See them all live, via 1964 films at J NAKI You Tube channel

Jnaki


Here is the early Mike Bamber Willys Truck in 1964: