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Hot Rods The Ultimate Willys Gasser Thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Speed Gems, Sep 17, 2020.

  1. 65pacecar
    Joined: Sep 22, 2010
    Posts: 27,544

    65pacecar
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    from KY, AZ

  2. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
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    Speed Gems
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  3. loveoftiki
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
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    loveoftiki
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    from Livonia,Mi

  4. Speed~On
    Joined: Apr 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,722

    Speed~On
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    Southern Wisconsin car. This steel Willys is amazing!! Has great 1960's racing history. It's full of great parts.

    20210919_125758.jpg

    20210919_125858.jpg

    20210919_130021.jpg

    20210919_125959.jpg

    20210919_125929.jpg
     
    bchctybob, das858, echo ed and 12 others like this.
  5. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
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    Deuces

  6. loveoftiki
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
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    loveoftiki
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    from Livonia,Mi

    Getting ready for battle…
    538AF961-378F-4D76-A90A-080BFCD2BF34.jpeg
     
    das858, echo ed, sidewayzz69 and 11 others like this.
  7. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
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    Speed Gems
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  8. 427 sleeper
    Joined: Mar 8, 2017
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    427 sleeper
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    Is this Junior Thompson before it got lettered?
     
  9. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,867

    elgringo71
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    Yes I’m pretty sure that it is.

    EF993BB5-BA40-4E0E-8153-2F53B053A933.jpeg

    33207501-7A7D-4E63-A781-D378E5D45E24.jpeg


    QUOTE="loveoftiki, post: 14464369, member: 22387"]Getting ready for battle…
    View attachment 5385824 [/QUOTE]
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2022
    bchctybob, das858, echo ed and 11 others like this.
  10. Jalopy Joker
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  11. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
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    Speed Gems
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    I was thinking that or maybe the Capitol Speed Shop Willys.
    75.jpg
     
  12. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,867

    elgringo71
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    @Speed Gems, compare at the wheels and the scoop in the pictures.
     
  13. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 11,250

    jnaki

    [/QUOTE]









    upload_2022-4-30_6-0-32.png
    Junior Thompson late 1960 early 1961. Lions Dragstrip pits

    Hello,

    The photos are of Junior Thompson and no other. The Willys Coupe was a So Cal legend for many years after his record setting 1941 Studebaker sedan. But, in late 1960 early 1961, he no longer used the heavy 41 Studebaker sedan for competition as the weight was a limiting factor. Even though it beat most competitors in the Gas Coupe and Sedan class. It was competitive until the changeover was made to the Willys Coupe.
    The real 1959 sound of the centrifugal supercharged SBC motor and shifting...

    3475 lbs down to 2100 or 2400 lbs should make a difference and it did...
    [​IMG]

    Jnaki

    He ran the Willys Coupe from 1961 to 65+, held a bunch of C/Gas and then B/Gas Class records. Then things got strange in the Gas Coupe and Sedan classes, even for Jr. Thompson. No more Willys coupes…
    [​IMG]
    But, at Lion's Dragstip, he was still setting records in the B/Gas class...







     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2022
  14. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,867

    elgringo71
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    @jnaki, that Studebaker Sedan was very fast for its day and it’s fun to watch when he shifts it. Here is another picture that I believe to be the Jr Thompson Willys. The rear wheels match the other photos.

    A30611C1-AC18-4C5A-AE9F-E004ADABF095.jpeg
     
    bchctybob, echo ed, 41 coupe and 8 others like this.
  15. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 11,250

    jnaki







    Hey EG71,

    Yes, nice photos of that time period. They saw the next phase of the Gas Coupe and Sedan class. With their skill and knowledge, that 41 Willys Coupe became another B/Gas record holder. In late 1960, they had the 41 Willys Coupe hitting top speeds and low e.t. around So Cal. Isky cam had an ad in a late 1960 advertisement showcasing the Willys Coupe.

    My brother and I were still in the phasing out period during the 1961 and on years of Westcoast drag racing. The changes made to those 41 Willys coupes were to make them go faster. Our Willys was getting into the next phase at the end of the 1960 summer.
    upload_2022-5-1_3-24-1.png 1960
    We had already ordered two port Hilborn Injectors, 10 wide M&H slicks, and Halibrand Mag Wheels to fit all around. Those parts were sitting in our Los Angeles friend’s warehouse ready for us to pick up. It was to be our faster phase and surprise for the trip back to the 1960 U.S. Nationals in Detroit. The week of August 13 put a stop to that future phase.

    Jnaki
    Things were changing fast in the fall/winter of 1960-early 61.

    upload_2022-5-1_3-24-50.png
    By the time Jr. Thompson’s change over came around, others were doing the same. Doug Cook also did not race his 1937 Chevy, instead got a 41 Willys. But, the quickness in the driver’s reaction is the same in both cases. So, the weight savings does play a big part of speed. Let alone new technology.
    upload_2022-5-1_3-27-13.png prior to SWC



     
  16. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
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    Speed Gems
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  17. 40ragtopdown
    Joined: Jan 13, 2015
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    40ragtopdown
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  18. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
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    elgringo71
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    mad mikey likes this.
  19. 40ragtopdown
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    40ragtopdown
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  20. 40ragtopdown
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    40ragtopdown
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  21. 40ragtopdown
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    40ragtopdown
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  22. 40ragtopdown
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    40ragtopdown
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  23. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
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    Speed Gems
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  24. Speed Gems
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    Speed Gems
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  25. 40ragtopdown
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    40ragtopdown
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  26. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
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    elgringo71
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    @Speed Gems, Is that the Stone Woods and Cook, Dark Horse before it was lettered? Correction, I should have said Black Widow.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2022
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  27. Speed Gems
    Joined: Jul 17, 2012
    Posts: 6,920

    Speed Gems
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    Yep!
     
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  28. 427 sleeper
    Joined: Mar 8, 2017
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    427 sleeper
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    I thought that the Dark Horse was a 33, and this is the Swindler A, Black Widow?
     
    elgringo71 and 1933_willys_77 like this.
  29. You are correct
     
    427 sleeper likes this.
  30. elgringo71
    Joined: Oct 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,867

    elgringo71
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    Thanks for the correction. Now that I think more about it you are both correct.
     

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