Hot Rods The Ultimate Willys Gasser Thread

This one probably has the longest running history of any Supercharged Gasser ever built. Chuck Finders built it around 1965, a couple of years later, his former employee Steve Plueger changed the front suspension and re-did the aluminum work for Ron Bizio. Ron raced it until late 69 with much success, running a best of 8.48 @ 166 on gasoline, and 8.20 @ 170 on alcohol. It got cobbled up with a B-Mopar engine and a Psychedelic paint job along the way, and was purchased by Tom Willford in 1985. Tom brought it to me for a complete restoration, and I raced it at Fremont, before installing hand controls for Tom, who raced it for around 5 years. Tom sold it to a friend, because the roll cage wouldn't pass tech, and he wouldn't be able to get in and out, with the legal cage. After I installed a "Funny Car" cage, as the rear cage struts on a standard Gasser cage, would spoil the looks, it was sold to Jeff Cryan and his buddy Jerry in 2003. The duo switched to alcohol after many seasons on gas. The truck runs straight as a string, with a best of 8.04 @ 169, and it's as beautiful as ever !

 

@Marty Strode I have the Jackson Bros. Gasser Files 1 & 2 tape you and Tom Willford are in . I didn't realize it was you until I watched it again a few weeks ago.

 

Thanks for including our car.

 

Bowman Miller and Hall


A few years ago i also did a thread about the engine that's probably in this car. Here.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/402-cubic-inches-from-a-283.1004739/

 

This one was racing at the lakes as early as '55

 

I do love a Willys...

Here is mine:

 

Elverne Pfeifer?

 

@Speed Gems, yes it is

 

Paging @jnaki

 

I believe that this is The Nasty Habit before lettering.

 

Had to include these shots of the SWC Swindler II. It looked like this when I brought it home. Then I made it into a street rod and eventually back into the 62 version of the race car.

 

Syndicate Scuderia

 

another one of my favorites - c-w motor parts

 

My all time favorite sedan.

 

One of the wildest at today's drags.

 

Hey E,
If the paging is for the red primer Willys...Thanks for the possible link photo. The grille is different. We had the 40 dual grille. But, the look could have been the next step in our progression towards the 1960 U.S. Nationals, if we ran out of time for painting and full upholstery. But those wheels and new M&H slicks were what was sitting in a friend's garage in Los Angeles, when I called to tell him to cancel the order and/or send them back. (In September, 1960.)
One day, I will find our missing films of the 1940 Willys Coupe in the Stromberg only stage and the 671 + Strombergs stage.

Our 40 Willys had the accessory chrome pieces on the hood and the stock chrome bumper still in place. They were pristine, despite sitting under a tarp for who knows how long back in 1959. This photo is probably from 1964 or later as I see rear ladder bar brackets, as the rules were changing from Gas Coupes and Sedans to Competition Coupes and Sedans in the 1320 record books. NHRA had their own rules until the original classes just disappeared over time. That is too bad for all of us.

Jnaki
Not to get too confused from our recollection of Competition Coupes being race cars like the Leffler/Loukas white coupe or Bill Colburn's series of Competition Coupes.

FEB JULY

 

Yes I thought that the red oxide primer Coupe had some similarities to yours but I believe that it was the Nasty Habit built by Kiwi Kev and he has a build thread for it on the HAMB. Also I didn’t know if you had seen this thread yet. It’s off to a good start

 

SWC in black.

 

I've posted this one before but still no info. on it.

 

Jim Kirby again