The Jalopy Journal

av8 · 05-11-2009, 08:21 AM

Think "Willys Gasser" and what image comes to mind? Probably the old Stone, Woods, & Cook car, or K.S. Pitman's little butt kicker, right? Well, if you haunted the Northern California drag racing scene in the early '60s that image could just as likel...

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**Ryan** · 05-11-2009, 09:07 AM

The photo taken in front of the gas station is absolutely amazing.

williebill · 05-11-2009, 09:23 AM

That's cool as hell...I saw F/gas on the JJ page,and as I was waiting for the slowass dialup at home to load,I was thinking..F/gas?? Must be a little smallblock..Nope,just a little flathead,running and beating the big boys long after it wasn't supposed to...I want one just like it

**JeffreyJames** · 05-11-2009, 09:41 AM

Inspiring to say the least. I love stories of the underdogs taking the top spot not matter what it is. Who would have thought a hot flatty could compete with the big fellers like Hemi and nailheads as well as the small blocks that seemed untouchable at the time. Drive must have been pretty on point as well as the engine being tuned just right huh?

rick finch · 05-11-2009, 09:48 AM

He still makes killer flatheads...thanks for the story Mike.

Asphalt Outlaw Hero · 05-11-2009, 10:09 AM

Gee a real Willys.I thought they had to be tubbed and with a supercharged crate motor.
Actually,I'v always relished the lower classes. I felt like it was a niche to be played in.Its even more interesting when someone like this comes along and starts bumping up and really spoiling people's day.

**Ryan** · 05-11-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick finch

He still makes killer flatheads...thanks for the story Mike.

A couple of years ago, I worked out at Tardel's for two weeks. When I say "worked," I mean WORKED! The fellas at the ranch work their asses off man... And Bing is just one of the guys busting ass - never sits, always on his feet, always working... and he is how old? 80?

Rusty Junk Ranch · 05-11-2009, 10:20 AM

Ed was at the annual Sonoma Racing team picnick on the 3rd of May. Still rockin!!!

**Bruce Lancaster** · 05-11-2009, 12:35 PM

That gasser has had a lot of people thinking about it for a long time...I ran into it in HRM, when the feature was new, and continued to think about HRM's completely cryptic description of the port pocket til now. Got some probable clues on that from Flatdog, who had also been thinking about the car since he ran into the feature...his take was that there was a major mystery in here, as the car was almost a second faster than the known engine tech and weight would suggest. That issue of HRM was always near the top of Flatdog's heap of brain fodder.

**porknbeaner** · 05-11-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

The photo taken in front of the gas station is absolutely amazing.

Santa Rosa wasn't much more than a wide spot in the road as I recall. Well bigger than Cloverdale I guess.

I remember seeing that car. The Ol' Man always said it was the one to look out for. That was a ton from the Ol' Man.

Van Dutch · 05-11-2009, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

The photo taken in front of the gas station is absolutely amazing.

Obviously, Bing, but who else in that one?

That building can't still be there today can it?

327-365hp · 05-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Good story Mike. I bet that flatty sounded as good as it ran. Looks like he was still running a 39 box and torque tube rear end. Must've had lots of spares!

autobilly · 05-11-2009, 04:31 PM

Thanks Av8, I hadn't heard of this car before. A great tale of a Hot Rod Hero and his obsolete contender.

sololobo · 05-11-2009, 05:50 PM

Goose Bumps!! What a cool story and great pix. Total Bad Ass!! Good one Ryan, this is the stuff that puts smiles on my mug on a regular basis, So once again--Viva La H.A.M.B. ~Sololobo~

**Bruce Lancaster** · 05-11-2009, 06:09 PM

Anybody capable of posting HRM feature?? Was there any other coverage of this thing??
HRM put in that cryptic and intriguing note about reshaping the bowl with moten lead!
And notice the part about routinely defeating higher class gassers...the same issue that drove Flatdog crazy. The thing was WAY faster than can be easily explained by any traditional guesstimates of flathead power and car weight.

**Ryan** · 05-11-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

Anybody capable of posting HRM feature?? Was there any other coverage of this thing??
HRM put in that cryptic and intriguing note about reshaping the bowl with moten lead!
And notice the part about routinely defeating higher class gassers...the same issue that drove Flatdog crazy. The thing was WAY faster than can be easily explained by any traditional guesstimates of flathead power and car weight.

Do you know what year and month?

**Bruce Lancaster** · 05-11-2009, 07:22 PM

11-'62...

**Ryan** · 05-11-2009, 07:51 PM

Duhh... I knew that.

I'll find it.

titus · 05-11-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lancaster

11-'62...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

Duhh... I knew that.

I'll find it.

on page 42!

I was just reading it the other day, its on top of the toilet!

JEFF

greaser57 · 05-12-2009, 07:05 AM

Love that car........Rich

05-11-2009, 08:21 AM	#1
av8 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Santa Rosa, California Posts: 1,648	Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Think "Willys Gasser" and what image comes to mind? Probably the old Stone, Woods, & Cook car, or K.S. Pitman's little butt kicker, right? Well, if you haunted the Northern California drag racing scene in the early '60s that image could just as likel... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

05-11-2009, 09:07 AM	#2
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,623	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys The photo taken in front of the gas station is absolutely amazing. __________________ Ryan Cochran "Skating the same line since 1976..." .................................................. .... www.jalopyjournal.com - www.garagejournal.com - www.gearjournal.com - www.fordbarn.com - www.DOGFIGHTmag.com

05-11-2009, 09:23 AM	#3
williebill Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: in the garage Posts: 1,300	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys That's cool as hell...I saw F/gas on the JJ page,and as I was waiting for the slowass dialup at home to load,I was thinking..F/gas?? Must be a little smallblock..Nope,just a little flathead,running and beating the big boys long after it wasn't supposed to...I want one just like it __________________ East Coast styling then,now,and always Sell me your Appleton 552s...they look ugly on your car

05-11-2009, 09:41 AM	#4
JeffreyJames Alliance Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SUGAR CITY Posts: 15,931	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Inspiring to say the least. I love stories of the underdogs taking the top spot not matter what it is. Who would have thought a hot flatty could compete with the big fellers like Hemi and nailheads as well as the small blocks that seemed untouchable at the time. Drive must have been pretty on point as well as the engine being tuned just right huh? __________________ I PLAY WITH TIGERS WWW.SUGARCITYSPEEDSHOP.COM CHECK OUT MY INSTAGRAM IMAGES

05-11-2009, 09:48 AM	#5
rick finch Old School HAMBer Join Date: May 2008 Location: rocklin,ca. Posts: 3,060	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys He still makes killer flatheads...thanks for the story Mike. __________________ I'm not old.....I've just been young longer than most people. Goldchainers CC....Rocklin, California Chapter.

05-11-2009, 10:09 AM	#6
Asphalt Outlaw Hero Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dixie Posts: 942	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Gee a real Willys.I thought they had to be tubbed and with a supercharged crate motor. Actually,I'v always relished the lower classes. I felt like it was a niche to be played in.Its even more interesting when someone like this comes along and starts bumping up and really spoiling people's day.

05-11-2009, 10:20 AM	#8
Rusty Junk Ranch Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Schellville, Cal. Posts: 748	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Ed was at the annual Sonoma Racing team picnick on the 3rd of May. Still rockin!!! __________________ Wrecking the hobby, one car at a time! www.rocketmotors59.com

05-11-2009, 12:35 PM	#9
Bruce Lancaster Alliance Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Madison NJ USA Posts: 18,290	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys That gasser has had a lot of people thinking about it for a long time...I ran into it in HRM, when the feature was new, and continued to think about HRM's completely cryptic description of the port pocket til now. Got some probable clues on that from Flatdog, who had also been thinking about the car since he ran into the feature...his take was that there was a major mystery in here, as the car was almost a second faster than the known engine tech and weight would suggest. That issue of HRM was always near the top of Flatdog's heap of brain fodder. __________________ Bruce

05-11-2009, 01:34 PM	#12
327-365hp Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central Mass Posts: 4,616	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Good story Mike. I bet that flatty sounded as good as it ran. Looks like he was still running a 39 box and torque tube rear end. Must've had lots of spares!

05-11-2009, 04:31 PM	#13
autobilly Old School HAMBer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Tweed, Australia Posts: 2,526	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Thanks Av8, I hadn't heard of this car before. A great tale of a Hot Rod Hero and his obsolete contender. __________________ RETRO Spec. (tive) -Getting to where you're going by knowing where you've come from.

05-11-2009, 05:50 PM	#14
sololobo Old School HAMBer Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Omaha, NE Posts: 6,641	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Goose Bumps!! What a cool story and great pix. Total Bad Ass!! Good one Ryan, this is the stuff that puts smiles on my mug on a regular basis, So once again--Viva La H.A.M.B. ~Sololobo~ __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

05-11-2009, 06:09 PM	#15
Bruce Lancaster Alliance Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Madison NJ USA Posts: 18,290	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Anybody capable of posting HRM feature?? Was there any other coverage of this thing?? HRM put in that cryptic and intriguing note about reshaping the bowl with moten lead! And notice the part about routinely defeating higher class gassers...the same issue that drove Flatdog crazy. The thing was WAY faster than can be easily explained by any traditional guesstimates of flathead power and car weight. __________________ Bruce

05-11-2009, 07:22 PM	#17
Bruce Lancaster Alliance Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Madison NJ USA Posts: 18,290	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys 11-'62... __________________ Bruce

05-11-2009, 07:51 PM	#18
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,623	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Duhh... I knew that. I'll find it. __________________ Ryan Cochran "Skating the same line since 1976..." .................................................. .... www.jalopyjournal.com - www.garagejournal.com - www.gearjournal.com - www.fordbarn.com - www.DOGFIGHTmag.com

05-12-2009, 07:05 AM	#20
greaser57 Grenade Inspector Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: minnesota Posts: 252	Re: Ed Binggeli's F/GAS Willys Love that car........Rich

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