41 Willys from the movie "Hot Rod"

I remember seeing that movie for the first time years ago. Used to come on every once in awhile on late night. Got a vhs copy so I bring it out for my sons friends. That car, to me was the essence of what a Hot Rod should be. Always wanted one. Found one but couldn't persuede the owner to part with it. Didn't blame him. So now I am building a 1930 Model A Hi-Boy Coupe.

 

I've gotta get a copy of the movie. The primer painted willys gives me a bit of a semi but I'm not in to the yellow version. To each his own, but I was never a fan of glass Cobra cars either.

 

Ya, I'd take it too...now where did I put that straight axle....

 

My name is Dennis. I was the owner of one of the '41 Willys that was used in the movie "Hot Rod".

Mine was used in the race scenes, the one with the funny car motor. I loaned the car to the movie studio, they replaced my motor with the funny car motor, started it up and cracked the frame. They built a special frame for it.

What I thought would turn into a fun experience turned into a nightmare. They ruined my car. They stole parts off of it, it took over a year to get it back. They kept moving it to different locations, wouldn't returns calls.....

It was also used in "More American Grafitti" - that was a great experience and lead me to do the Hot Rod movie...

Any questions, feel free to ask......

 

is that puke yellow?

 

Great history lesson here.
The gray Willys was a large influence on me as a teenager.
Nice to know the story behind the sences.

 

The hemi was out of Willie and the Poor Boys funny car... They were paid by the film makers to use the motor for the film.

 

I found the car from More American Graffiti in the bay area at the show there. This is the car today in Jun 2012.



From what I have been reading it sounds more like my car was cast possibly out of the mold off of your old car rather than Steve's car, my dad wrenched for Willie And The Poor Boys after the movie was filmed and they put the motor in the Willys raced in the end of the film that Dave Yahara drove but the motor came out of WillyAnd The Poor Boys funny car... My Willys even being a glass body still has the door dings the movie car had when the mold was taken.

 

I'll never forget the first time that my husband and i watched this movie. When they opened that shed door and that car was sitting there i almost fell out of my chair. Just imagine. I did.

 

Can my get some pics of this beast. Definitly one of my all time favorites!!

 

funny car motor? I have seen that movie a hundred times, it is an AMC police car engine

 

I still can't beleive that the film studio had the rims and tires proped up because that Willys had no axels under the frame to get that particular shot for the film.

But I felt the same way when my dad opend the shop door and I saw this for my birthday.


That later led to this.... More true to the movie car body.

 

This was ours the day we brought it home

 

very aerodynamic

 

But there is a 40 front clip on it now right from what it looks like, so it was a 41 when you got it. Honestly a grey Willys speaks to my heart a little more. It looked great when you got it.

 

Did your chrome straight axle ever brake or bend? I only ask because it seems like you got the front end off the ground a bit once or twice and the acid in the chrome weakens the strength of the metal. So I was just curious...

 

The center section was the only part not original to the car. Yes we put a 40 back on it. The car is a 40.

 

Great info guys! Keep it up!

 

even with the BIG Heavy Hemi, the chrome axle did not bend.

it is all about letting it down gently.

like your old girl friends always did to you.

 

just watched the movie and it looks like the car the use in the street scene might me a 37-39 cause if you look there is no rocker panel below the door and it has a aftermarket straight axle setup unlike the car used in the fremont scene's it looks like it has a chromed willy's axle and it has rocker panels below the doors like a 40-41. I have also noticed in one scene that the blower has carbs on it instead of the hat injection.

 

Great thread. I was a teenager when i first saw it. It was on the tele in the 80s here in New Zealand, and my Dad let my brother and i stay up to watch it on our black and white tv. Around four years ago was the first time i saw it in colour.

 

I'm not sure if one can revive a 10-year-old thread, but I thought pics of the car before and after the movie would be interesting to some...I was sent these by Uncle Dennis when I was in Jr. High, note his wife dated two them April of 1978.

 

This Willys belonged to my uncle when the movie "Hot Rod" was filmed. It was a 60s gasser, magnesium 5-spoke Americans, SBC with dual 4's on a cross-ram, engine set back with aluminum firewall, automatic transmission with a B&M shifter, etc. When he got it back after filming many of the trim items were stolen and the fuel Hemi used in the movie had cracked the frame. So he dumped it...I always wanted that car as a kid...the '41 has been a soft spot ever since.

 

I'm reasonably sure this was after the movie was finished. Note the scoop on the hood is as the drag sequences showed.

 

One from the movie.

 

steve castelli from windsor ca owns it or at least did a few years ago , it was turned into a drag car and painted yellow havnt seen or heard a thing about it in a long time

 

ohh nooo!!

 

Found a great thread that might answer the whereabouts of all three cars.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...r-cutlassfrom-the-movie-hot-rod.455411/page-7

Steve Castinelli's yellow car is the hollow body that was used for interior shots. The street car survived apparently, it's owner is known. Which means my uncle's beloved gasser is the Bill Mullins purple people eater. Damn.