Hot Rods Willys we have known !

I have repainted my 37 and its not the original color anymore, sorry. Will see if I can find something in my parts with a hint of it. JW

 

I don't know where the pictures were taken and unfortunately I haven't been to the Meltdown yet. I really like the gray coupe and have saved any picture that I could find of it. That is a lot of HP to get out of a 265. Yes that was a nice touch to make the scoop so low to avoid cutting a whole in the hood. It looks like an early stock coupe that was just made into a gasser for the first time. He is even running a worn original steering wheel.

 

This is probably the nicest, most sanitary Willys that I have ever seen. This is the car that I have pictured in my feverish mind when I think about owning one. I really appreciate the interior on it too - usually the driver is positioned much further back on these builds so that they are behind the B pillar. I also like the original dash, steering wheel, and cab layout. If I won the lottery this is probably a car that I would attempt to buy - I would need to win the lottery just to be able to afford it.

I know they're not for everyone but this car is simply incredible to me. I cannot speak of it highly enough.

 

Chrome windshield surrounds look great.......until the sun catches it. JW

 

I was just thinking how nice those chrome garnish moldings look.

 

It wouldn't matter. If I was driving that Willys I would definitely have my shades on...bein' cooool!

 

Hey Thor 1...you can still stop over and we can talk Willys like crazy. g-willys

 

Now that may take some time. JW

 

Bill,

I am sorry for not calling yet. I do plan to get in touch with you but right now life is really full with work and family. I look forward to spending some time with you. I have been fascinated by Willys coupes since I was a little kid listening to my dad and his buddies bench racing.

I will talk to you soon.

Steve (Thor)

 

What a neat bunch of Willys Guys we have here, too cool !! JW

 

This is the bronze color, its the one that's not rust. JW

 

And the green, its the darker one. there was also a very nice mid/dark blue, will try and find a bit on it. JW

 

Sounds Good...skip Easter Weekend ,Grandma and I have the grand kids all weekend...things lighten up after that.

 

hmmm. I'm not seeing any bronze?

 

On a par with Ron Ladely's?

 

Can you post some pictures of Ron Ladely's Willys? I would be delighted to take a look and make a comparison...it is therapy for the eyes to look at Willys coupes.

 

Sorry, I don't have a pic, but I remember being blown away when I saw it a few years ago at the Thompson Gasser Reunion. It didn't have the mods and upgrades of this one but it looked like it rolled off the assembly line that morning.

 

Here's a couple of pics I found from the Jalopy Journal:

 

There is a difference, but it is not what you might think The owner, Ron Ladley, got a very nice original car to start with, and because he ran a body shop he had access to everything he needed to make it a 100 point car. Al's car is perfect in every way, but he didn't start with a pristine car, so he had to have a good metal man bring it back to near hundred point status...plus he wanted to have the equivalent of taking a coupe off the show room floor and making it a sano drag car (which is really the heritage that saved enough Willys for us to now drool over..) The difference that I spoke of was that Ron Ladley started early enough to find dealerships that had some original parts and pieces, either nos, or just in excellent condition (an example would be Ron had a Willys floor mat (rubber) in his car that he found that was either new or just in excellent condition...that would be impossible to find today). I found one old dealership and the only thing they had from the past was a set of original 4 bolt rims, plus a lot of 6 volt stuff. Al had a nicer car that was original (see below), but it is now in Lorenzen's collection out west. (it was too nice to turn into a nose high car.) Everything on Al's grey car is perfect or as close as can be for a car in 2017-18. For example Al had to hunt for some excellent dash knobs, and handles to find what he needed, as nobody reproduced that kind of stuff. I have been to Ladley's, and many of his cars were excellent to start with. I will hunt for some pictures of Ladley's....g-willys

 

Those are both beautiful Willys cars.

I often wonder how much the rich drag racing history of the Willys marque has on its current popularity (and, not incidentally, their value). While the classic lines of the car are clear, so too are other cars of the era, like Essex, Graham Paige, Studebaker and the like. In their day Willys were just a cheap, simply built, economical mode of transportation; I compare them to the VW bug of a latter era - similar qualities. Not incidentally, VDubs also have a huge fan following.

 

My 37 that I have now had for 41 years. I bought it a week after I turned 18. JW

 

Twenty-T Ford...Those headlights look smaller than the ones on my old '38 sedan...Jeep made a smaller (6v)seal beam back in the day, and I fitted them to my fenders...what about the ones on your car?
g-willys

 

I agree, and I do enjoy the models you mentioned, much more than a '40 Ford or Chev...g-willys

 

Really nice to watch all those Willys out there and all the tallented people who make all sort of art out of almost nothing, sending a picture of my friends -39 Willys who is in progress of being something, frame is in the garage and the body is waiting for the spring.

 

Hey willyfaster...nice doors...whose are they. Oh, also I am inviting you to my Willys Picnic this year if you can make it.
g-willys

 

This 40 is one of a few original to NZ Coupes. It belongs to an NZ HAMBer also and run a 354 Hemi, he also has a 35 Sedan and a number of 37-38 Sedans. JW

 

Hi G, the headlights in my 37 are 5 3/4'' semi sealed and I have no idea what they are off but they fit well and the bezel lines up very well. JW