Features 1937 to 1942 Willys Picture Thread

Al Dal Porto 1941 Willys pickup. It won A Gas at the 1959 Fuel and Gas Championships put on by the Smokers that would later become known as the March Meet. This Pickup was later sold to Bob Panella of the Panella Brothers.

Hello,

I am not sure which is better, a rolling film of a cool 1941 Willys pickup gas class hot rod or a still photo of the same car, in almost the same position, at the same location in Bakersfield. Some would say action speaks louder than words. What about action speaks louder than a still image?

At any rate, the crystal clear image of the Al Dal Porto Willys truck is so clear that it was taken with a powerful camera I presume is a Hassleblad 2.25 x 2.25 and not a 35mm film camera. If the photographer worked for one of the top magazines, they would have had the Hassleblad and a 35mm camera. Either one had the ability to take clear shots, using a possible tripod, unhindered by the crowds at the chain link fence.


Jnaki

The advantage is that they were in front of the hordes behind the chain link fence and had a clear shot of the race cars. I was one of the hordes doing my best to shoot a simple color 16mm point and shoot movie camera from the battle front along the fence.

A telephoto would have been nice and also a clear area in front, but as the racing went on, the hordes just kept shoving everyone else against the fence. Or making life miserable trying to have fun taking movies of those fabulous racer and their cool cars. IOHO

“Another gasser that had an early influence on Joe was the Al Dal Porto Yellow Willys Pickup that was later bought by the Panella Brothers and became their candy apple red pickup. Al was a lakes racer and built this Pickup to go drag racing. He won the A Gas Coupe Sedan class in it at the Smokers Meet (March Meet) in it in 1959. It turned 114.94 Mph with a chevy engine.”

Last edited: Jul 3, 2016 @elgringo71 JUL 2, 2016

1960 Al Hirshfield Studebaker vs Al Dal Porto Willys
Bakersfield Smokers March Meet 1960

 

Looks like RAM-AIR to me....

 

@jnaki, here is Bob Panella’s pick-up today. It has been recently restored. It’s owned by him but I’m not sure if it’s the same one that he used to own.

 

Nice stance^^^^^.....

 

It's a Lloyd body, I have the issue of PHR around here somewhere...

 

I have a picture of Al's willys pickup I took at Lodi 1960/61. in all the willys pictures I've seen ,never seen a picture of my Willys pickup racing at Sacramento, about 10 seconds later - it was garbage having rolled it 7 times-in the air. not a good day for the willy but I walked away.