Steel Willys Gasser Project Waydownunder.

A couple weeks ago a bloke offered me good money to buy my glass 41 Willys Gasser project less my 354 Hemi and Toploader. At the same time another bloke put on Ebay to sell his steel Willys Coupe project.
The Willys came from Railing Drive in Valmeyer Illinois over 20 years ago and had "Hombre" on the door and was being built by a bloke called Paul Burnett. I have tried to contact Paul but i cannot even locate a Railing Drive and the phone number i have just rings out.

 

Geez Sam snuck this one inCool looking Ride,Cheers Rebel.

 

G'Day Pat. This is my first time at doing a thread so i am still learning as i go . I might need another leed on another shipping container from you if i keep buying these Willys lol

 

This is the pictures that the bloke had of the Willys when it was 4 Sale on Ebay.

 

This is a chassis that was stepped up at the front over 20 years ago.

 

Would love to see this one looks bloody good,same place Container. will it be ready for CavendishCheers Rebel.

 

Looks like a fun Project Sam keep us posted

 

Picking up the Willys was a road trip from hell. A 13 hour trip took 26 hours. 7 jump starts, 2 batterys and rebuild a alternator. Broke down and slept in my ute freezing my bum off in the middle of nowhere. Also a brand new Lee Kay trunk lid that was fully taped on all around with 100 mph tape and was also covered with a stretchy net blew off the Willys at 60 mph in front of a semi trailer that was about to pass me. Lucky for me the truck driver missed the trunk as after it hit the road it slid of to the side of the road.
Here is pic's of the minimal damage that the trunk received.

 

Nice project and chopped ute

 

willys is a neat project , the Hammered XY is very cool !



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Sammy,
Good to see that you started a thread on this. Good luck with the build. Larry and i will be watching.
Wanda

 

Sam good to see You got your Coupe home sometimes these trips give You the Willysbet trunk lid took off at 100 mphs ,{ sorry Guys bit of sick Aussie Humor] You sure had 1 hell of a run but now it is Home,Cheers Rebel.

 

Hi Sammy - happy to see you finally got your steel coupe. Now all you need is the ready to run original 1940 Willys gasser chassis I have for sale in my back yard - instant gasser!!!!

 

nice gasser.........

 

I received this private message from Chuck Lipka about the history of my Coupe and with his permission i have copied and pasted it here.

Does anyone else know any more history about my Willys or Paul Burnett?
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Greetings from central USA.

You mention Paul Burnett from Vallmeyer Illinois. His place in Valmeyer was the victim of the catastrophic flooding along the Mississippi River in I think '93.....may be wrong on the year. After the flooding, the town of Valmeyer was relocated out of the flood plain, to a nearby bluff that overlooked the river. Paul moved all his pieces, parts, tools and related stuff and relocated further inland to a small Illinois town near Red Bud Illinois. Probably the reason you can't locate his street...."Railing" (?) is because it doesn't exist any longer as a result of the flood and subsequent relocation of the town.

The coupe you have is one I believe I tried to purchase. Went so far as to give him a down payment ($200 I think) to hold it until I could muster up the remainder of the cash....I think he wanted $2500 at the time. The shell was steel, the doors (steel) had had the inner structure cut out, no deck lid, no front clip. I eventually passed on the deal and he kept the $200 as compensation for me backing out on the deal.

Paul supposedly was going to make a set of molds to do 'glass cars. In fact, he subsequently bought a '40 sedan from me for the front clip....for molds. I don't think he ever got around to the molding process.

I lost track of Paul about 5 years ago. Used to see him at local swap meets all the time. I was told he died, but I haven't confirmed it. I know the shop he had in Red Bud is no longer there....the building still stands,but all of his "loot and booty" and his collection of old cars has disappeared. He was always wheeling and dealing on old cars and parts.....

Good luck with your project. I'm working on my 3rd coupe. First one was a steel coupe I still have. Second is my race gasser ('glass). New project is a "Frankenstein" collection of stuff left over from the first car.

Regards.

Chuck Lipka Coordinator www.geezergassers.com

 

Uh, dang. Another steel Willys? All of a sudden, these things are popping up.. Where's mine?

Congrats on yours! Looks like you've got a pretty good start on your own.

 

And this one has made it all the way downunder, well it did over 20 years ago.

 

Are those big rabbits on your avitar in front of the car? Welcome aboard Sammy, glad you finally got yourself a steel coupe! Vic

 

good luck ,great to see another willys in aus.
bummer about the boot lid
please keep us posted

 

There the big hopping bunnys and we got plenty of them down here.
Your welcome to come down here and take a heap of them home with you.
So far in my 33 Willys in my avatar i have hit 2 of them.
The 1st one took out my front fender and headlight but i was lucky it missed my grille .
The 2nd one was that dumb that it hopped out of the bush during the day and head butted my back wheel and rear fender. He would of got a decent headache out of it as he left some roo hair jammed in behind my wheel weight. .

 

The boot lid survived real good considering it hit the bitumen in front of a big mother truck that was about to pass me at 60 MPH.
Lee Kay sure does make a great trunk as i thought the truck was gunna turned it into a dinner plate.
I still wonder who got the biggest fright, me or the interstate trucky when the trunk left the Willys.

 

hi sammy
the coupe looks good i am glad the trunk lid survived
keep us posted on your build

 

Hey Sammy great looking coupe to go with your Willys collection keep up the great work, Hows Deans coupe going ?

 

Sammy how about an update? Curious minds wish to know what's going on....

 

I should of bought that a while ago !!!

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Looking forward to seeing more progress Sammy.

 

You still can - send $$$ or £££ to the Weasel Willys Completion Fund....

 

Mr. Weasel.....ref the photos of your gasser chassis......isn't that a '41/'42 chassis? I base that question from the shape of the rear spring hangers.

 

No - it's a 1940 with modified frame horns. The 1941/42 chassis flares out 2" from the rear kickup. The 1937-40 runs parallel. 1941/42 X member is significantly different too....