Projects Gene (Moonlighter) Cromer's A/G Willys Resurrection

David ny wife won't let me go to the grocery store, she said if i did we would all be on a diet.

 

The engine work is well under way. Here Melvin is washing the block.

 

^^^ A cross-bolted side oiler block at that! ^^^

 

Quain that is a very cool thing your doing !!! you can see the GLOW in Gene's eyes

Trouble

 

Gene has the crank in the lathe checking and polishing it. I'm sure this is the first engine that Gene has built since his stroke around 1995. I bet he will still have the magic touch.

 

Milling and checking the head. He said he had to stop and think it had been so long since he had used this machine he also had a hard time finding all his hold downs for the mounts.

 

Squaring and decking the block, it sure is good to see Gene blow the cob webs out of these machines and use them again.

 

Gene inspecting after the first test fit. It's got to have just a little more block work to make the intake fit the way he wants. There have been several big time engine builders offer to donate the engine work and we are very thankful to them for the offers. But Gene wanted to do his own engine work just like in the old days and I'm glad he is it will add that original touch that this project needs. Note all the machines in the background still under plastic cover, been that way since 1995.

 

Love seeing that FE going together with a Legend doing his own work!!!

 

Gene,.... do you have everything you need for the engine rebuild?

 

FE power being massaged by the MASTER!

 

Jody, this will be a stoke bore and stroke Hi Riser with C-6 rods and Venolia piston and old nitro 595 crane roller cam. I am using parts that i
have now but i will build a new Engine later, i still need more parts. It's
been over 40 years since i have used these parts, sent the Magneto to
Lin Hughes to be check out and i will go through the Hilborns. I am having
to feel my way through all of this since it's been so long ago, and i had a
bad stroke in 95. I have to thank my LORD for bringing me through some
difficult times, I am truly Blessed.
We are still in awe of all the help and time and labor that people have
donated to this project.
Gene,

 

No i still need some parts, i am just starting on the engine and a lot of things i thought i had i can't find.
thanks Gene,

 

Gene,you have forgot more than a lot of us know!

I hope to get by soon. HRP

 

This is great Mr. Cromer!! If there is anything I can help with feel free to ask!! I can't wait to hear it run!! I'm sure this engine will run just fine!!

 

I check this thread every day. I'm simply amazed every time I read new updates. I'm going down to Anderson SC to visit my folks in a few weeks and would love to stop in and appreciate the beast live in person.

 

Go into Thread Tools and subscribe then it will send you an email when someone post.

I live on the wrong coast or I would there all the time. I'd mow Gene's lawn and do stuff around the house just so he'd let me hang around.

Don

 

Are there any parts you will be needing to finish her. Post a list and maybe someone in H.A.M.B. land can help you guys out.

 

This thread makes me all warm and fuzzy. Great story, killer car, nice work! Let me know if there's anything I can do from here to help out. Would love to do a feature on it, but Kiwi Kev probably holeshot me on that one.

Scotty

 

Don, Gene is such a nice guy, he would let us young guys hang around the shop while he was working on the Willys or building engines for other racers. He always amazed me how he could do his work, listen to us bench race, ( that is all we had money for) say stupid stuff and he never missed a beat. I often wondered why he didn't run us off, but we never felt unwelcome. As a bonus, he never asked us to mow his lawn or do work on his house!

 

I just turn 55 but I'd still mow his grass. I am quite envious of you local guys. In my area there was a fella that had an old H/Gas (inline 6 class) 37 Chevy that then had a 396 and a Rock Crusher. This was the fasted car I'd rode in. He'd take the body off every spring to detail the car and us kids in the area were always there. Could be why I got my first car when I was 12. I could bring my own weed whacker LOL.

Don

 

More updates from Chris Harper at the body shop. The original seats and mounts are repainted blue just like they were if you remember way back in this thread when Gene brought them to the shop they still had the original blue paint and some of it is still under the new. Note the notch in the center of the bottom mount Gene said that was where at one time he had tried a hand brake and had to cut the notch for some reason.

Chris Harper I can't thank you enough for taking over the paint and body work on this project or it would have never been finished on time. You have went over and beyond the call of duty dealing with all of this especially all the little details like having to paint the seat mounts that you wasn't expecting to have to do.

 

This is really getting good now polished rings and blue centers. Remember a few post back Gene polished the outer ring on his trick bench grinder. And Chris Harper painted the centers

 

Kev I'll try and get with Gene and make a list. One thing that came to mind while posting the pics of the front wheels. Gene had center caps on the front wheels in the day, he found some new ones but found out the old wheels are different so one thing he needs is old tork thrust centers.

 

Chris Harper's body shop is moving along good today the body was removed from the chassis, now they will prep the chassis for paint. It look's like the May 25 deadline for Greer Dragway won't be a problem at the rate things are going

 

A shot of the body off the chassis the plan is to do the headliner before the body goes back on.

 

I know I have some caps, I will dig them out and see if they will clean up. New ones are plastic but these are old ones. When I find them I will give you some measurements. If they work then they are yours.

 

Found them and they cleaned up nice. They fit the old magnesium Americans I have here, pattern is 5 x 3 5/8". PM me an address and I will send them your way N/C.

 

Kev, not only are you a great talent, your a great guy!!!

 

Quain, you have done an outstanding job along with everybody involved in this build, I have taken the opportunity to steal some of your ideas for my 40chev build, hope you don't mind. Again many thanks. bowtie40