hello, just picked up this car after sitting for about 16 years.. Looks like it was built in Mass, and raced there mid to late 60's, then California late 60's early 70's... Anyone recognize any of the old pictures?? Thanks!!!
It will stay a Gasser... I will be getting the period wheels for it, and probably a heavier metal flake paint, and re-lettered.. A car i was searching for for 35 years...With race history!!
It was last run 2 years ago.. I will get it going hopefully in a couple of weeks.. Still has the dana 60 in the rear end..
Steveo3377, that's great!! Any other pics, or history? The white one seems to be late 60's early 70's??
My buddy Chuck Rau (R.I.P),Worcester Mass. owned/built car in mid 60's.I have build photo's,it started out as a stock 39 and was found in a sand/gravel pit business .Car originally ran 327,4 speed,Olds. Pont. rear. I still see Dickie Mazzolla and Tommy Moore,good guys. Partner and driver Dickie Mazzolla supplied motor and also did body and paint.There was a blue one built in similar fashion with the molded rear fenders back then by another friend Maury Brodin in same garage they called Willys Ville.,blue car was in Pop Hot Rodding in 65 or 6? I found/owned remains of that coupe briefly.Your coupe ran at Ct.Dragway,not sure if it ever went anywhere else? but not raced as much as Chuck intended to so partnership was over with and Chuck partnered with well known Ford/Cobra magician Gus Zuidema (Dragonsnake Harr Ford NHRA record holder)Chuck was a Ford guy mostly and at time drove a 66 Shelby Mustang.I have a short film clip of a walk around/interior view of Willys in this configuration. Now Ford powered and re lettered and thinking this was 67 or 68 Chuck unfortunately rolled car over at Ct. Dragway in the grass on maiden voyage if I remember story correctly,steering linkage problem? Chuck was very discouraged and spent out so he had roof straightened out and sold car to new owners in N.H. I never spoke to those guys but they redid car and ran it with 426 Hemi and Dana rear,there is a pic. of car towards end of 37-42 Willys pic. thread.I should have tried to contact those guys for more stories/pics. but??Eventually car was put on street and driven to Cali. but not sure when? 70's or 80's? I was reconnected with car about 15? years ago when at Bakersfield reunion or March Meet my Cali. friend Jim Jordan asked me for info on a coupe he owned with New England Dragway history. Jim was impressed with info I had and I couldn't believe I had found car now that it had been out of Mass. since probably 69ish.I sent Jim photo's and it was neat to get the early history back with car.Jim eventually decided to sell car but I could not take on another project at the time. It would have been cool project to restore car to old race car scheme with input from Chuck,Tommy and Dickie but was not meant to be I guess.I do have a coupe presently and it just happens to be maroon and has same stance/attitude as your coupe did in the good old days.Glad some of these coupes survived the gasser wars.Good luck with build,keep Chuck's coupe memories alive,he was a real good guy,one of my hero's for sure.
Thanks!!! I really thank you for the info and photos!!! The car came with Jims phone number, but both were disconnected... The guy I got the car from was older, and lost interest, and came in to our shop looking to sell this and a 50 merc and some other cars.. My boss was not to keen on an old race car, but I surely was. I sold my 1969 gtx 440 dana 60 track pak air grabber car, along with my 72 Dodge Challenger 340 4 speed I had since 1987, and some cash to get a car I never ever thought I would be able to find.. I almost build a fiberglass one 10 years ago as I wanted a gasser so bad, but to get a documented car, I am very thankful it worked out..Also have a WW2 jeep I restored, It's just nice having vehicles that made history, and are still loved today.. Any other pics and stories would be great.. Thanks, Greg..
Amazing car, find, & history. If stuff like this doesn't make you love this place, nothin' will. The power of the Hamb is un-freaking-believable. Keep us updated on the progress of this cool old racecar, & congrats.
I had a few buddys over on Wednesday, put some fuel in it, and a new battery, and after messing with it for a bit, she fired up, and idled for a bit... Really sounded good... Put a smile on everyones face there, especially when it was Uncapped!!!!
Awesome find. Super jealous. Can't wait to see how it comes along. Just changing the wheels would almost make it perfect
This is the kind of stuff I love to see happen. Another piece of drag history saved! Thanks for sharing the car and loved reading the story on this fantastic car.
The plans are... Replace the wheels.. Fronts with -Rocket launchers and Firestone 5.60x15's Rear with- Rocket injectors both the as cast finish, using the street slicks that are on it. Changing the seats to a more period seat, as the ones in it look to be out of a mid 70's Datsun Maybe moving the rear springs up one with the shackles that are on it to lower rear about 2" Get the exhaust tucked back up underneath, but loving the cutouts as they are. Painting the car with a heavy metalflake 60's paint, really like gold. Lettering the car in 60's font, and sponsorships... It's still running the Dana 60 in the rear, and the original front axle as shown in the original 60's and 70's pictures... This was a car I have wanted since the late 70's, so I was very excited to get a steel body car WITH race history and pictures.. I was going to build a glass car, but things came together in an odd and fast way... Thanks for the comments, and if anyone else has any info or history or pics, please let me know.. I will pay for copy's if available... Thanks!! Hope to make it to Bakersfield in 2016, I just want to see it, maybe bring the car someday!!
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