Hot Rods Willys we have known !

ME.Gasser
Good to hear from you. I talked with Merkel at the Meltdown 2 years ago, but never asked about the front clip, and I didn't know that Hill & Zartman were involved...did they ever use one, or always a '40 front clip ? Tell us about their involvement. MY question for Merkel was about the running boards, because most gassers did not use them...Jack said he needed the extra weight to stay in B/G......interesting to know who he was avoiding in A/G ?
My contribution to the re-do were the running boards, as I had an extra pr. of '39 boards, and Ron Norman needed them for the rebuild. Glad I got to meet Merkel! When are you guys going to make it to the meltdown??
Oh...I also have a friend in Omaha, that has some of the other glass front clip parts that were used on a local (Omaha)
sedan call the Skywriter. (A '39 sedan)
g-willys

 

Unfortunately i dont

 

G-Willys they never used a 39 they always used the 40's. Hill & Zartman only ever made 2 of the 39 front ends. I'm sure Dave Hales would have much more info on that. As for the Meltdown I really don't know what to tell you as my husband is right straight out building houses. We are booked into 2019 at this point.

 

Old relics, G Willys, I have both 40 and 41 headlight rings and some of the Stabilite lenses. I'll get to them tomorrow and see which one matches up.
Ron Norman is a cool dude. He has quite a stable of Willys cars and trucks. Our car was beside him at Indy one year. The Bee Line car at Indy.
How many of you have seen one of these sedan deliveries?

 

Joe,
For ones like that...only in pictures...neat vehicle. Have seen a few made from sedans, even a couple with a nice rear sedan delivery entry door. Where is that one from, and who own's it. I saw the Bee Line car at his place, shortly after he aquired it a few years back...a real period piece. g-willys

 

Old Relics...Nordahl (Willys Replacement Parts) reproduces the lenses, and you can still find originals on ebay from time to time. g-willys

 

GWillys, The delivery is from around Allentown, Pennslyvania. A couple of brothers there have several Willys vehicles. Could not tell if this car was once a sedan. Had a real nice back door. Has anyone ever seen Ron Ladley's 41 coupe? Car is low mileage with many options. Best one I have ever seen. He keeps it in a bubble when not at shows.

 

Many years ago, about the late 1970's, Tom Seagriff from Danbury Connecticut had at least 1 of the fiberglass 1939 Overland noses. He bought that nose and some other pieces from someone in new York.

 

Actually the 1940 lens is 1940 only. the 1941-42 lens has a lip that fits the later headlight rim. Also, I have seen 1935-36 Willys model 99 lenses. No cars, but headlight lenses.

 

Joe,
I visited Ron many years ago, when he was north of Philly. My wife and his, sat in the '38 stocker while it was running and the heater was on (crisp day). He had a lot of stuff back then...wonder how much he still has left...I saw a 41 center section that must have come straight from the factory. And lots of hub caps...he told me the story about finding them Saw the 41 Coupe...it was in a trailer then, but saw it at Thompson a few years later. Loved his 41Pickup. And at that time he had a clean '39 4dr (green), and had just got a neat 40 coupe from some old gal. Saw his signs, memorbillia, and banners...etc. My other great trip was a visit to Abe Suderman in British Columbia...that also would take too long to describe...he had over 30 cars at that time, and hasn't gotten rid of very many...I'll post some pictures of both trips. A trip to Rick Lorenzen's fantastic California collection, and I will have completed the most unique Willys Trifecta. That would complete my Bucket List. We have a local guy who has quite a collection (mostly Aussie Willys) 15 or more cars...if you look in this thread you'll see his brown 33 Willys Phaeton.
Life is fun!!!...g-willys

 

Nick... I never knew that...I have a '40, and forty-one complete assembly...I will have to take them apart and look for the differences. In regard to the fiberglass 39 noses...they must have made the rounds between cars, because everyone, including Jack Merkel, said there were only 2 complete 39 noses...I saw one on a '39 sedan many years ago...the sedan was from Omaha NE..... g-willys

 

GWillys, Ron has moved and retired from his job a few years now. He still has many parts and tons of Willys paperwork, signs etc. Great guy. Last time I was there he had this 35 sedan, the 40 you mentioned, 38 coupe and of course the 41. He is also into early 60's Ford light weights.

 

Here is a very nice Woody I saw at Louisville a few years back...and in the 2nd picture are a couple of nice locally owned stockers at our Willys picnic before back to the 50's, a few years back.
g.willys

 

When I built my '36 sedan I decided to use the narrow Pontiac Fiero seats, as they are comfortable, and have head rest speakers. I had several and decided to use 4 bucket seats in my 4-door. We had to cut the speaker headrest off the 2 back seats, to see out the rear window. I was very happy the way they turned out.
g-willys

 

NICE interior good choice.

 

My dad with his 40 Willys Coupe which he built to Gas Class rules with a 327 and a Muncie 4 speed back in the 60s

 

This coupe has a resemblance to your dad's coupe. I know longer know where it resides but heard it was from the Long Island area. Please excuse the askew photo and glare

 

IMG 9896 by jays41willys posted Mar 25, 2013 at 6:47 PM

 

my willys I was building. g-willys help out with some parts for my willys.

 

Remember the two we found in a barn in southern Minneaota...this is one of the two that showed up at my picnic about 3 years later...from barn find to street rod...now in Iowa.....g-willys......
p.s. Jay's 41 willys...how is that coupe coming along...looks good in the picture.

 

I remember that sedan when it was first completed. Haven’t seen it in quite a while. I think it was from the Cedar Rapids area.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Three 'local' cars at the Meltdown 2 years ago...3 good friends, and 3 much driven Willys that come to my picnic each year. I just heard that the blue pickup got sold this fall...hope it is local. g-willys

 

G-WILLYS,

What's the story on the gray coupe in these pictures? I would like to hear more details about it if possible.

Steve

 

I asked this on another thread. But I will here also. In the early '80's I had a '41 four door that was built as a gasser but never raced. Sold it to a guy in Southern Maryland who already had a yellow '41 four door street rod. Does anyone remember these cars??

 

Hey all Willys lovers, I was wondering if anyone remembers a '41 all steel coupe that had been a B/G racer that I sold at the NSRA show in Tulsa in either 1976 or '77. It was painted primer dark gray and had the firewall setback some. A young man from somewhere in Iowa bought the car and I welded up a tow bar for him to flat tow it home. Just curious what ever happened to the car.

 

Steve, (Thor1) I'd be glad to give you all kinds of info on the car...the owner is a very good friend, and I know of the build from the begining (fabulous car) You are less than 10 mi. from me, so personal message me and I will give you directions and invite you over...tons of pictures of that build. g-willys P.S. come to my picnic, meet some Willys people, and see some cars (maybe the grey one too)

 

g-willys.

Thank you for the invitation! I would be delighted to visit AND to attend the picnic! I don't have a Willys, but would a post-war Ford coupe be acceptable?

Steve

 

Hey...all you guys that love Willys------I am hoping that this thread will have no controversies. Everyone DOES have a right to their own opinion, but lets leave it at that on this thread. Chucky is a friend of mine, and I will share my opinions with him in private .
You do have some very nice Willys, and you are good at letting us know that. That is is plus! We like looking at nice cars...especially Willys. The sedan also belonged to a friend of mine, and he sold it (perhaps to the person you got it from), and perhaps you paid him more than he bought it for. That happens all the time. I know what my friend sold it to him for. Please try to keep all messages POSITIVE. I love those cars, and I've had a few, but they are just cars. Opinions are just that ! I hope you won't take it so personal. Here's a picture of it ('39 sedan)from many years ago when my friend first got it. When I saw that you ended up with it, I figured it was perhaps just for the '39 front clip...But that's just an opinion, nothing more.
Good luck with the Gone Postal car (one of my favorites) that gentleman, was a man I met many years ago at Indy, just before he picked up the car...(see below). GONE POSTAL before it went postal ! g-willys View attachment 3819793

 

You sure don't need one, you just have to like them...can you sent me a personal message...look under conversations...and put your cell number, and I'll call you...that way our number is not out there for all.
g-willys

 

Here's my 39 all steel imported from South Africa to UK runs a 327 Chevy, T10 4 speed, Mopar rear axle, Willys front with Ford spindles and spindle mounts. I've bought in around 20 Willys from SA, 5 of them were coupes.
This pic is as it was found its actually a 37 body