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Features 1940 Willys drag car sitting since 1980!

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Fordgasser1, Apr 19, 2019.

  1. Great find, a lot like what mine will be like when I get it finished. There are a couple of threads listed about my sedan. Awesome!!!!!
     
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  2. Toms Dogs
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 359

    Toms Dogs
    Member
    from NJ

    George- You're ONE LUCKY Dog ! as you know I'm " partial" to Dogs and LUCK ___ I must say the Harris Brothers used good taste in choosing their TOW Vehicle ! ! LOLs
     
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  3. 31chevymike
    Joined: Feb 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,281

    31chevymike
    Member

    Who in this world could not love a RUNNING time capsule in their right mind? Please keep us posted on this Willys resurrection - subscribed!!
     
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  4. Deuce Bigalow
    Joined: Jun 23, 2018
    Posts: 12

    Deuce Bigalow

  5. Offset
    Joined: Nov 9, 2010
    Posts: 1,871

    Offset
    Member
    from Canada

    Nice find, nice car. Have fun.
     
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  6. pumpman
    Joined: Dec 6, 2010
    Posts: 2,674

    pumpman
    Member

    Nothing like an angry little small block, yes!
     
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  7. Fordgasser1
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,320

    Fordgasser1
    Member
    from Jersey

    Yes, I hear ya! They were on the car when it got parked because they put a stud girdle on the heads. However,I got several sets of early covers with the car including a set of valve cover spacers to clear everything.

    Absolutely! Only sad part is that its hometown track has been closed since last year. Would've been great to take her back there a run her.
     
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  8. Fordgasser1
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,320

    Fordgasser1
    Member
    from Jersey

    I wish! No brakes and no clutch! I'm replacing the brake master/wheel cylinders and hydraulic clutch stuff next..

    I'm certainly not the guy to ask..I think only the 39 willys had 2 door sedan model..I've had a 40 4 door sedan which had a slant back trunk so i'm not sure. this is a 4 door with rear handles removed..
     
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  9. 2 doors were available 37-39, extra side window 41-42, some say a 2 door was offered in 40
     
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  10. The37Kid
    Joined: Apr 30, 2004
    Posts: 30,627

    The37Kid
    Member

    ^^^ I think the back ends differ. Bob
     
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  11. Desmodromic
    Joined: Sep 25, 2010
    Posts: 571

    Desmodromic
    Member

    The car in the video has a '37/'38 nose (maybe a similar '39, it's tough to follow the video), and does not have the bustle-back. I had to replay about 8 times to confirm what I was seeing!
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2019
  12. Sal Cardella
    Joined: Feb 5, 2018
    Posts: 41

    Sal Cardella
    Member
    from New Joisey

     
  13. Sal Cardella
    Joined: Feb 5, 2018
    Posts: 41

    Sal Cardella
    Member
    from New Joisey

    That sounds incredible how do you resist taking it off the jackstands and going through a couple gears in the street with that ha ha
     
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  14. Hot Rod Willys
    Joined: Nov 10, 2006
    Posts: 1,700

    Hot Rod Willys
    Member
    from Ohio

    My dream car to find, Congratulations on your awesome Willys.
     
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  15. Fordgasser1
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,320

    Fordgasser1
    Member
    from Jersey

    As far as I know, its not the same car. I am told it was always white..

    I can't drive it yet Sal..The car has no brakes(that never stopped me before! ha ha!) but more importantly, no clutch yet..The car has an old ford style hydraulic clutch master cylinder and slave..They are totally frozen but I got some replacements now that I figured out what they were.
     
  16. Let me ask you -- I've heard conflicting stories on whether there were Willys 2-door sedans, or if Willys just welded the back doors shut of a 4-door. Can you enlighten me?

    You are right in both instances...I don't think the '37's offered a 2-door...but the '38 (model48) and model '39 had a factory 2-door. (I have not heared of any '40 -2-doors from the factory)..the car in those years were called 2 doors...but in reality Willys did weld the outer skin of a back door to the door frame and rear body panel...even covered the hole where the door handle went. I had a '39, and a friend had a '38...both were 2-doos, and to be sure if it was a factory offered car, it would have had a removable inside window moulding...like the front and rear window mouldings. If it was a stamped window moulding like the front doors, it was not a 2-door from the factory.
    One other thing...on the four doors the rear door glass was put in by opening the door and sliding the channel up through a slot in the curve of the door that fit to the rear fender. On a factory 2-door the rear door area windows, besides having a removable moulding, had a complete window up and down mechanism that was installed from inside the car. g-willys
     
  17. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Damn good find, jealous. I'm on board. ;)
    I never noticed until now that some Willys bodies were humpbacks and some were smooth back, when was the transition 1940? I see the drip rail on the smooth back goes around the sail panel but is shorter on the 40 hump back?
    upload_2019-4-22_13-35-13.png

    upload_2019-4-22_13-42-55.png


    upload_2019-4-22_13-41-16.png

    The drip rail on this 40 humpback is the same as the 39, knowing Bob IDA's talent I just don't know.
    [​IMG]

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/willys-two-door-sedans.499549/page-6
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2019
  18. 20140622_063706 (3).jpg Hump-trunk.jpg 20140622_063706 (3).jpg IMG_20190117_110311548 (2).jpg I never noticed until now that some Willys bodies were humpbacks and some were smooth back, when was the transition 1940? I see the drip rail on the smooth back goes around the sail panel but is shorter on the 40 hump back?

    The hump back was an option that allowed more room in the trunk area for suitcases...it could be put on at the factory or dealership. There were brochures that showed this option. The drip rail on the Ida car appears to be cut or shortened (I wouldn't know why, but this is the only one I have seen like that)...usually the drip rail followed the door down to the beltline...or slanted at an angle back toward the trunk. Below (red '40) follows the door line! Grey car sweeps to the trunk...and has Hump trunk add on, but with some customizing at the license plate. Last pic. is a '39 facto[
    ATTACH=full]4261058[/ATTACH] 20140622_063706 (3).jpg Hump-trunk.jpg IMG_20190117_110311548 (2).jpg ry 2-door body with a flat back trunk SORRY ABOUT THE MULTIPLE PICTURE DUPLICATES

    Hump-trunk.jpg

    20140622_063706 (3).jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 22, 2019
  19. FOR THOSE DRIVEN TO ACCURACY
    In my mess somewhere I knew I had some more dated information on the 'hump' trunk on some of the Willys sedan bodies. This bulletin states that the hump trunk that was coming out for the 1940 model year...would fit Model '39's after serial # 39-12790, because those cars were equiped with the external trunk hinges. It does say it can be done at the dealer...and look at those prices. This bulletin means the deck lid would not fit that factory 2-door, with the smooth deck lid. g-willys

    IMG_20190422_115120637.jpg
     
  20. Incredible find!
     
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  21. Another " Hump Trunk" IMG_20181119_153324968.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  22. Fordgasser1
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,320

    Fordgasser1
    Member
    from Jersey

    Thanks Tommy!..I knew you'd dig the Harris bros tow truck, even though it was 265 chevy powered!
    Thanks for the info g-willys..I can 100% say that this Willys is a 1940..All the tags on the body and frame are in place with VIN# starting in 440 And I have the original nj title for the car dated 1969!
     
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  23. Toms Dogs
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 359

    Toms Dogs
    Member
    from NJ

    GEORGE- I know 1965 at Englishtown Raceway Park and I know 265 Chevy SB with machine shop / boring and balancing by Trenton Speed Shop, (.060 over) however I had to go easy as this was also my daily driver to and from the BOMARC missile site/ McGuire Air Force Base... (see Juniors' Diapers on the clothes line) every day... IMG.jpg
     
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  24. 392
    Joined: Feb 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,206

    392
    Member

    Killer find. Enjoy.
     
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  25. Finn Jensen
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 675

    Finn Jensen
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  26. glrbird
    Joined: Dec 20, 2010
    Posts: 601

    glrbird
    Member

    1969 was my first year out of High School. Is that OLD now! lol
     
  27. joncrane
    Joined: Apr 3, 2018
    Posts: 8

    joncrane

    I grew up in Point Pleasant Beach. Left to go to college in Michigan in 1967. Never saw that car but recognized the pictures from Atco. Never knew the Harris brothers. Went to Beach High School with Rich and Dick Harris, but they were athletes, not car guys. Maybe some relations. Local rodders were Bruce King, Lee Malar, Harold Applegate, Jack Ely, Bill Irving and a whole bunch of circle trackers from Wall Stadium. Also a lot of fast boats including Speed Skiffs, garveys and hydros. I had a '32 coupe stuffed full of Chevy.
    Now I just play with original T's and A's.
    Jon Crane
    Rochester Mich
    formerly Yale Ave, Point Pleasant Beach
     
  28. Fordgasser1
    Joined: Jan 20, 2009
    Posts: 1,320

    Fordgasser1
    Member
    from Jersey

    Jon, did you ever know of a car club called The Road Hawks in Point Pleasant? That was the original car club that the Harris brothers were in..They had a 49 Ford drag car that they raced..There is a third brother,I think his name was Ted..Their family had a glass business in PP..
    Side note..I know Bill Irving..He's still around..Raced ford powered Garvey boats forever.
     
  29. joncrane
    Joined: Apr 3, 2018
    Posts: 8

    joncrane

    Road Hawks were down in an old garage by the railroad tracks at the South end of town near the OB diner and Jacquin Autobody. They were all a little older than I was...like maybe ten years or so. Bruce King was in the Road Hawks and drove a maroon Ford with a whole bunch of "class winner" decals in the side window. Had a treaded pipe rollbar painted flat black. Bill Irving was a teacher at the local vocational school...He must be a hundred years old! Last time I saw Mr. Irving he was retired from racing and doing the announcing at the garvey races. That was 20 years ago. Pt Pleasant was a great little town to grow up in. Have not been back in many years.
     
  30. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    Looks to be a 4 dr. with the door handles removed (holes still present as well as the rear hinges.
     
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