That’s good information to know about Wayne Calvert and George Gilmore. That’s one of the earliest Willys race cars that I have seen documentation of.
This was posted earlier but without an identity. It may be the earliest hot rod Willys, built in '53 and featured in HRM March '54. Ron Benham and Earl Wooden built the car for the lakes and Bonneville, equipping it with a flathead. 30 years later they would partner again with a Crosley sedan, which Ron's son Norm took over. Ron headed the muffler shop at Blair's Speed Shop for years, and was a very good fabricator. I learned a lot from him when I worked there in the early '60s. He passed away a few years ago.
Thanks for the help and information @296ardun and @Dean Lowe All this was before my time so I am at a disadvantage. I definitely appreciate getting facts and stories from those that were there. The Benham and Wooden Willys built in 1953 is the earliest one that I have seen documentation for and probably the Earliest that we will find.
These two were pretty early to from what I could find but later than that one. I stopped posting on this thread because I haven’t run across any new information or pictures of early cars.
So you're Mr. David Sorenson and Admin for the FB group Pre-'55 Period Correct Hot Rods... https://www.facebook.com/groups/630364006976008/ It's a pleasure for me to be a member of the group ... My name is Leandro Melchiorre, I have some photos published about the group ... Maybe some without the relevant information, but I hope some refresh the visual memory of the members and bringing us some comments. Sent from my Mi A1 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Here is another picture of The Safeway Sandblasting Willys and the Ardun after it was put in a dragster. Joe Airoso (The Airoso Brothers) was asked to drive the Coupe at one point but he said he was busy enough driving and wrenching on his own Willys Coupe.
Hey EG, In reading about the Safeway Sandblasting Willys on the Westcoast, something kept nagging at the back of the old brain. Even looking at the red Willys that said Safeway Sandblasting and is known to be driven by Bones Balogh, I still keep thinking there is some earlier history of that Willys Coupe. When my brother and I were sitting in the stands or walking around the pits, there was this 40-41 white, Willys coupe that was listed as C/Gas. The lettering on the door was Safeway Sandblasting or something of that nature. Doug Cook vs white 41 Willys Coupe C/Gas Jnaki Could you ask Joe Arioso if the one he was going to drive was a white version of the Safeway Sandblasting Willys? 11.920 116.12 Bones Balough Safeway Sandblasting 273 Ardun 41 Willys 18 CGS Long Beach CA Chuck Jones Long Beach CA Chuck Jones
@jnaki yes I will ask him and post here if there are any updates. This could have an interesting twist. I am pretty sure that Joe said that they asked him to drive it before Bones started driving it.
Hey EG, Bone Balogh is a drag racer to the core. He could and did drive most anything that was at Lions back in those days. In the early 60s, he had his Chevy sedan with a 671 SBC, one of the earliest 671 set ups on a small block Chevy. His talents are second to none. Working at Isky and having tons of contacts in the drag racing world is very helpful. But, as we all know his history in drag racing, it stands out as a being a pure drag racer and nice guy. Jnaki I sort of remember him driving a stock looking Corvette in the early days at Lions, before that Tahitian red modified Corvette we all love. So, anything is possible in those early drag racing days.
@loudbang that Pickup definitely looks early and the cars in the background are pretty old too. I wish that I knew more about it. Look at the homemade hood scoop and the way that they cut the louvers out of the hood and replaced them with mesh. I bet that it was done to keep it cool. Those models have trouble getting enough air flow to stay cool.
@ttwomotor, thank you for posting the location of where that photo was taken. That was my dad's car at one time (after Elliott and Snow) and we couldn't put a finger on the track. He said that it looked like Cordova, but wasn't positive, I guess after 55 years, the details get a little fuzzy! LOL! Again, thank you! P.S. Would you happen to know whatever happened to this car? It's where-abouts, or if it even still exists? I've been searching for it lately and have come up with some good info and stories about dad's Willys, but never a definite answer if it's still around. If it is still around, I'd love to get it back to him, somehow. He said that it's the only car he regrets selling. Any info is appreciated. Thanks, Jedd
Wish I could be of more help but don't have any more info - there are a couple of other good pictures floating around the Internet of the car. - this one was taken by my neighbor, many years ago. Hope you can track the car down or find out one way or the other.