My brother and I were talking about this time we grew up in and how great it was. Great story and very cool car.
Ryan, can you tell me the story of willys and why they stopped making cars and only made Jeeps and station wagons?? They sure made great drag cars!
I always loved those "Super Cat" style hood scoops. Wish I could see more of them today. Wicked and smooth to me. Super Cat Catilinas with 421 SD were light weights of the day.....not common at all then, or now. Seen a bunch of these scoops on this era's hot rods/racers....so probably someone back then made a line of 'em besides Pontiac I reckon'. I love this car. What a joy to see.
@J.Ukrop - Well written article! I remember seeing Randy's "Yellow Willys" @ the 2004 GNRS ... and in the TRJ #24 article. Please thank Mr. Dubb for allowing you to share "the rest of his story" (& the photos from his personal collection) with us here on the H.A.M.B!
There is nothing better than a Willys gasser. This car and the movie Hot Rod that also featured a primer black Willys shook me up as a kid. Something about the look of these cars as Gassers just makes me giddy. Spot on!!
I really enjoyed this story. It hit home for me because I grew up in Whittier. My parents bought a corner house (on Lambert Rd) in 1968. My brothers cruised Whittier, my sister worked at Bob's Big Boy. Also, I had the same problem with the 4 speed on my Nomad, no 3rd gear, and I drove like that for about a year until I finally got a another 4 speed. So, it was a pleasure reading.
Joey, once again, a home run. Lotsa memories on this one, from the cover of R&C to a multi issue build of a Willys w/ Olds power in Popular Hot Rodding and the continuous Gasser coverage in many other mags. Those times are what dreams were made of, even when you lived on the other coast. Thanks, Carp
I wasn't aware of the car but it's pretty cool! The new front wheels look a lot better on the car than the chrome 13" steelies....but I really wish the chrome 13" steelies were still on it.
That Magizine article gave me the Willys fever when I first read it at 14 years old back in 67. I still got that fever.
Wow, a real steel yellow Willys coupe, '60s stance and with polished Halibrands ....it just doesn't get any better than that. Big "atta boy" for hanging onto it for all these years!
I was just catching up with Randy the other day. He's doing well and still has the Willys. Coincidentally, I stumbled upon this picture of his car while Terry Hendrick still owned it in Rodder's Journal #32. He had never seen it before!
The Jalopy Journal
