Need old Willys Gasser history

Great pic of the injected small block on that site Mike!

 

hmm, wonder how my Willys coupe raced in A/G class at mostly Beeline and other west coast tracks in the 1960's with NO headlights or head light openings in the glass front end and very limited and missing some interior. I have plenty of track pictures and a Drag Strip magazine build article showing it racing that way.

 

To Ro, in the 60's at most tracks, it was either, stock class, super stock, or gas classes. Altered was limited mostly to roadsters. Now back to Dewayne's car, as posted earlier, I don't have a scanner @ home but will do better in the next few days. Look on the website of one of my tracks (www.byhaliaraceway.com) and at the bottom pics. I had to take a pic of the pics with my digital camera, so I could let you see them asap. the first on the left is your car and the name is "friction" in front of Mr Marcum's garage, the second is my hilborn injected 40 sedan engine, the third is My dad, Carlton Franks in the 41 coupe VS Vinny Tarantola, the record holder at Indy '63. He beat Vinny in this run and went on to runner-up in c/gs to Moody & Jones Chevy. The fourth pic is of the "Cyclops" Dodge funnycar in 1965, he sold this car to Marion Fairchild of Columbus, Ms. The last pic is of CJ & JC South of Birminham, Al, nitro burning 426 hemi "Corruptor's Pup" dart in about '66 at Moulton Dragstrip in Alabama, hence, the covered stands.
Hope this clears up any questions. I was at all these races. Boy, am I having FUN.
Any other comments are very much welcomed, or just wanna talk wiillys.
Thanks,
Mike Franks
Fulton Dragway

 

The car is awesome I hope it is put back exactly as it was raced in either form.

As for the rules, they changed over time some contradicted other rules, few followed them to the letter to start with and any loop hole that could be found was put to good use. As in 55 the headlights and other stock equipment features would be more of a class tech issue than in 65 where as tinted plexiglass in the opening or a set of fog lights would often pass as would fiberglass buckets no wipers etc. Same with the "not all gassers had straight axles" whinning. While completely true few if any serious efforts and championship winning cars retained the stock suspension toward the mid sixties. Anyone remember the Ollie Olsen Willys? To the modern eye the tubbed, tucked and slammed car looks like a 1985 prostreeter instead of an innovative race car of the early sixties. Then there was the AHRA which was much more forgiving (think blown BBC King Kong) and don't forget the stripped Gas cars that were built or converted for match racing. There is a difference between text book typical, what was possible, and for that matter what actually happened.

 

Oh Man!!! Those pics are just incredible Mike! That is most definitely the Coupe,,,and you say the name is "Friction"! Holy Cow!!!

This is the most incredible experience for a true Gasser Fan! I can't wait to see the car in color and get as much information on the original set up in the 60s. In these pics your Dad appears to be (slightly) beaten off the line but he went on to defeat the 63 Indy record holder,,,,WOW!

This is why we all get so involved in these cars! This is truly our hot rod heritage! I go to Bonneville (300 miles south of here) as often as I can. It is truly a haloed place but what you are sharing with us Mike is personal experience with history. Thanks again!!!!!! I'll post a pic (soon) of the current longest record holder for a car at Bonneville, a 1965 Dart GT that ran in the V8 Flathead, Blown Gas Coupe (XF/BGC) class in 1974, set the class record, and still holds that record; longer than any car at Bonneville. I own this car as well and it sits next to the "Friction", Hemi powered A/Gas Willys Coupe from the southeast. Holy crap!!!

Thanks Mike! Many, many thanks!

DeWayne

 

Speaking of the Ollie Olsen willys notice the AG 132 designation on the side of car and on the windshield of push car.

 

Pick up any old rule book from that time period and read for yourself. When you were there as I was you know the facts. The local tracks had their own tech guys and most didn't care, but when NHRA ran a sanctioned event they brought their own tech guys to do the inspections, if you didn't follow by the stated rules you didn't race..period!

........Before I get into a pissing match, wanted to state I have never run at a AHRA or IHRA track. All my racing and rule books were NHRA. NHRA said all gassers must appear to be street legal with lights etc. I checked all my rule books from the 60's and lights are a must.

 

So we've established that different tracks around the country had different rules and different organizations had different rules and we've established that this old 40 Willys Coupe, known as "Friction" and raced by Earnest Marcum, was in fact an altered wheel base GASSER. Now we are honing in on the purpose of this thread in the first place. That is, what is the history of this Coupe and does anyone have pics of it back in the day.

Thanks everyone! As Mike has stated, this trip back through the history of our passion for old race cars should be, and for me certainly is, FUN!

DeWayne

 

One other thing, when you look this old Coupe over, besides the altered wheel base you see other innovative ideas that Mr. Marcum was trying such as setting the driver way back in the cabin and extending the steering column with a very neat column support. The roll cage was a bit on the skimpy side and resembles something you might see in a road racing sports car, not in a Gasser powered by a nitrous burning, Hilborn injected 426 Hemi! He also lightened the car up by removing the door frames and any other thing he could take out to reduce the weight. I'm sure he would have had some challenges trying to run this Coupe at an NHRA sanctioned race track but his design and engineering were obviously attempts at going as fast as he could.

Mike, the rear end housing in the car now is 1957 Chevy. Do you know if this is the correct configuration when the Coupe was running in the 60s??

I for one would love to have had the opportunity to see this Coupe run the quarter! It must have been a terror and a hand full!!

Before I start the restoration of "Friction" I'll post some detailed pics of the current condition. We're getting pics of the outside of the Coupe and it would be very helpful if anyone out there had some pics of the interior and the engine compartment.

Cheers.

 

I am so glad your finding history on your Willys Coupe, the power of the HAMB is wonderful. I didn't mean to get your thread off topic, just wanted to say it could not have been a gasser as the picture you posted showed. Now that we know it was a nitro burner we can defiantly throw out the gasser term and call it a fuel coupe. I wish you well with your restoration and history search.

 

Wasn't this Willys coupe listed for sale several months ago right here in our own HAMB classified's?

 

Yes,it was back in March.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=452898&highlight=willys

 

Hi DeWayne ,

I'd like to congratulate you on your aquisition here, it is cooler than frozen hell [ and to have race history as a bonus ]
Stay with your principles and restore it.[ to exactly how you want to ]
With old racers, you are restoring it to a "photograph in time", these things were continually evolved throughout their careers
History! no matter how insignificant, is everything.
The fun part is researching the history.[ the war stories etc ] I bet you make some new interesting friends in this journey.
You can change everything on this car except it's history , to modify it just becomes another evolvement to its "recent history"

Again Congratulations!

 

Thanks Kerry and I agree with you, history is everything. This old GASSER, sorry Dave, can't throw that out, it is what it is and what it WAS, i.e. A/G no matter what AHRA or NHRA or IHRA had in their rule books (or didn't have) makes no difference, this old Gasser (or fuel Coupe, whatever one wants to call it), will go back to the race condition it had a its "snapshot in time". I really appreciate everyone's comments and contributions on this old race car.

I've already made new friends and learned much about the Gasser classification and the differences across the country in the 60s.

DeWayne

 

Yes it was listed for sale right here on the HAMB and I was fortunate enough to be the one to get to purchase it even though there were many other offers on the Coupe. The seller and I clicked and he knew I was serious about establishing what this car was in he 60s and getting it back to that condition,,,,maybe a little upgraded safety wise but as close to that 60s era race ready condition as is reasonably possible.

 

Hey Dewayne, its 3 am and just in from working at the races. It was a good race and finally no rain.
I saw you post on the not so great looking roll bar, here is a funny story on Mr Marcum and roll bars. In the early 60's, he had a 1961 chevy bel air, with a piece of exhaust tubing bent for a roll bar, yes believe it or not such things did exist in the early days, Many of the tracks were narrow and poorly lit, long story short, he turned over the 61 chevy and the tubing held up the roof and he was not injured, so maybe
his engineering was ahead of it's time. Racing was more fun in those days.
Mike

 

If you are not going to race it why not restore to historical accuracy. It will drive and steer and stop same as it did back in the '60-s. Unless you plan on racing I wouldnt do anything to alter this classic piece of history.

 

Great story Mike. the more I look the "friction" over the more I see attempts at going fast. This car is a period-perfect example of the roots of drag racing and hot rodding. I feel fortunate to have a chance to be part of the restoration of an old classic.

I'll PM you soon, have a lead I'm checking on 33 wheels and hubcabs.

Cheers.

DeWayne

 

Right on 55chevr,,,,,it will go back exactly as it was when Earnest Marcum campaigned the car in the southeast strip wars. I will not even alter his roll bar design, only build an exact replica if the original proves to be unusable.

 

Hello Willys fans. Just chatted with Dennis Marcum this morning about the "Friction". Dennis' dad, Earnest was the builder, owner, and driver of the Friction back in the 60s. Dennis says the 426 Hemi was out of a 1965 Dodge Coronet altered wheelbase factory car that his dad ran. In 1966-67, Earnest pulled the Hemi engine from the Coronet and put it in the Willys in an attempt to be more competitive. The Willys ran on 10% nitro and 90% methanol and was a hand full to drive!! Hence, the altered wheel base on the Friction to gain more control.

Dennis is the owner of Marcum Racing engines and there may be a chance to get him to build the replacement Hemi for his dad's race car in this restoration process. Dennis is gathering more information such as newspaper articles featuring the Friction, personal photos, and any thing else he can find. I'll scan in the infomration I receive and share with you as the restoration begins.

Here is a picture of Dennis with his high school ride!

Exciting sutff!!

 

Haven't heard from anyone for a couple days? Anyone have more info, questions, suggestions on parts and the restoration?????

 

are you going to run it? what are you going to do for power?

 

I just found this thread & read it all the way thru. Its amazing that you were able to track down the history of this car! When I was a kid in the '60s the Gassers and Fuel Altereds were always my favorite cars and I still love 'em. I'm looking forward to the pics and progress you make. And I agree with your direction. To "modernize" it would be a shame, kinda like putting the Mona Lisa in a Speedo.

 

It will run the same set up that Earnest had in it during the late 60s,,,,,,,Hilborn injected 426 Hemi. I have a lead on a block and crank and am trying to make a deal. If you know of an engine that is available, please let me know.

Thanks for asking.

 

Mona Lisa in a speedo,,,,,,,yikes!! The Friciton ain't gettin no speedo!

 

Hi Willys fans. Time for an update on this old strip warrior. Just got off the phone with Mr. Marcum's son in Alabama, Dennis, and he is sending a match race flyer from 1967 that featured the "Ill Wind" 1940 Willys Coupe (the subject of this thread) against a 1955 Chevy campaigned by JC Sizemore. Can't wait to scan that flyer in and share it with this thread. The match race took place in Birmingham, Alabama in 1967.

So, we now have the third name this car ran under, "Ill Wind". As soon as I get the flyer I'll get it scanned in and on the HAMB. It just keeps getting better and better!!!

 

Been lurking on this thread. Cool as hell. Lippy

 

way cool.

 

OK Willys drag car fans,,,if this doesn't give you a major woody,,,,,you're dead!!!

The history and the pics are rolling in!!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!!!