History 1933 - 1936 Willys, picture thread

Oh dear, I was hoping nobody would get into bumpers as this is such an obscure area. West Coast vs. East Coast front bumpers, at least three different types of rear bumper brackets and bumpers in 1933 alone - it's a jungle folks....

 

Here's really obscure for you. Early 1933 hucaps were chromed brass skinned, later ones were chromed steel skinned. Pressed steel wheel hubcaps had a slight curve on the inner flange and wire wheel hubcaps were straight....

 

Re the cowl vents: 1933/34 are 8" wide by 3 1/4" deep and the 1935 and 1936 are the same depth but 11" wide....

 

Weasel You might want to look into that some more. The 35 sedan I had has the same cowl vent as my 33 does. I took it off the 35 and put it on my 33. The vent lid itself. 33-5 all have the same cowl vent. 36 is by its self. I have 5 different cowl's hear, 3 are 33-5, the small vents and two are 36's, the big vents.

 

I just measured the cowl vent on my 1935 Panel Delivery - crank out windshield, gauges on left side and glove box opening. It is 11" wide. My 1936 coupe is the same. My 1933 sedan is 8" wide. All I can say is that these are actual measurements taken from original steel cars - obviously as with all things Willys, results may vary....

 

I wonder if your 35 Panel delivery was built in late 35, just right before the new 36 line came out? That may be why you have the larger vent. I know some late 36's were titled as 37's. Hard to say?

 

Okay, here's my theory FWIW. I do not believe it has to do with early or late 1935 production but rather passenger car vs. light commercial. There would be no point for Willys to change the dies on the 1935 passenger cars to incorporate a wider cowl vent. This they introduced with the new for 1935 light commercial models - the Pickup Truck and the Panel Delivery. Since these used a different roof line from the passenger cars, the factory incorporated the wider cowl vent in these models. This might also help dispel what I have always contended to be an urban legend: factory built 1933 and 1934 Panel Deliveries and Pickups - check the cowl vent on a so called 1933 or 1934 Panel or Pickup and I bet you'll find it to be 11" wide.

So by sticking my neck out, I contend that 1935 passenger cars had small cowl vents and the 1935 light commercials had the bigger cowl vent, which was introduced across the board in the 1936 models. That would concur with Ssaza25's comment on the different cowl vent sizes on his '35 which is presumably a passenger car and his Panel Van. This way we are both half right and one big happy Willys Model 77 family again....

Any other 1935 Willys owners care to chime in?

 

BTW So Cal guys - Willys Night looks like it's going to be Wednesday June 1st 2011 at the NHRA Museum in Pomona....

 

Ok, now I can sleep at night.

 

WILLYS RULE:

Not sure if you ever found out this info or not butthe you ask about was The Unlimtate who I think was Don Esiner. When it beace yellow I'm not sure who own it then.

You can see bythe rear fenders its the same car. Car had a shorter wheelbase. Reason why the fenders was cut like that.

Hope this helps.

Plum

 

Dusted off the old photo album. Thought everyone would enjoy pictures I took in the sixties.

TOM.

 

Here's two from 2011 Kool April Nights in Redding Ca.

 

Awesome pics there FAM4WILLYS. Love those Traveler pics.

 

Tom great photos, just sent the Hamberis & Mitchell photo
to Al Hamberis, do you have any more,
Paul.

 

Here's what I believe is the '33 Willys prior to Panella's ownership running at the old San Gabe

 

SWC and Finders "Dark Horse"

 

No. Unfortunately I do not have anymore pics of 33 or 34's. I may have a picture somewhere of the Traveler coming off the line at Half Moon Bay. I'll see if I can dig it up.

It's interesting to know that Hamberis is still around. I was at HMB when Rosalas and Mitchell 34 B/GAS Ford coupe was trying to iron out kinks. It had a high winding chevy engine in it. If my memory serves me correctly they had a rear gear ratio or shift point problem. Made more then a few passes trying to figure it out. I'm wondering if the same engine made it's way in to the Willys.

I hear that Hamberis may be coming out with a publication or book on his racing journeys. Is this true? I'd be first in line to buy one.

I don't know if anyone noticed my last post showing the Panella '33' coupe. I know they had the blown B/GAS Supercharged truck before this one. Not sure if they ran both cars simultainously. Maybe the truck was down for some reason or just being rebuilt at the time.

P.S. I also posted a few pics on the 38 to 42 Willys thread that I took in the early 60's at HMB. I'm currently scanning some more photos to post later on.

Take care............ TOM.

 

WOW, GREAT THREAD !!!! I love them all and their different time frames, 60s,70s,80s,ect..... I'm most fond of the late 60s but they are all BAD ASS. Lots of history in this thread and a bunch of pics. I've not seen before. Some of those steel projects are a bit to far gone for my tallents!!!!!!! THANKS Gordon
" biggie RAT "

 

Tom:

Thanks for sharing the photos. I always thought the Walker and Wilie car became the Panella car. The little piece of the running board left on the front fenders, and the left over rocker cover were big clues. Looks like Panella may have shortened the back axle just a little.

 

One to keep this ball rolling..

 

Keeping the ball rolling!!!
I've always liked that neat pickup...especially the way he used the original wheels and hub caps. Wanted to do that with the artillery style wheels, but it would be costly, not to mention the tiny 4-bolt pattern for the lug nuts.

Here's a neat one-off Woody! *** On another note, I am going to make a valance for below my dash...LOOKING for ideas on the 33-36 dash for a valance to come down about 3-4 inches but look close to the original dash configuration...anybody got some pictures for ideas???
g-willys

 

Dang Paul. Where do you keep coming up with all those Todd Wingerter pics? I thought I had seen them all, but you keep showing up with more I haven't seen.

I'm pretty sure the Winchester car is still around as a street rod in Ohio. I'm also pretty sure the Gold Hart Willys was the ex-Hill Bros Red Baron car. The solid red 33 Willys is definitely the old Hill Bros car, as it looked much like that when it re-surfaced in mid to late 80's. Dan Lau eventually bought and hung onto it for a few years before he sold it to Ken Kull, who finished the restoration around 2001. I've also got a hunch that the red Hart car in those pics is the same car currently being run as the yellow Classical Gas 33 Willys.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

Bob Wenzelburger has been posting Todd`s collection over on Gas/Fx,
theres been some great photos must be getting up to 1000 photos by now, got a bunch of 40 willys that I my post over no the other thread,
Paul

 

no pictures yet but one of the 3 willys i found is a 33! =) it was so much snow when i saw them the first time that i didnt se it. i am very happy now!! rusty but not impossible.

 

Another difference between the 1933-35 coupes and the 1936 coupe is the gas filler neck and the gas tank itself. One the 1933-35 coupes the filler comes out of the RH side of the rear tire recess panel between the quarter panels. On the 1936 coupes it comes out of the RH quarter panel and there is no hole in the spare tire panel....

1933-35


1936

 

Hey Weasel ! Would be willing to allow Don and Lee to use your 35 Panel as a template ? They are looking to re-produce some of the 35 - 36 body panels in steel . I have a 35 Panel registration and a 36 Sedan shell that I was wanting to convert to the 35 panel . I am on a slightly smaller budget than some of the other Willys guys out there and am very excited at the thought of owning a 35 Panel !
PS , I liked you coment on the plastic clown car .lol.

 

Willyscoupe, this is actually something Don and I have discussed and Don will be dropping by my place in the next couple of weeks to pick up some hood side panels before we go to Lee. My '35 panel body is currently on a rolling body dolly while I rework an original chassis for it, so it is relatively easy to roll around and drop off at Lee's shop.

 

From my post a couple of weeks ago...

On another note, I am going to make a valance for below my dash...LOOKING for ideas on the 33-36 dash for a valance to come down about 3-4 inches but look close to the original dash configuration...anybody got some pictures for ideas???

Any interior pictures out there! These are the only 2 I've got.
g-willys

 

Here's the dash from Richard Maddox's coupe a center console would also be useful. I put a metal one in my '40 Willys coupe to house all the extra stuff I want in there. It will be painted body color and flows into the original dash so it looks as though it belongs there rather than sticking out as an afterthought....