History The Planets Align & I Buy a '41 Willys Coupe: Can you help track its racing history?

Saw you also on the tube last night, very cool coupe!

 

Like my good friend (Randy)Deuce Roadster always says when referring to the purchase of '32's,,

"You never pay too much for a Deuce,you just may have bought it too early."

Brian, in your case,,substitute the word "Willys" and I believe the same thing applies.

Congratulations,,HRP

 

We don't get the show in the UK so I know nothing about it, but I do know that I would probably give my right testicle for this car and whatever you paid for it was well worth it I'm sure. All the drilling on it is super cool, as to are all the other parts/quirks they used that make this car what it is. Hope you find some history on it, i'm sure some will come forward sooner or later from someone.... but either way, its 100% the mutts nuts with or without the history or the TV show

 

Sign me up....As I really want to watch this one..

 

I vote for Bass to get his own show so we can see real rods beening build.

 

Just finished drag cars in motion thread. MOST educational! I was looking for likely suspects. Front wheels, accessory headlights, tow bar tabs were helpful. Take a look at these on that thread:
Salata Chrome - entry #169, Tschida - #15717, Sprinter I - p 85 #17131, B/G114 - p899 #17980, Wayne Arteaga - p941 #18814 & 15 and page1075 #21503. ( I can't imagine Wayne's car getting in this condition, but I guess you never know. He raced against the touring cars when they came to the St. Louis area and his garage is pictured as a tear-down area for the Stones-Woods-Cook car.) Check out Muncie Dragway - #20776, Johnson - page 1182 entry #23640, and the Competition Garage 41 (see p1055 Willard Buff collection on sixflagsdragway.com site) This car was in Texas.
Three more ideas: The guy who brought the car over to GM Garage knows that part of the mystery.
Greg and Barb Dummer ran The Mid-America Willys Club out of Minneapolis for MANY years, and they knew EVERYBODY. Ernest and Ken McIntyre (Arizona) took over the club and Gasser magazine years ago.
Maybe Phil and Dee Morris at Gasser Wars magazine could be helpful.

Ted Radoumis (Energizer - Willys pickup) used to run his cars out of a shop next to Doug Cook's. He tells a story of Doug taking him over to a spot where SEVERAL Willys coupes were stored, awaiting their time to be transformed into the next beloved SWC stormer. I wonder if those cars qualify as previous SWC cars? There's a can of worms.

 

The producers would never go for it........he is too sane. The segment last night where he was buying the Willys was the most enjoyable part of the whole show because he acted like a normal, intelligent, mature human being. The guys who put those shows together want to see stupid s***, like people having battles with fire extinquishers, or doing some stupid dance in the middle of social hour (ie Richard Rawlings) and that kind of garbage. (Did anyone else think that segment where the bearded guy went skinnydipping was a litte "strange".

The ONLY reason I can stomach 99% of the car and bike shows on today is because I like to look at the cars. If I turned off the sound the show would probably be better.

Don

 

Brian, have you tinkered around with the car at all? It's got to be a little difficult working on the roadster (though all the new chrome may help) with the '41 sitting feet away.

 

Glad to see it go to someone that will enjoy it.Looks like a keeper for sure..

Steve

 

Seeing no one mentioned anything but have you tried a little lacquer thinner or #1000 grit sandpaper on the doors to see if anything is written under the paint ?

 

Brian,
As we know, there is no way to know how many hands the car has passed through over the last 40+ years and all of the changes that would have been done to it along the way. There were alot of these Coupes that were started on, some completed, some not, and maybe ran at a now abondoned drag strip.

Do it the "Brian" way, us old HAMB'rs know what you can dream up and do.

Enjoy it brother...

 

Is there anywhere where those of us outside of the States can view this latest episode where Bass saves the Willys ?

 

What about the profit? Monkey man claims to have paid $6k- later in the show he says $7k (maybe the extra grand was shipping). I'm no expert but even I wouldn't let the thing go for $6k. In the taped conversation with Bass they kinda agree that asking $35K would not be completely outrageous.

 

Bass, the Monkey will regret the day he let that one get away. Profit isn't everything. Great score on the car. I can't wait to see some build shots. Have you started on it yet?

 

I still find it hard to believe that the delivery guy would sell the car so cheap. He's not green. Knows of SWC etc and still let's it go so low? Not a believer, if it's true it's definately bad business on the delivery guys part.
Nice representation of yourself and company Bass. Wished the Rumbler had a lesser part in the show!

 

The delivery guy wasn't the seller. He just ran and picked up the car for Richard. The previous owner contacted Richard about buying the car. At least that's how I understood it from the show.

 

hahahaha!!!

 

Pretty cool. It's a dream come true that couldn't happen to a better guy. I haven't ever and won't ever watch the show... Not for me I guess. looking forward to seeing what you do with this beauty.

 

Congrats Brian, hope you find some history out on your Willy's (er Willis lol)
Very cool !

 

I too saw the show last night. I immediately recognized your coupe when you drove up! Very cool segment. You never pay too much if it's your dream car, especially if you've searched as long as you have.

All the drilled metal is especially cool. I have never seen anything like that. Plus the workmanship is impeccable. That could have easily become a cobbled up mess.

Congrats and I'm looking forward to seeing you turn the Willys into something special.

Stevie

 

rfraze: "Radoumis (Energizer - Willys pickup) used to run his cars out of a shop next to Doug Cook's. He tells a story of Doug taking him over to a spot where SEVERAL Willys coupes were stored, awaiting their time to be transformed into the next beloved SWC stormer. I wonder if those cars qualify as previous SWC cars? There's a can of worms."

Oh, I like this angle very much. What if Bass' new coupe is one of the SWC cars that was never quite finished, sold off, wound up in a wrecking yard on the other side of the country, saved and stored for a few decades...until now?

 

how about you try to wet sand the primer down very carefully and see if you cant find some markings under there?

 

Who knows (or will EVER know) how many hands this AMAZING DRAG CAR (or would-be drag-car/garage-prisoner) passed thru.

ALSO..... DID RR actually get it for 6-7K...... with reality-show DRAMA (the part we all love about these shows...ha!!!! or should I say "cry") He MIGHT have paid MUCH MORE for that Willys than that.

Maybe that's why he was so FIRM on his asking price. Plus.... say what you say about RR ...... he DOES know what ALL these cars are worth & he has also been around the block a few times).

Bass..... you "nailed it"

I also wanna say for all of us SS hot rodders (No not Super Stock..... SS as in "social security guys") it is so refreshing to see "young bucks" loving & respecting these cars as we did & still do.

Plus as we sit here anxiously awaiting the "build-posts " you will be making..... we believe this historic Willys gasser could NOT be in BETTER HANDS!!!!
(except mine!!! Haaaa.... L o L )

We will be looking forward to our next trip to Dallas to visit my brother (who lives in near-by Plano)..... he can come & visit me at your shop..... HA!!!!

 

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Great buy Bass! Can't wait to see you work your magic on it. I know it'll be a great car when you're done! Congrats!!!

 

After watching the show, I quickly came to the conclusion that the few minutes showing you buying the Willys was the only redeeming part of the show! Glad you got it from that idiot Rawlings and his band. It's in much better hands now!

 

I wish the show would have shown the frame & the under side of the car That would of at least helped watchers possibly I.D this car ! It was funny the the guy did not know the opening in the center section was factory & has done by the builder ! I have been looking for history on my Willys Coupe since 2003 . I been contacted that it was the work of Gordon Selkirk, Peoria, IL, but not the '40 they raced . I hope that you have better luck finding the history on that Beautiful coupe !

 

Didn't see the show. Any online video. I would love to see it!
J

 

all you see really is the car being unloaded, then you see it in the garage and the price being haggled over. richard got the car for "7000" or so it said, and sold it to bass for 25,000........ thats all you missed.