Projects 1938/41 Willys build shots

New to the HAMB, would like to post build shots of my 38/41 coupe.
Purchased it in 1995, it was pretty cut up.
A former dirt track racer, spent a lot of time welding in patch panels.
No motor, trans, glass nor interior but it was a start.
2nd and 3rd shots, I had just replaced the rear fenders and that piece between the door and rear fender is merely a piece of sheet metal screwed into place by previous owner.
I'll elaborate as I go along,
Mick

 

3rd shot above, the passenger side door was replaced.
The first engine I installed was a Blown small block Chevy with a T-400.
Made some engine and tranny mounts.
Cut up the firewall, bad idea, should have kept most of it.

 

Had a driveshaft cut and balanced.
I buddy of mine, Crew Chief Dan [Blown Injected Anglia] built the T-400 that I got
out of the wreckers.
Fired up the Blown SBC.
Made a firewall template, made a 16 gauge firewall, welded it in. Turned out to be too thin
too support the weight of the doors, later removed it and kept the sheet metal.
I'm only 5'9 and 1/2", look how short the car is.
Aside from being cut up, it was channeled BUT it came with a pink slip, foot in the door
to a gasser.

 

Extremely difficult to locate parts prior to the internet but found a 41 front end in So. Ca. that came off
a race truck. Picked up some steel wheels and slicks...
then spent many hours welding patch panels in place.

 

You did a great job on it Mick.

 

Thanks Wanda, wasn't able to buy a turn key so this was a start.
Still enjoying it, can't say enough about you and Larry with your cars!
Mick

 

Bought a new straight front axle and disc brakes, Mullins Vega steering box, cross arm steering.
Headlights and grill from my wife!
More welding in patch panels.
First time driving it!!!
That was exciting, drank lots of beer.
First car gathering at Carl's Jr.
Open headers, slicks, no working lights, no glass, the cops liked it believe it or not.
Let me drive it home with no hassles.

 

New firewall, much thicker. 69 Firebird seats.
Removed the 38 dash, found a 41 in Washington, installed new dash, got some fenderwell headers,
then all one color.

 

So, NO OFFENSE to anybody with a SBC, in fact I prefer them over a BBC however,
it just seemed to look a bit small under the hood. That's the only reason why I decided to
go to a BBC. I installed the Blown SBC in my 30 pick up and installed a BBC in the Willys.
A plug for the pick up, I built it in 1969 and still driving it [4-speed too]. Jeez, 50 years!
Next will be a Blown 468 Chevy in the coupe built by Mike Nordahl.

 

I love it. Better is the fact that you took nearly eleven years as a member here ... to show it off. You may not say much, but boy ..... your content screams loud enough for all. That's a badass Willys !!! You're the man !

 

Kid Campbell, I appreciate the compliment but it's only because I'm a computer idiot and an occasional HAMB lurker. Thanks,
Mick

 

Time for another blower motor, talking to Mike Nordahl [Willys Replacement Parts],
he could build me a Blown 468 Chevy cheaper than I could build one.
I usually build my own but couldn't pass this one up for the price.
I already had a Blown 392 [un-assembled] but thought about it and Chevy parts are so easy to come by, especially if I break down somewhere, what parts store would have parts for a 1957/58 Chrysler engine?
So, I got an offer I couldn't refuse and sold the Hemi. Later got 1200 hp on the dyno.
Looking back, the big Chevy still runs great but it would have been cooler if it had those "funny looking" valve covers.
The wife had Mike fly up here to break the new motor in for my birthday, what a cool guy.

 

In 1999 we flew out to the Gateway Gasser Gathering around St. Louis, Mo.
Got to meet the greats! KS Pittman and his wife LaVaughn with us as an example.
Here's the event t-shirt and another from the local Hooters Restaurant, still have the GGG clock.
What an event!
The gray coupe isn't mine! Ouch!

 

Getting to a point where I needed a roll cage, I'm an old Navy stick welder and far from as talented
as a good fabricator. I ran into an old friend Chris of mine at the track.
He had installed a cage in my 30 pickup in the early 1980s and asked what I was building now
and if I needed a cage, perfect timing.
So, off it went to Chris's [aka: Choke] house/shop in Sebastopol,Ca.
We trailered the car up there, then I drove it into his shop.

He was just finishing up a Pro Mod Falcon, that came out beautiful, he also had the Pure Hell car up there so I knew it was in good hands. What a talented guy.
I have no clue how these guys drive these altered, intimidating just sitting in it...

Then it got stripped down for a lot more than just a cage...

 

These are not in the correct order but and too many to post.
I pulled the motor out and brought it home in my 72 pickup.
Choke is such a talented guy.
He built a one off rear suspension using quarter elliptic springs,
boxed the frame, built cage, cross members, built the exhaust tucking it
way up high in the chassis, flanges-no need for gaskets, made collector caps,
built the steering column, rear aluminum bumper with parachute mount,
drilled the rear wheels out for drive studs, etc; etc.
Here's some shots, more tomorrow...

 

Now for exhaust [made by Choke again].
He made some muffler hangers [later powder coated], making it easy to drop mufflers down,
square flanges, gaskets not necessary, here's a few shots,
Mick

 

Cage and front suspension by Choke.
He used spiral shocks, cut the towers off.
More tomorrow,
Mick

 

Very, Very Nice!!

 

WOW!!! Fantastic pics. I am speechless .

 

Thanks Paul and Mike, glad you guys like it.
And thanks to the guys who hit the "like" button, not familiar with this forum yet,
still learning.
Lots more to come,
Mick

 

GREAT DAY.........super work!!!........Nice ride.
6sally6

 

What a shock! I did some horse trading with Choke for the fab work, one of the things I got him was a
chopped 37 Austin roller.
We drove out to Oakley, Ca. to trailer it home.
When we pulled up I saw the guy Mike.
He's the same guy I bought the Willys from out of Milbrae Ca in 1995!
Didn't know he had moved, he and I were both shocked!!!
I bought TWO cars from this guy!
Got it to Choke's place in Sebastopol, Ca. and soon after Choke put a 33 Willys glass front end on it.
That front end came friend ANOTHER friend of mine's brother, what a small world.
Attached,
Mick

 

Paul55, I guess I'm suppose to respond to this.
No clue what I'm doing but my friend Bill has a straight axle 55 Chevy.
He used to race it at Fremont, had it upholstered in Tijuana way back when,
had Al's Automotive in Brisbane [Al Fitting, Bill Fitting's brother...33 Willys]
install the front straight axle and locally famous "Al's lift bars, " more photos if interested.
Thanks,
Mick

 

I bought a Featherlite open trailer and brought the car home from Choke's.
Trailered the car to different race tracks, Lodi, Bakersfield, etc.
Meet Louie Force [John's brother] at Bakersfield, he really dug the car.
Because of the Willys I got to meet and talk with Big Daddy, Tommy Ivo, Ed Iskendarian,
Bones, the late Big Big John Mazmanian, Steve Castelli...been attending his Annual New Years Day Party ever since, there's too many car heroes to list.
Next is the sheet metal work,
Mick

 

Fords! I also got to race this 64 Thunderbolt clone, same guy who let me race his Mustang.
427 top loader 4-speed,457s, lift bars, gutted race car.
Threw me the helmet in 1971, 10.35 @ 135mph at Fremont, that was fast for those days and the tire compounds. Never drove the car before.
What a thrill!
It was called Mr. Blue, we had a few beers the day before, my old hot rod, Mr.Blue and
peggin' the fun meter!
Mick

 

After painting the chassis, it was time for some sheet metal work by my friend Tim, 3 miles from here.
I had an old 39 Plymouth business coupe in the early 60s and it had a "secret compartment," so I had Tim make me one in the coupe as well. BTW, the secret is out.
He also blended 4 rough rear fender wells into two good ones.
A shot of Tim too, big guy.

 

I was in the Vietnam War in 1968 so I missed a lot of drag racing.
This is my attempt to make somewhat of a period correct 68 Gasser
to make up for those lost times.
First shot done by a friend, not really 1968, just wish full thinking.
The M& E is for Mick [and the wife] Elaine.
More tomorrow,
Mick

 

Forgot to make the picture large...

 

Mick. You asked how I found your thread. Well anytime I see the words Willys, or drag race. drag car, I click on it right away. LOL. Thanks so much for sharing all the great pics, as a fellow drag racer it is my kind of eye candy. Mike.

 

Same here, when the word Willys pops up in new threads I always check it out.