Hot Rods Willys we have known !

Yes...they do look good...I have always felt that the 37-38 front fenders were the easiest to adapt good headlights to, with the round headlight systen, and properly done, you weren't changing the original look very much. g-willys

 

Ive seen the conversion where 47-53 chev pickup headlights are used, and it also moves the location back some inches which i really like.

 

thanks G - Willy still trying to figure out what I'm doing

 

spring fever!

 

Here are some photos of the chassis on my white coupe. g-willys

 

Do you think the leaf springs in the rear will be up to the task of handling the torque of the V8 without the help of traction devices?

 

The motor in this car is right around 300hp and and the set up has worked well for a street car. If it was more of a race car it would need some help in the traction department. When we raced in the 60's we were always breaking something...which means we knew very little about what we were doing. When I built a Willys as a street rod, I wanted dependability, reliability and some good low end torque. It could have been better, but it has given me that for over 20 years. g-willys

 

It's back from the sandblaster and in primer now. It still needs some metal work but is looking better already.

 

Cool but whats with the lever shocks up front? JW

 

I will ask the owner but i am pretty sure that the shocks were that way when he bought it. He is just starting the build.

 

He said that the friction shocks were already on it when he bought it and it has the same shocks on the rear. He hasn't figured out what kind of car the shocks originally came off of

 

2018 Jobe Photo

Hey Jason,

Speaking of looking better, ever since the Lions Dragstrip Museum Grand Opening at the Price Transfer Automoblia Complex took place almost a year ago, do we all wonder where the Swindler 2 ended up? It is, after all, a Willys we have all known...

Since the Lions Dragstrip Museum is in the next stage of a rebuild and expansion (currently closed to the public), the Swindler 2 resides in the Willys wing of the huge PT Automobilia displays. Here is a recent photo taken at a benefit event a week ago.

It still looks like 1960’s, all ready for a run at Lions. Just, pump the gas, turn the ignition and off you go…yes! The Willys is courtesy of Mike Cook, son of the famous, Doug Cook of the…SWC team and the Price Transfer collection.

Junji

I could live in this place, with the full size functioning 50's diner, hot rod garage, the choice of driving any of those cars, huge rebuild/refurbish work area, and tons of historic cars all lined up to see or “oogle.” It certainly is my kind of place. One day it will reopen with more stuff and important hot rod/ drag race history.

 

I would love to set foot in that museum some day.

 

With so many of the great, historic cars taking up residence on the West Coast, I was happy to have seen the SWC Willys up close and personal at Jalopyrama in 2006.

 

Junji, Thanks for posting the photo. I miss the Swindler II Willys and still have many of it's original parts. Mike Wales and I were it's caretaker for over 40 years. We both drove it more miles than Doug Cook albeit' not as fast. It resides in Mr. Lorenzen's museum because he purchased it from Mrs. Wales not through anyone's courtesy.

 

ME TOO !!! g-willys

 

Joe, thanks so much for having that great car at Jalopyrama and thanks for the updated info, too!!

 

This just come up for sale in Queensland Aust, for $9500.oo runs & drives. very reasonable I thought.

 

Bowtie, It was always a pleasure to show the Swindler. It brought back many memories for so many drag racing fans. Once the Lorenzen museum opens to the public it will again bring smiles to all that see it.

 

Amen to that!! It will bring joy to many. It doesn't seem like it, but now that I think about it, it's been nearly two decades since I've been in CA. Way too long! I guess a trip there, including the Lorenzen museum, cud be in the cards.

 

...........................Can you fit me into one of your suitcases?!

 

Sure!!! But, stowing it under the seat in front of me on the plane, you might be a little cramped.

 

BACK TO THE 50's is just around the corner...and also my 29th annual Willys picnic


for guys coming in a day early...(the idea for the picnic came from the fact that we could never find any Willys owners when we went looking at cars.)..the reason!!!... the owners were also out looking at the other Willys cars that were there. The result was that we never got a chance to visit, get to know one another, and ask lots of questions about building them. The picnic has been a hit over all these years and we usually draw 10-15 cars, and probably another 20 Willys guys that are building them or looking for them...it has been fun...g-willys
The first 3 pictures are from last year's 50"s event, the 4th and fifth pictures are from the picnic (My old house in pic #4, and my new place(pic #5) with a huge cul du sac to hold the cars...the Willys on one side, and what ever was driven to the picnic on the other side of the cul du sac)

 

Sounds like fun. Maybe some day I can make it with my 77.

 

Had a great turnout at the 29th Willys picnic. First day of Back to the 50's, was great, temperature wise...but the Fairgrounds has very much construction going on, and it took away lots of parking places that we have had in the past.
g-willys

 

New project I just picked up.

 

VERY SAVEABLE...also a nice lawn ornament or a terrific wall hanger...don't throw it away. g-willys

 

A for sale Willys from Back to the 50's... (he is asking '63 K)... it appears to be a factory 2-door, with the drip rail removed......it did have removable back side window mouldings, and a center piano hinge hood, plus a very good top chop (not too much)...g-willys P.S, the motor is a modern HEMI