But I have loved 41 Willys Gassers since I was a little kid.
Maybe this is why,
Couldn’t Tell You Why
Bustednuckles
Documenting The Death Of America
But I have loved 41 Willys Gassers since I was a little kid.
Maybe this is why,
Gasser’s rule, always have. Neighbor had a Anglia that ran in C gas when I was an early teen and thats what I came to associate with as a hot rod.
I had a 49 Dodge business coupe I drug out of a swamp that I built into a gasser. Had a 472 blown Hemi that would run 9.20 at 150 mph. Sadly in 2022 an axle broke on the 2-3 upshift and I made a hard left into the wall. Car rolled 4 1/2 times and was pretty much totaled. Ended up selling off what was salvageable.
But I still have the “bug”. So I’m collecting parts and in the process of building a small block, 340, to put in a 65 or 66 Dart. Probably try to run in the 11-11.50 range at 115-120mph in D/gas.
With luck I’ll live long enough to finish it as I’m pushing 67 and have the usual health problems most of us that partied too hard in the day have. But at least building it is keeping me off the couch and out in the shop.
My ’65-’69 auto shop teacher, Mr. Smith, was a Ford guy, collected old Continentals. The “shop” car was a ’40 Ford, immaculate, interior stripped out, gently lightened, with a 289, 4 speed, 4.10, 9 inch, posi. It was a teen age lust machine. That’s how I learned about “bracket” racing…so I understand.
Always was one of my favs, too! Still is. Miss those old drag racing days. Not to mention MY old drag racing days!🥂
Y’all take care,
Mike in FLA.
Willy’s Gassers are the ONLY vehicles that are allowed to have that nose up stance. LOVE IT.
Back in the 70’s I had a high school buddy that had an older brother with Willys that he dropped a 327 Mouse motor with the 2 speed auto. He rebuilt the engine or transmission on a regular basis. It was geared to get to 110 mph as top speed and it hit that on a quarter mile run.
Bennie at the speed shop over in Trenton had a Willys gasser. Would go to Atco to see him race. Showing my age…that was almost 60 years ago.
I remember a magazine article from that far back that featured a Willys gasser. All these years later I can still see the pictures and the title of the article. “Charlie’s Willys does Wheelies” It showed a Willys with a round steel rear bumper and all 4 wheels were off the ground, with the bumper on the ground.
I wasn’t as grandiose, Had a ’67 Camaro with a 327 (punched out .030) and a Muncie Rock Crusher 4 speed. DUAL qUADS, Rochester 4MV quadrajet, F/MP bracket. ’69 to ’71.
I was always rebuilding the clutch, I couldn’t afford the sturdy stuff. Thems were the days!!