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Al's '41 Willys Gasser - Page 2 Here are a few pics of the center section and the floor work Here are some progress photos of the tin work on the center section. Fit is real nice around the header tubes with a piece on the bottom that is bolted in to complete the enclosure. As soon as the center section is done we put the 265 in to see if everything fits. COOL!! I'M READY!!
The floor tunnel had to be raised to clearance the transmission. I also decided to use the original emergency brake handle. I'm trying to use everything original that came off the car. So far so good. Cables are tucked underneath and routed clean to the rear brakes.
A side shot. The car is coming together better than I ever expected, although sometimes it seems like nothing changes all that much. I guess the little things keep coming up towards the end of the chassis build and we're trying not to forget anything. I wanted to have the chassis painted by now, and that will happen real soon but there is more to do...radiator, brake lines, fuel line etc. Guess we'll get to it when we get to it. Stay tuned!!
The motor is in the car!!! It’s great to see that everything fits. Looks like I’ll have to do something with a shorter air cleaner. This one won’t clear the hood and I’m doing my best to NOT cut a hole in the hood. I’ll make one before I cut a hole in the hood!! We’ll figure something out.
Fitting the center section.
Here I am with the coupe. I know-how vain of me, but I don’t do facebook! It is hard to believe that this beat down old hotrod/drag car I bought many years ago is turning out so sweet! When you have a dream and a plan, great fabricators and metal workers involved in the build, I guess it should turn out nice! I have to say in the last 6 years or so that I’ve been doing the car, it’s been some of the best times of my life. We all know that a ton of stuff can get you down-work, family, friends…life in general. Things you believe are going smooth and you’re thinking everything is figured out suddenly do a 180 and you just can’t understand why. Very special people are in your life and then they’re gone. Possessions come and go. The one constant for me has been the dream of finishing the car. This part of my life, the 6 years on the build have been my therapy. When things turn to crap I consume myself in the car and all is well again. It’s like having a dog and the unconditional love thing they give you; the car is my balance and is always there. It sure smoothes over the rough spots! OK, enough BS…it’s not all doom and gloom, I’m having a blast!!! Can’t wait to turn the key and take it for a cruise. I also believe good things come to those with patience. Next photos will be the car off the jig and on the ground...rolling!!
"The Beginning" OK, I guess I should have began this story with these pictures but better late than never. Right now the car is rolling and looking great, and I’ll get to those photos later but I’d like to show you what I started with. This is the coupe in 1990 at a car show in Faribault, MN. It was built into a street rod by a guy living in Faribault. Everything was done in his garage. At this time it had a Chevy 454, turbo 400, and Dana 44 rear. It was an all steel car. The front sheet metal was built as a flip front, welded together and smoothed. Firewall was removed; frame rails cut off and replaced with narrowed Chevy II front with A-arms. 102 inch wheel base on one side, 104 on the other. Hard to believe it still drove straight. Rear fenders were welded to the body and smoothed. Leaf springs and coil overs on the rear. This was not the first time the car was built and or re-built. A bunch of stuff was happening with the body and chassis, and not all good. Cool looking but rough! All this work made it difficult to see just how bad the body really was! Just to let everyone know, if you think its tough finding a Willys coupe today, it was almost impossible in the 80’s!! They were tucked away in garages or a guy you might know had a friend of a friend that knew someone that had one, but not too many on the road and if you did find one…it was NOT for sale!! I’ve loved these cars ever since I was a kid watching George Montgomery and his ’33 Malco Gasser. Story sound familiar? Anyway this car looked good to me and it was available. I finally had one! OH was I in for surprises down the road…
Here is the coupe in 1991 when I bought it. The big block had been replaced with a Chevy 6 cylinder. It still had the turbo 400 and Dana. Holes were drilled in the front sheet metal in an attempt to cool the engine. I did have a bunch of fun with the car for a couple years and then it sat for a while, well about 8 years!
The next batch of photos were taken sometime in the mid to late 90’s. I can’t remember exactly what year it was but I can say for certain that I was a whole lot younger!! Digging up these old photos has given me a kick in the rear to get the car finished. You blink and 10 years (or 15) go by! Well anyway these photos start with me and my good friend Bill loading a cowl/firewall in his truck. We’re at a place we call the Willys junk yard. It’s not really a “junk yard”, it’s actually land belonging to another good friend of ours Del. We have kept anything and everything Willys out on his back forty for as long as I can remember. Seems like every part, fender, frame, door, complete car, complete wreak, everything Willys was pulled back behind his house. We never scraped anything! Wow, has our anal love of these things paid off over the years!!
This is us loading the coupe and getting everything ready. We’re heading out to my friend Jon’s place in Wisconsin. Here you can see the front sheet medal is gone. I traded the complete steel flip front for a nice hood. I looked for years for a nice hood and as soon as I made the trade I found 3 more of them, just like that!
This is out in front of my house. I can see my old ’42 Willys 4-door in the garage. Wish I still had it. Anyway we’re off to Jon’s to get started.
This is Jon’s business warehouse where the coupe will get the firewall and then we’ll set the coupe body on a rolling chassis. I brought the extra chassis over earlier. It takes a bit of preparation just to get to this point.
Jon and Bill getting started. Everything has to come apart because the existing frame the coupe was on was too modified to work with. The frame I’m using today is different than this roller. It sounds complicated but stay with me, I’m doing the best I can writing this. Tons of different parts over the years but the grand plan that’s been in my head seems to be working out. Back to page 1 - - - Page 3 |
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