Hot Rod Willys

Historically, hot rodding blossomed when soldiers returning from WWII wanted faster, more nimble cars than were normally available. So they would find a an old car and drop in a hotter motor. From there, the only limits were the rodders imagination, ability and budget. In that, little has changed. Light-bodied pre-War cars were favorites then and many rodders still prefer them. Bill B. is of that heritage. When he found his ‘36 Willys Model 77 it was still driveable. But, being totally stock and unrestored, it was tired and showed its age. It was definitely one of the smaller cars of its era, so when Bill dropped in a 305 CID Chevy engine that he “freshened” and a Turbo 350 auto trans, his little Willys was on the road to rod-dom. After changing out the front suspension for a Mustang II one with rack and pinon steering and power disc brakes, he swapped the rear end for a Ford 8" one. Body modifications are minimal to a rodder, confined to widening the fenders and running boards to accommodate wider tires, welding on a roof from a ‘57 Ford station wagon, replacing the wood floor boards with steel, changing the gas tank from an eight gallon one to one with twelve, and using bumper guards from a ‘52 Studebaker. Except for the bumper, these changes are not obvious and, yes, Bill did the work himself. The only help he had was with upholstery, body and paint. He finished it this year and he and wife Pat plan to take it on a trip with fellow Roamin Angels to Del Mar next year. After all, its not only fun to drive, but gets 26 MPG. That’s something the early hot rodders never had to worry about.

Except for a lower stance on American mag wheels and its Cadillac Frost Green paint, the Willys looks fairly stock. While GM and Ford still had separate headlight pods, Willys’ headlights were molded into the fenders and grill.

Although this tight-fitting Camaro engine is stock, it has plenty of power for the lightweight Willys. Bill feels no need for creature comforts like P/S and A/C that sap horsepower, although he does plan to add a heater in the future for the defrost feature.

Leather upholstery and modern padding were installed on the original seat. The gauges are Classic and have a “retro” look. The steering wheel and horn button are original Willys. The whole effect is neat and uncluttered. But with no sound system, Pat takes her iPod on long trips.

Story & photos by Ron C. ©2008