1941 Willys Coupe has Hemi Power Under the Hood

History of the Willy Coupe

A line of automobiles produced by Willys-Overland Motors from 1937 to 1942, the coupe is a very popular hot rod choice. The 1941-1942 models, in particular, were called "Americar" (441 and 442 models), following the patriotic trend of the time. It sold 22,000 units in 1941 and 7,000 more in 1942. Its price was about US$630.  

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What makes this Willy Coupe so special?

This particular Willy Coupe is so special because it survived years upon years of drag racing, has been sold not once but twice, and yet still features mostly original parts. That is, what you see here is the car’s original sheet metal (no fiberglass at all, in fact). The trim is original. Heck, after some rust repair was done, the vehicle was covered with a primer that was blended with a 1950s-era red racing paint.  

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Fix #1: The engine

While originally outfitted with a Pontiac engine, complete with a chain-driven blower under the hood, today’s Willy Coupe features a 1957 392 Hemi, left over from a previous dragster. Located within the 0.030-over block are flattop forged Ansen blower pistons, along with Manley rods and an Engle L153 roller cam. For those looking extra closely, yes those are some Hedman headers you see there. As for its induction system, twin 750-cfm Holleys feed a 6-71 supercharger on a Cragar blower intake.  

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Fix #2: The undercarriage

There was quite a bit of work that needed to be done on this Willy’s undercarriage. First and foremost, its suspension, which saw the front portion replaced with a newer version picked up at a swap meet: a spindle-to-spindle model that relied upon a Don Long Chromoly straight axle. Per the latter component, this was a nice upgrade because the original axle didn’t offer much of a drop to it. The Don Long, on the other hand, could handle more aggressive driving. A more modern update would be the car’s front disc brakes. Sure, using the originals would offer some serious cool-factor, but safety is a priority. As for the car’s rear, its Tri-Five Chevy rear end was removed and replaced with a 1957 Pontiac rear end complete with a spool, 4.88 gears, and 35-spline Old Henry’s axles.  

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Fix # 3: The interior

Unfortunately, this Willys' floor was a complete and utter mess; in fact, the entire A-pillar structure was garbage. As a result, a lot of substructure pieces were replaced. To adjust to the new weight distribution, a new floorplan was designed from 12-gauge aluminum that was supported with two c-channel frames – one inside the other, for added strength. Custom-made pedals were designed and the bracket supporting the pedals ties seamlessly to the column where the car’s shifter post previously existed. Aftermarket high-back bucket seats picked up at a swap meet and a B&M Series 60 shifter in between complete the interior.   

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So, where is this Willy now?

Still being worked on, actually. The goal is to get it on the street and eventually on to a drag strip. But there are still some fixes needed before this car can be driven (legally, that is). Fortunately, there’s a large team working on this vehicle, so it may well be sooner than later that we see this old Willys back to its glorious racing days again.  

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