During the late 1950s, in the wake of NHRA's fuel ban, a new breed of drag cars began to populate the Nation's quarter-mile tracks: the immortal Supercharged Gassers had arrived! Very few of the earliest Gassers have survived until today. Most shared the usual fate of a race car, being cut up, parted out, and re-used for the next project. Replicas of the most famous Gassers, like "Big John" Mazmanian's Candy Apple Red '41 Willys, are main attractions at Nostalgia Drag Racing events or serve as centerpieces in illustrious car collections.
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The 1938 Willys Gasser shown here must qualify as one lucky garage find. Retired after a successful campaign during 1960/61, mainly at "Old San Gabe," a drag strip in California's San Gabriel Valley, it was relieved of its drivetrain and parked in a Temple City, Calif. garage for decades, its all-steel body escaping serious rust cancer or other damage.
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Car #438 was known as the Martin & Perkins Willys, running in B/Gas Supercharged (weight per cubic inch: 8.60-10.59lbs), sporting an early 331 cu. in. Cadillac V-8 engine, most likely topped by a 4-71 GMC blower.
(Detailed information about the early Gas Coupe & Sedan classes can be found in Don Montgomery's excellent book, "Supercharged Gas Coupes - Remembering the Sixties", p. 17ff.)
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What makes the Martin & Perkins Willys such an unusual and rare find is the fact that it represents an authentic survivor from the earliest days of the Gasser Wars, before the majority of racers settled on the ubiquitous, 392 Hemi-powered '40/'41 Willys Coupe as the basis for their rides. If you could find a decent, all-steel Willys Coupe body today, even one without any racing history, be prepared to shell out some serious buckaroos--the last one we saw sold for $50,000.00!
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Straight sheet metal and the traditional praying Mantis stance make for a very good-looking combination.
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The classic tube axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Steering has been removed, but column and box are among the parts included with the car. Note remnants of decorative pinstriping--this Willys was painted a very attractive metallic medium blue during its heyday.
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Left to right: Firewall with dual coils and SUN tachometer transmitter, Cad engine and transmission mounts, frame with VIN tag.
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Apart from some light surface rust and a small patch at the bottom of the passenger door, the Willys is surprisingly rust free, thanks to almost 50 years of dry storage in Southern California. Wheel wells have been radiused, of course. There are no major dents.
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The all-original lettering looks fantastic; it really sets the car apart. Doors open and close solidly.
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Affixed to the custom firewall, there's this wonderful hand-made box for the instruments, which includes a vintage SUN tach, water temperature, oil pressure, and WWII-era intake manifold pressure gauge needed to monitor the blown Cad mill.
Note the old MOON-style gas pedal.
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Close-up of gauges. Ancient Drag Racing history at its best!
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Floors are very good. There are two 9" x 5" cut-outs for the roll bar mounts above the center crossmember; OEM fuel tank (and trunk floor) are MIA.
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Smooth rear sheet metal. Rear end currently is of Ford 8-inch variety.
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Small assortment of interesting parts accompanies the car.
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How many undiscovered survivors from Drag Racing's first decade are left in the country? Just try to find another all-steel Willys with Supercharged Gasser history that has not been turned into a high-Dollar restoration or museum car yet!
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Here's a unique opportunity to acquire one of the last remaining links to the earliest days of the "Gasser Wars," probably the most fascinating period in Drag Racing history. You could restore the car, add a drivetrain of your choice and run it "as is" on the street or strip, or just leave it "as found" and make it part of your historical 1/4-mile collection.
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I doubt that you, nor we, will ever be able to find another historical, all-steel Supercharged Gasser like it, anywhere.
Addendum:
We sold this incredible Willys in March 2009.
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