Willys36

I finished my version of Ed Roth's Mysterion car last October. I wrote a book about the car talking about its creation in the first half then describing my build in the second half. It's available on Amazon. Definitely a bucket list item! Now I am building a 1/8th scale version of the car. Mark Gustavson asked me to give a short seminar at next year's GSL.

Very well done. One thing that bugs me about that Revell kit is the front wheels/tires. For some reason after getting aboutevery detail correct in the rest of the kit, they made the front wheels and tires way too wide. Go figure.

My daily driver. Had it since 1964, been on road since 1995. Grandson's daily driver. Just got it finished a couple weeks ago!

We are planning a Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild reunion at the Scottsdale Auto Museum Friday and Saturday January 18-19, 2013 in Scittsdale. This will be concurrently with the Barett-Jackson auction so there will be an overload of car stuff going on that weekend. If you are or know a Guild alumni and want to attend the event, contact azwillfh@cox.net Address: Ron Will, 15346 East Verbena Drive, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268

The new FBCG book is out! Fascinating reading all the contestant's stories, especially for me in view of my long history of 5 entries in the contest. Great to know that all the other guys fought the same dragons I did!

Here are shots of my daily driver. Bought the car in 1964 for $75 finally got it on the road in 1995! Has 354 hemi, '54 4-speed Hydro, '56 Olds rear end, all the old parts. I did all the work except chrome plating and upholstery. Oh and I made a fiberglass front end from the original sheet metal. See the story here. http://www.hotrodders.com/projects/001/01.html

Brass doll house hinges work great. Check your yellow pages for (serious) doll house hobby suppliers.

I still have it but many years ago my toddler niece got hold of it and crushed it! She is now 40 and mother of two and I still want to brain her when we are together!!!!!! It is on my to-do list to restore. Along with about 75 years-worth of other projects.

Last couple; This was a pretty much box stock build-up of an AMT Willys. Won the local Revell contest (1964?) and went on to the regional. This car was built a few years ago using the AMT 57 Chevy and Revell dragster kits. Frame and body are greatly modified of course. Rear slicks are currently rotten and it is in need of restoration.

Here are some more; This I guess you could call this a bracket racer. '39 Willys 4-dr sedan, It has a Chrysler hemi w/ dual carbs, Halibrand mags. Scratch built using Revell Willys kits as a starting point. Finally, this isn't really a dragster but it is a close cousin. Built in late 70s for another Auto World mail in contest (they went out of business before the contest was finished) it is an HO land speed record car. Wood/fiberglass body, two Aurora motors merged, home-made 3/4" dia (allowed in rules) aluminum wheels w/ O-ring tires. Never run but it should scream w/ those big wheels and 2:1 gear ratio! .

Here are a few of my dragsters. This one was built about 1964 when I was 14. It is built after the Yont's brothers method with lots of 00-90 brass nuts and bolts. Look close and you can see all the real bolts including rear wheel lug nuts.. Engine and rear wheels and tires from the great old Sizzler kit. Body was carved in wood, a plaster cast taken of that, and finally a fiberglass body shell from the mold. Frame is balsa. Lots of scratch built parts including brass headers, front suspension, corvair steering gear, blower scoop, etc. This was way before anyone made a '33 Willys body in styrene kit form. This is an HO slot car built for an old Auto World mail-in contest. It was built about 1970. It was built about the same way as the one above of wood model, and fiberglass shell. Frame is scratch built from soldered toghether brass. Whole thing was then chromed. Has steering front wheels, wheels are 1/4" x 1/8" ball bearings w/ O-ring tires.

I was into electric drags in the 60s when R&C magazine held thos national drag championships and the magazines had bunches off articles on races and how-tos. I lost track over the years but have heard that things have changed a bunch. Back then Pittman 85 and Ram 50 plate and magnet motors ruled. Top fuel 36V cars were just hitting 1second runs. I have heard that can motors rule nowadays and 1 second cars don't even make the field any longer. Is there a place on the web where I can get up to speed on this topic?

Ever since I was a kid in the 50s, I have wondered about why 1:43 scale cars draw such high prices relative to other scale autos. They don't look any more detailed or higher value than other types. Anyone have insight to this?

Stock Willys hinged the hood very simply with a 10" wide 'piano' hinge at the top rear of the hood attached to the cowl.

In retrospect it is pretty amazing that kids could come up with some of the stuff they did. However in the 60s it was a different era; everyone in our community belonged to Boy Scouts and 4H. Those groups taught heavily in handcrafts. Also, if you wanted to draw something you didn't head to PaintShop on the PC, you had to drag out the pencil and paper. Also, the Guild sent a lot of very helpful literature throughout the year that helped a lot. And finally in the 60s, plastic model building was in its hay-day. Local contests were in every hobby shop and the National Revell contest drew craftsmanship out of a lot of kids. Just about any 12 yr old could lay down a beautiful rattle can paint job and already had an aptitude for automobile proportions. The guys who really impress me are the ones competing in the early 50s and prior. The car culture wasn't as inbred and they had NO craft infrastructure to draw from. Those are the real heros.