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John Mazmanian 41 willy's question


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Alright so right now one of my projects is Big John Mazmanian's 41 Willy's. This kit comes with red headlights and a transparent red windsheild and rear window. I would like to replicate the real car the best I can. All of the pictures I can find of the real car the windows are more of an amber or orange and the headlights are clear like posted in the picture below. My question is has anybody seen the car in person or know about this car? Did Big John ever run red headlights and are the windows red or amber on the 1:1?

%7Boption%7Dhttp://i711.photobucket.com/albums/ww118/horsepoweraddict

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The picture didn't show up hopefully this works.

BigJohnMazmanian_Willys.jpg

It appears amber tinted glass is the correct color (and also clear headlights) from the pics I've seen of the original car. It is possible the car ran with red glass and h/l covers at some point, but it's hard to say for sure.

Maybe sign up on one of the gasser message boards and ask there...

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I once seen a pic of it with red headlight covers, not lens. the covers were shaped oblonged oval like the bezels.Maybe he had more than one of these willys? I thought I also seen it with red windows. I know I've heard as for wheels and tires those changed with gassers on a week to week basis. Heck even on a weekend they changed. theres a book called the "Gasser Wars" Theres are a ton of pics of a all kinds of gassers. I found this pic, You can see the covers I'm speaking of.

willys pic

Edited by kingiguana
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Yes, the windows are still amberish. The headlights appear to be a plexi cover, and the lenses are behind there. I'm gonna look for more pics, to see if I can find one with a date. I've seen a pic with the covers at another angle, closer up,.....dang ! I should have saved that pic.

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Yes, the windows are still amberish. The headlights appear to be a plexi cover, and the lenses are behind there. I'm gonna look for more pics, to see if I can find one with a date. I've seen a pic with the covers at another angle, closer up,.....dang ! I should have saved that pic.

The decals on your pic are fully accurate to the kit. I googled the name dick bourgeois which on your pic is below the passenger window and that decal comes with the kit but it says it is optional. All I found was that he raced funny cars in the 70's. I'll have to do more research I wonder if he was maybe the mechanic for John. I appreciate your help man, I'm not old enough to know the details about some of these older drivers so any help is well appreciated.

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I found some pictures of some other models some guys have done It looks like they made the transition to more yellowish amber colored windows and clear headlights. I did find a few more pics of the willys with red headlight lenses even though a few of them were black and white. So I'm gonna go with the amber windows I have some transparent orange I'll test for the windows but I'm still debating on clear or red headlight lenses. Here are the pics of those models.

137698941CJzbIm_ph.jpg

323.jpg

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Brent,

On page 136 of Larry Davis' book , The Gasser Wars , there is a pic of Mazmanian's Willys with the reddish headlight covers and interior glass. Davis has 3 books out on drag racing . The books cover from drag racing's infancy up into the ' 70's .

Slixx.com , the decal company carries all 3 books. They are a great addition to any modeler's collection. You can't ask for better reference material !

The Old Man

Lone Wolf Custom Painting

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Brent,

On page 136 of Larry Davis' book , The Gasser Wars , there is a pic of Mazmanian's Willys with the reddish headlight covers and interior glass. Davis has 3 books out on drag racing . The books cover from drag racing's infancy up into the ' 70's .

Slixx.com , the decal company carries all 3 books. They are a great addition to any modeler's collection. You can't ask for better reference material !

The Old Man

Lone Wolf Custom Painting

Cool man I will have to check that out. Thanks!!!

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I picked up that book gasser wars I learned alot. Dick Bourgeois was the driver for John. Alright so I am I going to try and get this thing painted in the next month and hopefully finished. I'm going to build the 1966 (A/Gas) version of the car with the red headlight lenses and transparent orange windows. Thanks for your help guys!!!

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Guest Chris V

I guess this is the picture you're talking about with tinted windows & headlights:

168.jpg

Actually the car was run in a number of different configurations with different stance, graphics, wheels etc.

To build it as a specific version, I suggest you look through the photo collections at www.gassermadness.com.

Either way, you will have to rob some other kits for parts: The front wheels and tires don't resemble anything the car ever ran with - they're waaaaaayyyy too wide - To get a set of wheels closer to what it mainly used, take the front wheels from AMT's '33 Willys (either the coupe or the van - But not the MPC van that is scheduled for re-release soon) - Though these wheels have a 4-lug bolt circle, whereas the real car had 5-lugs, they are the best looking representation of the real Halibrand wheels.

A set of correct Pirelli Frontrunner tires can be found in Revell's 31 Ford Sedan, ModelKing's Henry J and Anglia, just to name a few...

While you're at it, you may also want to change the rear tires for a set of Revell's MH Racemaster "Piecrust" slicks, e.g. from the '64 Fairlane/Thunderbolt...

You'll also have to find some replacements for those huge ladderbars - I have NEVER seen any pictures suggesting that it ever used something looking like that - However the rest of the rear suspension setup with quarter-elliptical leaf springs is correct for the car.

By the way, Slixx makes a nice set of decals for three of Big John's cars, which includes decals to build various versions of the Willys... Hope this helps

Edited by Chris V
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