Thread: 41 Willys Gasser project

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Frame looks a lot better Steve!!! What did you end up with for clearance for the bottom of the rail to the ground???

Oh yeah, I'm jealus!!!!! All I have guarding my '57 is a dog, you've got an alligator guarding your Willys!!!!!

Did you and Sue smuggle that gator back to England from your last trip here in Florida?

Steve, I've never had a parallel front spring setup and have a question. I see some guys put the fixed shackle in back (like yours) and some put the fixed on in the front. Have you seen any advantages/disadvantages by doing it either way?

Frame is looking good BTW.

Don

I thought about this a lot Don and realised it depends where the steering box is mounted, I'm using a Vega mounted behind the axle so need front mounted shackles, some mount the steering box in front of the axle so would need a fixed shackle at the front.

Somebody gave us the water spitting alligator and Sue won't get rid of it

I'm pretty happy with the frame as there would be no chance of finding a Wilys frame here in England for sensible money and this is a budget build.
Its now nice and straight and strong and looks old as it came from a 1948 FX3 London Taxi, I will put outriggers on it to fix the body too at some point but not at the moment as they get in the way when working on it.

I don't want to be chucking lots of money i don't have at this build so there won't be much detailing in this build, probably only where it shows.

I'm still undecided about the rear axle, I have a complete 8" i could use but that Caddy is a bit of a torque monster and i wondered if i should use the 9" i have, I have narrowed the case already but have no shafts or diff and as you know they can be a bit spendy I would value any input on this decision ???

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Did you and Sue smuggle that gator back to England from your last trip here in Florida?

Steve, I've never had a parallel front spring setup and have a question. I see some guys put the fixed shackle in back (like yours) and some put the fixed on in the front. Have you seen any advantages/disadvantages by doing it either way?

Frame is looking good BTW.

Don

Steve, I think you're correct to consider the Caddy torque. The 8" can take more abuse than most think, but if you're going to play this car all out with slicks and occasional burn outs the 9" would be a much safer bet. I don't know how custom axle suppliers work for you folks across the pond. Here's a suggestion to consider. Yukon, probably others, make a cut to fit axle. Around here they're less expensive than the custom cut, plus you control the fitment. Basically they're an axle with a longer spline cut so there's room to trim: http://www.yukongear.com/ProductDeta...px?ProdID=2174 This is only one of several options they have, search the site if it's something you're interested in.

Whether this pencils out with transport, duty, and whatever else you have to deal with I don't know.

Thanks Bob, yes i'm aware there are a few doing those axles, its just the shipping & tax costs that hurt plus i don't have a centre section either, If anyone in the SoCal area has a diff let me know as i'm shipping a car from there and it could go in it.

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Steve, I think you're correct to consider the Caddy torque. The 8" can take more abuse than most think, but if you're going to play this car all out with slicks and occasional burn outs the 9" would be a much safer bet. I don't know how custom axle suppliers work for you folks across the pond. Here's a suggestion to consider. Yukon, probably others, make a cut to fit axle. Around here they're less expensive than the custom cut, plus you control the fitment. Basically they're an axle with a longer spline cut so there's room to trim: http://www.yukongear.com/ProductDeta...px?ProdID=2174 This is only one of several options they have, search the site if it's something you're interested in.

Whether this pencils out with transport, duty, and whatever else you have to deal with I don't know.

Hi Dave, height is not cast in stone yet as the front springs are an unknown quantity but an educated guess would be if the crank pulley is on the front axle centreline they will be fine, I also don't want to sit in the rear of the shell either.

I really like this stance of Mazmanians car but most of the ealy gassers seem to have the lower rear edge of the front fender level with the front spindle like on the Stone, woods & Cook car, I'm not sure at the moment, will get the Cadillac 500 motor in and decide then as the 500 isn't very heavy.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Frame looks a lot better Steve!!! What did you end up with for clearance for the bottom of the rail to the ground???

Oh yeah, I'm jealus!!!!! All I have guarding my '57 is a dog, you've got an alligator guarding your Willys!!!!!

Some very nice looking work, Steve! The bars came out great, the square one's will sure be era correct for the build... I like the wheels, too! First set of custom wheels I ever owned were a set of Ansen Sprints, 15X7's and 14X6's! The slotted aluminums IMO look good on any car I've seen them on.

Steve, as much as I like you, I had to chuckle when I read this line you posted:


"I don't want to be chucking lots of money i don't have at this build so there won't be much detailing in this build, probably only where it shows."


Mate, you don't have it in you to not detail every component to the enth degree!!!!!!!!! I'll bet you a nice dinner that when this one is done it will be finished just as nicely as everything else you build.


Don

Yes Don its hard to resist the temptation but this is all MIG welded and i'm not gonna grind them down, I'm gonna leave them like they would of done back in the old days, Things like the door hinges i'm using speedway universal hinges, they are slightly smaller than the originals but i think i can get away with it as the repro hinges are a bit spendy for this build.
I'm still thinking of running it in grey primer, probably epoxy, It definitly won't be getting any flake.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Steve, as much as I like you, I had to chuckle when I read this line you posted:


"I don't want to be chucking lots of money i don't have at this build so there won't be much detailing in this build, probably only where it shows."


Mate, you don't have it in you to not detail every component to the enth degree!!!!!!!!! I'll bet you a nice dinner that when this one is done it will be finished just as nicely as everything else you build.


Don

Managed to get it all welded up, would of had it on its wheels but i have ford shafts with chevy pattern wheels so need a pair of adaptors.

Panhard rod tomorrow, or maybe a Watts linkage.

Very nice Steve and you have certainly lit a fire under me as to what body style my next project will go and also I used to always think rodz had to be ground scrapers but you will have that awesome look going with the gasser style.

I had a few pm's (not sure why the question wasn't asked here ?) asking why i didn't mount my ladder bars parallel, so thought i would answer here.
Parallel is fine for the strip but this is a street car so no good for the street in my opinion, What you end up with is basically a big antiroll bar that can't articulate without binding, On the road this will unload the tyres and all sorts of funny handling issues will happen.
With the triangulated setup it all moves sufficiently without any binding.
Hope this helps someone.

Thanks Dave, Although this project is a budget i still like to get an era correct theme going.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Some very nice looking work, Steve! The bars came out great, the square one's will sure be era correct for the build... I like the wheels, too! First set of custom wheels I ever owned were a set of Ansen Sprints, 15X7's and 14X6's! The slotted aluminums IMO look good on any car I've seen them on.

Sure is going to have a great stance, Steve!!!! The bars really came out looking great on the rear end. Engine position should be great to help get that CG down a bit, the gasser look is great but it does call for some comprimises, huh??

Your right about comprimises Dave, I didn't want the motor up high like a lot of gassers i've seen as the handling is gonna be bad enough without another 900 odd pounds up in the air .

I've got the motor a fair way back as i just love that look.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Sure is going to have a great stance, Steve!!!! The bars really came out looking great on the rear end. Engine position should be great to help get that CG down a bit, the gasser look is great but it does call for some comprimises, huh??