Back before people had a good understanding of suspension design or tire technology, drag racers relied on the ever-important concept of weight transfer. Well, what better way to transfer weight quickly than raising the center of gravity? That mindset is how racers developed the Gasser class — and how the Willys Americar went from a budget-beater into a racing icon. Legendary cars like the Stone, Woods and Cook “Swindler II” and “Big John” Mazmanian’s Willys were turned into scale model kits and graced the pages of magazines in their prime. While these examples are wildly popular, the lowly Willys coupe would fill staging lanes across the country, with hobbyists and pros both laying down elapsed times in their modified Americars.
This 1941 Willys served race duty on the front lines of the “Gasser Wars,” somehow surviving beyond its race car prime and falling into the hands of Hot Rod Ranch. The shop, run by the Muro brothers, churns out some of the coolest and most aggressive examples of early 1960s inspired street machines. This Willys might be more competition-focused than your normal Friday cruiser, but it can still serve street duty.
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