A New CHRA Vintage Car Project: an All-Steel 1940 Willy's
It's springtime here at CHRA which means it's high time for a new vintage car project. What we have on the menu is this exciting all steel 1940 Willys coupe. The Willys company has an interesting history and this model year has been heavily sought after since the 1960s. The following is a quick look at what makes the Willys an exciting company, the 1940 Willys coupe a sought-after vintage car project, and how we plan to begin:
From Bicycles to Beautiful Cars
American engineer John Willys began his career selling bicycles in Canandaigua, New York and later began building his own. But times, they were a changing, and by 1900 he entered the automobile retailing business and became wildly successful selling cars. Less than a decade later he bought out the Overland brand of automobiles, changed the name to the Willys-Overland Motor Company and began manufacturing his own vehicles. By 1915, the Willys-Overland Motor Company had become the second largest carmaker in the United States and, operating out of Toledo, Ohio, soon employed over a third of the city's workforce.
The Willys-Overland company manufactured a great number of rugged jeeps for the war effort but struggled with bankruptcy once the war ended. It wouldn't be until 1937 that the company once again started selling consumer-oriented vehicles. Enter the bulbous Willys sedans and coupes.
The 1940 Willys: An Ideal Vintage Car Project
The 1940 Willys such as the one we have was of a one-year design model. As one of our Facebook followers noted, it's easy to spot a 1940 Willys as its the only one that boasts a split, two-piece grille. Underneath the hood, it boasted a four-cylinder engine that generated 61 horsepower and it additionally, uniquely, featured new hydraulic brakes and a column-mounted shift lever. The car was considered a relatively bare-bones model, however, and was priced at just $495 and sold as the Willys Speedway Coupe.
Speedway Coupe was a very apt name for this vintage car model as many buyers throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s took the model, beefed it up, and dialed it in for street rod cruising and drag racing. And you know, even today the 1940s still does that beautifully!
Taking on a Vintage Car Project Like the 1940s Willys
When we received this 1940s Willys, it was already fairly bare bones but we'll still start stripping her further down. A complete restoration from the ground up requires a full disassembly and removal of all vehicle components, fasteners, and other parts. This allows us to both fully assess the condition of the steelwork and other materials and helps us check for what is authentic and what isn't. Parts and components will get tested and a list made of those items needing replacement or refurbishment. Only then will the fun part of customizing, crafting, and reassembly to our desired specs begin.
Contact CHRA to Start Your Vintage Car Project
Whether you have a Willys or a Ford, our team at CHRA is here to help you customize and restore your vintage car project. Learn more and get started today!