I try to keep a positive out-look on life and when bad things happen just suck it up and keep on trucking. No whining allowed. Today I took a major hit. I'd like to ask all you guys to keep a look out for my 33 Willys "Speedy 2". I had it stored in my locked trailer, in the locked SIR race track, which is in the locked County fair grounds. Means Nothing! Seems that there was a little race this past Saturday, so there were incoming trailers, etc. Somebody picked the trailer locks, (not busted or pried) just skillfully picked. Took out my little yellow pit 41 Willys, rolled out the 33 and loaded it into an enclosed trailer. Then very kind of them to put back my little car, not touch or take anything else. Tools, blower pulleys, belts, tons of spares, generator, nothing else touched. They knew what they wanted and how to get it out quickly without being noticed.

It's a real shame, because this car was not only one-of-a kind, had both old and new history but also it was what I had built for my only son. This really sucks!! Please keep a look out for anybody trying to sell it and or the parts like the 434 injected sbc. Only the trailer itself was insurable.

$20,000 cash reward offered.
 

Bob Nevins

December 6, 2005

1933 Willys Gasser

Description

 33 Willys gasser, currently running in the West Coast Good Guys/VRA series. Car weighs 2,053 pounds in race ready condition. It has now been completely rebuilt and updated with many safety improvements.  The car has a current NHRA chassis certification tag. All new wheels and tires, Deist  safety harness, monocoque aluminum seat, Deist  “On-Board” fire system, custom ladder bars, chromed wheelie bars,(and it uses them), Simpson cross- form chute, Wilwood four wheel disc brakes, new adjustable shocks, Chassis Engineering adjustable strut mounted wing, aluminum interior, Autometer “Tell-tale” Monster tachometer, full gauges and switch panel,  new rack and pinion steering with steering damper shock, quick-disconnect steering wheel, narrowed and chromed “locked” Dana rear with 4.56 gears, new Moon fuel tank which has been hard anodized, all stainless steel fuel lines, rear mounted radiator and electric water pump, ATI powerglide and convertor with transbrake, Hurst Line-Loc system. Power is supplied by a 434 cubic inch Chevy small block, full roller engine, forged pistons, Stef’s dry sump oil system with heater, Dart 360 heads with roller rockers, Kinsler 2 11/16” bore stack fuel injection with “tuned tall stacks”, Hilborn belt pump, all set up and running on alky. Ignition is a new Crane “High six” CD system. Exhaust is through a custom set of zoomie headers which have been chrome-heat coated. Engine was dynoed at 806 horse power. Car runs straight and handles easy. Car turns low 9 second ET and 145 mph all day, (time slips available).

History

This car is believed to be originally built in 1967 by Ray & Ron Zellar and raced in the Southern California AA/GS circuit as the “Ambition” Willys. It has a boxed steel chassis that is believed to have made by the famous Steve Plueger (S & R Race Cars, who now builds John Forces’ cars exclusively).  The flip-top fiberglass body, (ala funny car) was made  by Cal Automotive and has a funny car roof escape hatch.  It spent some time in Pennsylvania with a 350 Chevy in it, then parked until I bought it. Since then it has made a little new history for itself. The Gasser legends Junior and Tommy Thompson were the first to crew the car for me. The car has been successful all over the West  and has been featured in many magazines. It was runner-up in A/Gas  at the National Gasser Meet at Thompson, Ohio with the famous “Bones” Balogh driving, putting away several blown Hemis en route to the final.

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