NEW PRICE! Built and owned by the legendary Barb Hamilton (look her up, it’s worth it). 414 cubic inch supercharged small block, TH400, leather interior, Outlaw body & chassis. Street legal and insanely fast, ready to show or drive.
Barb started with an Outlaw body and chassis, and while it isn’t a ’37 like her original racer, it has a very distinctive attitude that recalls the same predatory look. The body was professionally prepped and smoothed in preparation for a show-quality finish, but before they could spray the paint, Barb decided she needed to make a few changes. The color is still Barb’s Blue, a custom mix that is probably far more dramatic than the finish on the original Willys, but that was their guide. It’s PPG paint, and thanks to a big group of supporters, the car has a show-worthy look. It’s still pretty stock-looking, although the big hood scoop kind of gives it away. You’ll note it still has functional chrome door handles, the traditional two-piece Willys grille, and a split rear window, so it’s easy to recognize, but there are a lot of custom touches. Note that the side trim isn’t stainless, it’s an airbrushed simulation that’s quite convincing. The whole nose is a one-piece tilt unit that gives great access to the burly small block within, and the taillights were mounted flush with the rear pan. Nothing radical, mind you, but obviously the work of professionals who know what they’re doing.
The car was built for combat but that doesn’t mean it’s not comfortable. This was intended to be a street car, after all. So the interior is comfortable and well-finished, with gray leather bucket seats from a late-model, custom embroidered with an image of that famous ’37 Willys. Lots of insulation makes it comfortable and details like the tilt column, full door panels, and leather-wrapped wheel make it feel far more civilized than the original. A full array of Auto Meter gauges were neatly molded into the dash, including a clock up top, which is a thoughtful touch. There’s a B&M shifter on the floor, which manages a built TH400 3-speed automatic with reverse-manual valve body, so it’s a lot of fun to drive. It even has power windows and courtesy lights under the dash! This is not some half-finished race car. It also includes a very nicely finished trunk with fully upholstered fender wells, side panels, and polished stainless fuel cell.
Tilt the front end forward and you’re rewarded with a mountain of a Chevy small block: 414 cubic inches’ worth of stroker motor topped by a 6-71 blower. It’s an all-aluminum Donovan block so it can handle the big stroke with ease, and it’s filled with a Clay Smith camshaft, Wiseco pistons, and a Callies crank, making it combat-ready. Up top, there’s that big blower from Hampton Supercharger, plus a pair of Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetors instead of the original car's Hilborn injection, and it’s all lit up by a Vertex magneto by Taylor. Plenty of polished aluminum chrome, and more Barb’s Blue paint make it sparkle under the hood, but they didn’t build it just for show—there’s a giant aluminum radiator with twin fans up front, heavy-duty oil coolers, and a reasonable-sounding exhaust system with side pipes that’s definitely muscular but not overwhelming for a street car.
The chassis is fully boxed and painted medium gray to add a detailed look that was also functional. B&M built an indestructible TH400 3-speed automatic transmission and mated it to a 3200 RPM stall torque converter that helps this Willys get off the line. A Denny’s Driveshaft aluminum driveshaft connects to a narrowed and reinforced Ford 9-inch rear end full of 3.89 gears on a Detroit Locker differential and spinning Strange axles. The front suspension is Mustang II, with rack-and-pinion steering so it’s easy to handle and light on its feet, and there are disc brakes for plenty of stopping power. Out back it’s got a familiar 4-link and there are Aldan coil-overs at all four corners. Custom 15-inch Billet Specialties wheels were made just for this car and they carry 26x7.50-15 front and giant 32x22.00-15 rear Mickey Thompson tires.
With just 505 miles on the build, this car is still incredibly fresh and fully sorted. Barb herself had a hand in making it right and she’s driven it—it was the thrill of a lifetime to climb in beside her and watch her do her thing. She still has what it takes to make a car sing and dance and horsepower obviously doesn’t intimidate her. Those massive tires spin at half throttle and the transmission cracks off lightning-fast shifts.
This is a unique opportunity to own not just a fantastic car (at a fraction of the build cost) but also a spectacular piece of history. Barb would love to sit with the new owner and tell him all about the build and drag racing history, which should be worth the price of admission all by itself. A very cool car with a spectacular pedigree, and this is one of the pioneers of drag racing who spent her entire career at the top of the sport. Call today!
For more details and photos, please visit www.HarwoodMotors.com
