Vehicle Description
Seeing top-notch street rods roll through our RK Motors Charlotte
showroom never gets old. But when we get a custom car that's
constructed around a cohesive theme, we know we're seeing something
special, and we ALWAYS take time to appreciate every little detail
of its build. After all, we're talking about a car that was
planned, researched, tweaked and detailed from its inception to be
so true to an idea or time period that you'll need an expert to
deny its authenticity. One of the best modern interpretations of an
all-steel '60s weekend warrior we've ever seen, this timeless
Willys Americar is a great example of what happens when a stack of
original Willys parts is combined with hundreds of hours of
specific build techniques and a roster of precisely modeled replica
pieces. And if you're a discerning street rod buyer who's ready to
go big and drop jaws, it's just the classic you've been looking
for!
POTRAIT OF THE 1960S
Parked at the front of our colorful showroom in a fire of glowing
glory, this awesome coupe is a car that takes multiple looks to
truly appreciate. Sure, it's cool. But in the world of modern
street rodding, finding a cool Willys is a predictable phenomenon.
Yeah, it certainly is nice, But in the era of 21st century build
techniques, seeing a super nice Willys is expected. What's not
predictable or expected is finding a classic where the builder goes
the extra mile, and then some, to both honor what the car
originally was and re-create a feeling from a specific era in
automotive history. From mold and jig to paint and trim, this
traditional Americar was designed, assembled and finished by one
expert who has an extensive background in the street rod industry.
Subdued and glossy paint, sprayed one panel at a time and sealed in
three layers of clear, is actually a dynamic Ford color that goes
by the name Strawberry Metallic. Every carefully formed panel has
been detailed to the point that no 'raw' fiberglass is visible from
any angle of the car. That 'smooth as glass' profile was molded,
laminated and accessorized to replicate an original Americar as
exactly as possible. And today, with just sunny weekend miles on
its build, this wicked street rod rolls as a fully-sorted throwback
to exactly what made these cars so admired and so
unforgettable.
The idea was to create a classic that looked, performed and drove
exactly like a '60s-era racer. Naturally, a concept so specific and
so scrutinized could only be achieved with a pile of top notch
Willys parts and hours of skilled labor. At the front of the car,
an authentic Americar bumper frames a familiar grille, which
received 80 hours of work prior to being re-chromed, and original,
red-detailed headlights that pair modified reflectors with halogen
turn signal bulbs. Correctly modeled fenders feature correctly
ribbed wheel wells at the sides of an intricate hood that, like its
original counterpart, began life as four separate pieces of stock.
That hood points authentic, "Americar" branded stainless at a
functional, custom-fabricated cowl vent that's propped in front of
clean glass and power-operated wipers. Labor-intensive, bonded
steel drip rails shade correct mirrors, restored handles, more
authentic stainless trim and precisely replicated 'bear claw'
hinges. Correctly modeled quarters feature correctly ribbed wheel
wells at the sides of a manual trunk that centers an old school tag
light above a restored handle. And correct halogen taillights
illuminate a retro, "Americar" branded bumper above polished
exhaust tips.
355 / 388 / 396
Somewhere along the line, street rodding deities handed down a
decree that all Willys must have the largest engines their builders
can find. Fortunately, the owner of this car doesn't spend time at
the altar of hot rod voodoo and appropriately sourced a 1969
Corvette mill instead. Now, before you start mumbling about
outdated technology, bear in mind this isn't just any old small
block Chevy. It's a high quality pavement pounder that was
fine-tuned to 388 horsepower and 396 ft./lb. of torque by the
experts at Maryland Performance in Fredericksburg, Maryland. At the
top of the bright red 355, a polished Hilborn electronic fuel
injection system mixes air from eight chrome velocity stacks with a
steady stream of dino juice that surges through a Mallory
regulator, a liquid-filled Marshall gauge and tailored stainless
lines. A hot MSD distributor shoots spark through custom loomed MSD
Super Conductor plug wires. Factory Chevrolet heads hide a Comp
cam, SCAT rods, forged TRW pistons and quality roller rockers
beneath MQQN filler caps and chromed Corvette valve covers. A
custom, speed-drilled alternator bracket hangs a chrome Powermaster
alternator amid chrome pulleys, braided hoses and a red-detailed
flex fan. And at the sides of the engine, traditional fenderwell
headers funnel spent gases into ceramic-coated, true-dual exhaust
that's complete with straight-out side dumps. Aesthetically, the
car's tight engine bay is a virtually flawless piece of street rod
art that features a correctly duplicated firewall, a steel,
correctly formed inner nose structure, and a correct chrome hood
prop that's been speed drilled as if it were 1969. And the small
block's workmanship is first-rate, with details like a custom
throttle system, hidden wiring, canvas-style looming and a manual
oil pressure gauge reinforcing the fact that someone put a whole
lot of thought into its build.
CHECKERS AND MODS
Bottom-side, a proven BorgWarner T10 4-speed twists torque through
a checkered driveshaft to a familiar Ford 9-inch that's built with
stout, 3.50 gears. That detailed drivetrain rides an authentic
Willys frame that's been boxed, equipped with an original-look
X-brace, and bolted to the car's fiberglass body via steel mounts
that are patterned after original equipment. At the front of that
frame, an original straight axle, chromed, drilled and shackled to
old school leaf springs, hangs a Vega steering box inside chromed
suspension components. Opposite that axle, custom ladder bars join
two more leaf springs to provide drag strip worthy launches. That
suspension, lowered as much as its roster of stock pieces would
allow, protects coated, Mandrel-bent exhaust that either roars
through straight-out side dumps or growls through coated Magnaflow
mufflers. When it comes to stops, power-assisted GM discs join
power-assisted Ford drums to drain a vacuum pump, a vacuum
reservoir and a dual-diaphragm, floor-mounted booster. Naturally,
the car's exact replica floor pans host many excellent details,
like AN fittings, a high-capacity Corvette oil pan and a stainless,
20-gallon fuel tank. And everything rolls on slick E/T wheels,
which spin 195/65R15 Uniroyal Tiger Paw Tourings around spokes and
255/70R15 General Ameri-G4S around fuelies.
SPEED AND LUXURY
Twist this Coupe's precisely replicated door latches and you'll
find an inviting leather interior that's a great blend of high
quality materials and basic hot rod etiquette. Built around a
modern split-bench seat, this stunning cockpit treats its occupants
to a nice palette of Almond accents, Pecan Tan surfacing and
hand-formed stainless garnishes. A Strawberry Metallic dash centers
an authentic Motorola radio, rebuilt into an AM/FM MP3-compatible
stereo, between an original-style glove box, custom Willys
accessory knobs and an engine-turned instrument panel that's
finished with early-style Stewart Warner telemetry. Custom decor
door panels hang custom armrests between authentic Willys hard
parts and driver-oriented kick panels that frame large Pioneer
speakers. Quality LizardSkin insulation lines luxurious wool
carpet, ...for more information please contact the seller.
