For Sale: 1940 Willys Coupe in Morgantown, Pennsylvania

1940 Willys Speedway Coupe

"The 1938-'42 Willys cars were alternative vehicles. In an era when foreign cars were almost never seen in the U.S., the Willys were smaller and lighter than conventional American cars, (hence their popularity with hot rodders and drag racers), motivated by modest four cylinder engines that provided adequate power and superior fuel economy. The Willys cars were less expensive and more economical than other U.S. cars. Being smaller and less powerful, they appealed to the type of buyer who could appreciate those qualities. And often those people had to put up with smart aleck remarks from neighbors and kids who considered Willys owners cheapskates and weirdos. It took a special person to own a Willys." Thx Hemmings.com

For consignment, a 1940 Willys Speedway Coupe, a purple and black street rod that barely resembles its original form, but there's no mistaking that pointed, protruding shark nose on front.

Exterior
The top surface and third of the car is painted purple which encounters an elaborate pinstripe and flame design on the shoulder line, followed by inky black paint. Most of the elongated trunk lid wears purple as the wide fenders and rear valance put on black and flush tail lights are almost imperceptible, especially when your eyes are drawn to the wheelie bars protruding from the back. In front, the twin grilles form a bit of a smile between the teardrop shaped headlight rings and a pair of hood scoops near the cowl turn this happy face into a slightly menacing grin. 15-inch Budnick polished wheels occupy the axles with deeply staggered widths. In profile, the car lurches forward with the help of the shark nose, and the fenders and C-pillar that lean towards the front, as if pulling the wheels along. Imperfections include some paint runs, scratches and faded paint in rocker panel, some orange peel, cracks in the paint, and various chips and scuffs, mostly down low.

Interior
Purple and black leather panels make up the simple door cards that are clean and tidy. Inside, the bucket seats are black with purple tuck and roll inserts and they are a combination of luxury, sporty, and with the RCI 4 point harness that drapes over them, serious racers. The seats are in great shape and aBudnik steering wheel fronts a custom blue digital dash in an aluminum billet frame, and a large tachometer with shift light rides the steering column. On the far right, an AM/FM/CD radio with AUX and USB capability is there if you need to play "I Can't Drive 55" or the song of your choice for track motivation. A B&M racing shifter is in the center console which is nicely surrounded by black, low pile carpet while a black vinyl headliner arches above it all.

Drivetrain
Under the fiberglass hood, we find a powerplant that the consignor states is Dart block 565ci V8. It has a hydraulic roller camshaft, Brodix aluminum heads, a Holley ECU, and Kensler fuel injection. And our consignor goes on to state this is good for 815 horsepower. Behind it, a TH400 3-speed automatic transmission sending power to the narrowed rear with a Ford 9". Headers, naturally, exhaust the fumes and disc brakes are found at all four wheels.

Undercarriage
Within the square tube purple painted frame, there's a lot going on for this racer. An Aeromotive fuel pump resides next to an electric fan while the aluminum driveshaft pierces an octagon loop. Coil overs are in front and back where it includes a 4 link suspension. The dual exhaust flows through race mufflers then turns east and west to exit in rectangular tips in front of the rear wheels. All is clean underneath with a few drops of oil on the polished flywheel cover.

Drive-Ability
Okay Morgantown, it's time to wake up. You're going to have to endure a few minutes of raucous rumble so that your favorite business in town can test a race ready street rod. And test we did as we lapped this car around the loop. The dash provides information in showy blue digits and everything that is intended to operate on this car did. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.

There's ridiculous power underfoot and this attractive toy needs to be played with with the utmost care and respect.Hemmings lamented the lack of stock Willys coupes left in the country. Their incredible profile, accommodating engine bay, and lack of stock power turned most of them into modified monsters. Fortunately, there are kits available so the remaining steel bodied Willys coupes can be preserved. But it sure is fun seeing these fat bottomed street rods at car shows! Are you ready to strap in?

Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8 acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown, Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.

With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy listening. You can also watch on YouTube!