Pair of Willyses couldn't be more different

When it comes to building hot rods, there is no such thing as “the right way.” Case in point: Len Meehan's 1940 Willys and Dick Green's 1941 Willys. Despite being just a single model year apart, other than the general shape of the coupe, they don't really share that much in common.

One is all steel while the other is all fiberglass. One sits up high; the other, slammed low. A vintage racer and a modern cruiser. It doesn't get more different than this.

Yet, despite being at opposite ends of the spectrum, both land squarely in the very cool range.

Meehan's ride is a very rare steel-bodied car set up as a vintage “gasser,” reminiscent of the quarter-mile drag cars from the 1950s and '60s. The “gasser” moniker was used to designate the fuel source, signifying it belonged in a petrol-based class as opposed to other race-fuel classes, such as nitromethane. These competition bullets utilized a straight front axle, which set up the cars with the emblematic raised nose, following the outdated belief that, despite aerodynamic drag, radically raising the front end would result in increased traction and grip for the rear wheels.

“I remember as a boy being trackside and watching these cars go down the strip and thinking, I want to build one of my own,” the Rolling Meadows resident said. Build one he did, including crafting the steel fenders working out of his personal garage. True to its racing roots, he takes the blue rocket quite regularly down the track at Union Grove, Wis., churning out consistent 11 second time slips.

These respectful times are accomplished by way of a Hemi 354-cubic-inch V-8 putting out 485 horses to the rear wheels. A trick exhaust routes those spent fumes either out back, or (by removing the cut-out plates) from behind the front wheels for maximum performance and noise. “It gets too loud for comfort when it exits behind the fenders but it sure does sound great!” Meehan says. The coupe rolls on Weld RodLite wheels mounted with massive rear-mounted Mickey Thompson drag tires perfect for those hard launches off the line.

The purpose-built Spartan interior sports Pontiac Fiero seats and not much else by way of comfort. A massive tach and shift light occupy most of the driver's view, ensuring Meehan nails his shifts perfectly. The center of the dash houses more switches and gauges than you typically find in an aircraft taking off from O'Hare, resulting in all engine vitals being but a quick glance away. A full roll cage has been installed for added safety in the unlikely event of shaky times when the pilot turns on the “fasten your seat belt” light.

“I set out to build a car that looked period correct based on the drag cars I remember seeing when I was younger,” Meehan said. The Willys enthusiast has had the car for 20 years (as well as several other Willys automobiles) and enjoys taking this one out on a regular basis. “I take the car out at least once a week to area shows and I'm always surprised at the amount of attention the car gets,” he said. With its flawless Chrysler Intense Blue paint and jacked-up style, it's no surprise this “gasser” turns heads.

Green's machine goes in the opposite direction of Meehan's racer by keeping his modifications strictly for enhancing the curb appeal and ease of drivability. The Chicago native is no stranger to the Willys brand and quite literally fell for them at an early age.

“My father had a '29 Willys Knight and as a kid, I can remember playing around the car,” Green said. “When I was 2, my older sister and I were playing on top of the car and I fell through the soft top roof into the back seat. Once he cooled down, my dad patched the canvass back up by using cardboard and roofing tar and we drove it for many more years and on several family vacations.”

After helping a buddy put together one of these coupes, Green decided it was time for him to build one of his own. When he stumbled upon his aftermarket kit car (albeit in pieces), he was at a Wisconsin swap meet, scoping out the tables for parts for a project Chevelle SS back home in his garage.

After some haggling, Green was able to snag the Willys and brought it back to begin the two-year build, on which he performed all of the mechanical work and assembling himself, including custom machining many trick billet and aluminum parts, such as the retracting rear license plate bracket that hides under the car and automatically slides out when the car is in motion.

The first order of business was to have it coated in its eye-searing Torch Red paint, chosen from the Porsche color palette. “I wanted the brightest possible red I could find and in all the years I've been at this, I've only come across one brighter red a Mazda red. Had I known about it, it would have been on the car,” Green said.

Under the hood, Green installed a late-model Corvette LS1 V-8, putting out a modest 375 horses through a modern 4L60 automatic transmission. Exhaust is dumped out Howitzer–sized pipes, mounted just ahead of the massive rear tires.

Just because it's a hot rod doesn't mean this two-seater guzzles gas. On the contrary, by using a 3.70 gear, this coupe lightly sips its fossil fuel diet. Green states: “I get a consistent 22 to 24 mpg on the highway, which is terrific mileage for a car like this.”

Highway cruising is just what Green likes to do, cushioned in luxurious seats sourced from a BMW 7-series, complete with power lumbar adjustment. Power steering makes it a breeze to pilot while power brakes clamp down on four-wheel discs, hidden behind forged Budnik wheels. An aftermarket air conditioning unit keeps the cabin cool.

While their rides may be very different, the passion of both builders, the extreme level of detail in their cars and the skill of these two area resident craftsmen is undeniable.