Beeline Willys gets GREAT NEW HOME!

[babycakesParticipant]

Pete,your quite welcome! A pleasure to have known a gifted and talented ‘Legend’ in building and constructing race cars! His workmanship lives on,with many thanks to Ron!

[babycakesParticipant]

Just got news from Ron Normann ( he now owns Bee Line Willys,and Jack Merkel’s 39 B/GS Willys).Over the weekend he made the long haul from Illinois to Long Island to purchase Jack Merkel’s (restored) glass 33 Willys AA/GS circa 67 to 69.It couldn’t have gone to a better home in my book! The ‘icing on the cake’ was going to Merkel’s shop,and spending hours with him,talking ole times! Ron is looking for either old photos,or memorbilia of the ‘glass’ 33 that you might share with him;he would be greatfull.You can reach him on the ODF forum,through PM,as he is a member.Wishing him the best,with another ‘classic’ Willys! Willys Rules!!! 😀 Pete.

………………..Car was restored by Vinny Musicario [dino] Tell Ron Google>Images

[dinoKeymaster]

Should have Ron start a new topic on this and give us the lowdown. SURE WOULD BE NICE …if those Eastern cars -BeeLine And Merkel cars….made the trip to our 5th annual Nostalgia Drags.RON? whats the chances on that?

[babycakesParticipant]

Dino,for sure Ron would have to answer that (Dover 5).Last year he started a ‘new’ gasser club called ‘Nostalgia Gassers Racing Association’,and they have several scheduled racing events and car shows,plus it’s a trip from his home state of Illinois.Probably also,he’d have to run the 1/8th.I believe all have the ‘original’ ole roll bars in them back in the 60’s,to keep them ‘classic’. Hey,we’ll see;it’s up to da man!

[super-sport-pete]

hi pete, you seem to know every WIILYS in the 60s. how about a RED ,short bed pickup maybe chopped or channeled? i saw one in the around 1968 in a gas station in shelton ct.,don’t remember seeing it run at dover.never got up close to it .it could be one of the ones at MARCUS or cy’s 100 ft drag truck. if so,it could be added to the DOVER WILLYS REGISTRY. I never saw anything in the gallery,but i do not remember everything. pete.

[babycakesParticipant]

Hi Pete,the only red Willys P/U I remember was Eddie Sanzo’s 40,however that dates back to 64,and in 65 had the chopped top.In late 65 Eddie ‘totaled’ it at Westhampton,I believe.The only other ones I remember were Ralph Catalfo (Jersey Engineering) ‘bronze’ 40 Willys P/U in the late 60’s,and of course Kevin Dunn’s ‘blue’ 40,which he and George Daon partnered,in 69 I believe,chopping the top,and painting it yellow.Then it was sold to Nat’s Chevron,called the ‘Gasser Master’.That’s the one that Cy Vigulto found as a basket case,and now showing and successfully running it nowadays.Pete,you may be on to something with Kevin’s present red Willys P/U displayed at the Dover Reunion at Marcus Dairy,and the 1st.Dover Nostalgia Drags at Island.That was a basket case also Pete,which he bought somewhere in Ct.(could be the one back in the day your asking about?). Sadly,Kevin passed away not too long ago,and there are many like me who miss him big time! I understand he had donated his Willys P/U to the Don Garlits Museum.Anybody else reading this remember who originally owned that red Willys P/U in 68,located in Ct. Pete’s asking about?

[patinaParticipant]

There is also the one that “pepsiman” Kenny Hayn had.He sold his 56Chevy E/G convertable to some one in CT. It was at a gas station. Kenny is on here once every 3 years, lives in FL.

Re: Nelson’s auto Stamford

Hey Redcutlass welcome aboard. Do you or anyone around the Stamford area remember seeing Ken Hayn (pepsiman on dover site) 56 Chevy E/G convertable. He said he sold it to a guy who had a garage/gas station in Stamford CT.
Pat

He then built a Willys P/U that ran at Dover briefly, sold it to Dave Daly (I believe) who sold it to ? But Kevin Dunn bought some Willys from Dave, in fact a lot of people did. Dave was the original owner of my MG.

Don’t know the O’brien Auto willys.

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[dinoKeymaster]

Pat …only post by Redcutlass » Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:57 am
“I spent my college days working at Paul Nelson’s shop in Riverside. His father had the Amoco station, I pumped gas and cleaned parts for Paul. I went off to Vietnam and on my return worked for him for a month in his new (1972) shop I believe on Davenport before heading to Florida. Paul’s a great guy!
”

…..and are these photos from your collection ?…How many more ya got? ..Should Brian visit and Scan em? …..is the Willys PU shot at Dover ?.NEVER saw that in any collections ! …Are you going to build a Pumpkin clone with your 57 ? ….whats Brother Mike doing with “Chicken Coupe” ….whats for dinner? …did you get a new camera?….thought I’d cover everything in one shot. ……..More Coffee…..

[babycakesParticipant]

Pat,do you remember back in ’65’ O’Brien’s Automotive Racing engines running a dark blue 41 Willys coupe,I think it was a C/Gasser? The one you shown,I never seen running,under the O’Brien banners? Thanks,learned of another Willys back in the day! Pete.

[super-sport-pete]

HEY pete and pat, while i was cleaning my gutters, i came in, saw your posts,maybe add more clues. the “gas station” mentioned was, i am pretty sure a CHEVRON at the time. i worked at an ESSO at the time. a company rep.,the tanker driver, or the “ATLAS” rep. could have passed the info to another CHEVRON station. it is also possible, that the willys was never finished. we all know how that goes. that garage has been though a number of owners though the years and in fact burned to the ground one new years eve. mmm.

[babycakesParticipant]

Dino,no doubt the photo of Kenny Hayn’s 56 Chevy was taken at Dover.Look at the maroon Chevy Impala (next to Kens) just above the trunk,in the background,is Kevin Dunn’s primed 39 Willys B/G coupe.Also,the other photo Pat submitted of the O”Brien’s Automotive Willys P/U has to be Island Dragway,parked to the right of the staging lanes.In the background is the big white farmhouse that’s been like a monument there since the track opened in ’60’.

[patinaParticipant]

All of the Ken Hayn 56 pictures are of Dover. I took most of them. The Obrien Willys picture I got off the net and I agree with “cakes” it Island. I’m trying to answer SS Pete in looking for a lost Willys PU. There where alot of Willys that were not top runners but still ran. I still think there is a Ken Hayn, Keven Dunn maybe Cye V connection.

Pat

[vbobParticipant]

HEY

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[babycakesParticipant]

There ya go Bob! Merkel’s ‘glass’ 33 Willys all restored,NICE! Thanks for sharing Bob,a ‘memory’ alive once again!

[bobby-s]

The Bee Line Willys before painted red & it famous lettering.

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