Seevers Wiesner and Owens, '33 Willys, Olds-Powered, A-Gas Supercharged. Loveland, CO circa 1962-1966
Gasser Tribute Car
About half a century ago, a few buddies and I built the ultimate hot rod. The 1933 Willys supercharged Olds gasser with its red paint job turned heads when it raced down the drag strip at nearly 150 mph. For the three Loveland High School grads and car buffs, it was the culmination of hard work. It took all the money we single guys made to keep this thing going. As founding members of our town's first hot rod club, The Loveland Zephyrs, we made it a point to keep racing off the streets and on to the track.
Dean Seevers, Harold Owens and I (Del Wiesner) owned the original 1933 Willys gasser car and ran the names Seevers Wiesner and Owens on the car. When it was time to race the hot rod we took it to drag strips all across the country. We lived in Loveland, Colorado, at the time and raced in the A-Gas Supercharged Class in NHRA Division 5, the west central part of the United States. The Supercharged Class was the hot class before Funny Cars became so popular in about 1967.
From 1962 to 1966 we raced many of the largest names in the sport, names that are now famous throughout drag racing: Stone Woods and Cook; John Mazmanian; Jr. Thompson; George Montgomery; KS Pittman; and the Mallicot Brothers to name a few. Most of these guys were record holders at one time or another. That was the time of the Gasser Wars when the camshaft manufacturers were all arguing about who had the fastest and quickest cars.
We raced from Minneapolis to Dallas and from Indianapolis to the west coast with this car. We were competitive with anyone in the class at that time. We held the American Hot Rod Association national record in 1964. Our best time for the quarter mile was 146.86 in 10 seconds flat. But soon the gas coupes' popularity begin to fade.
In 1966 I built a super light 1923 model T street roadster that went really fast - 150+ mph. I wrecked the roadster at the Erie, Colorado, drag strip in 1966 and only by the grace of God I wasn't killed. Shortly after that my wife Kay and I moved to Montrose, Colorado.
After 40-plus years of working in my own businesses, I couldn't shake the thrill the race car had given me. Even though I had quit racing so long ago, I always loved the Willys Gassers. Once you get that in your blood it's hard to let go. It was the most exciting time of my life so I decided to rebuild a part of history.
In 1998 after we sold our business, I decided to recreate the '33 Willys. I wanted to show people what the gasser cars were like, and I wanted to let guys like me that really love these cars have another look at one. The tribute car was built so we could look at it and get that rush of memories that would lead us back to those early days of drag racing.
Rebuilding the car was a challenge mainly because all the parts needed are now considered antiques. It took five year's time, but we were able to build an exact replica (all the way down to the painted lettering) of the hot rod I raced so long ago. In the car show circuit, it's called a nostalgia drag racer, although I refer to it as a tribute car - a tribute to everyone who drove and loved that kind of car.
It has been an honor to build the Willys, especially with the help of my good friend Bobby Anderson. And I always look forward to visiting and "bench racing" with anyone who stops by.
See "One Hot Car" article in the Loveland Reporter Herald
http://www.jrthompson.net/swo33willys.html
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Willys logo and mural on race trailer by Bobby AndersonClick here to add text.
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Del Wiesner, Harold Owens and Dean Seevers.
Car finished 1-2008.r 46 years later!e to add text.
Car finished 1-2008.r 46 years later!e to add text.
Del Wiesner, Harold Owens and Dean Seevers. December,1962lick here to add text.
Photo opp. What a cool picture !!!! 2008. Note Scott Slot fuel injector.k here to add text.
Wiesner and Owens, 1965 at C.D.R. In Casle Rock Co. Dean went on to build a AA-Gas Mark Williams dragster with Oldsmobile power. Note, Hilborn 4 Port injector at this time. ck here to add text.
The Gasser Tribute Car was built as a tribute to all the drivers, owners and fans that loved these kinds of cars. It is probably one of the last A Gas Supercharged Olds powered Willys coupes left in the country. Del Wiesner
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