Showing posts with label Willys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Willys. Show all posts

Saturday, September 05, 2026

there's no one source of info that can be interesting... and things can be found in the strangest places that are often random, and this post is an example of the cool things I love to discover, and research into, that makes a information and historical connection surprise, like the one between neon signs and cars that you probably would never guess


The inventor of neon signs and neon lighting, was French engineer and chemist Georges Claude, who 1st demonstrated the glowing red-orange neon tube publicly at the Paris Motor Show in December 1910.

After a successful display at the Paris Art Show in 1910, Claude conceived the idea of bending glass tubing in order to form letters, developing the first neon sign.

Neon signs weren’t introduced to the US until the 1920s when Earle Anthony is believed to be the first US business owner to use neon signage – in 1923, he ordered two signs reading ‘Packard’ to be used by two car dealerships in Los Angeles. 


Neon sign usage quickly caught on after this throughout the rest of the country.

In 1924, the first neon sign was installed in New York’s Times Square advertising automaker Willys-Overland.




the coincidence that Neon Signs were given a public debut at a Motor Show, then that the 1st in the USA were for a Packard dealership, and the 1st in Times Square were for Willys Overland? Amazing

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-neon-lights/

that random strange place that I learned of this in? 


An artist's book that I got at Comic Con, Ryan Claytor: One Bite at a Time, 20 Years of Elephant Eater Comics



and there are OBVIOUS reasons that this book is an Eisner Award nominee, and I can't imagine what some other book had that would outshine this in the award competition, this book is an outstanding example of fantastic publishing, overlays, foldouts, comfortable exterior fabric, heavy paper pages, great illustrations. 

Saturday, January 17, 2026

wild Willys, had a engine in the trunk just to run the 6-71, and pulled a 11.43 seconds and 120 mph at San Fernando


Don Clarkson's unique solution for the power robbing supercharger was a 331up front, and a tiny Johnson oil-burner in back. 

Described in the Feb. '59 HRM only as a "war-surplus" four-banger, the two-stroke devoted all 60 of its horses to driving a trunk-mounted GMC 6-71 supercharger. 

 Another, unsaid benefit was relocating the supercharger's weight rearward, enhancing what little bite was available from skinny, recapped slicks 

Friday, September 06, 2024

1922 unusual advertising gadget, a Klitter Klatter, with Willys Overland. Of all the advertising I've ever seen, this is a first




 In 1922 Irving J. Halpern introduced the Klitter-Klatter from his House of Favors company in New York City

His note to the trade read: "We respectfully submit for your approval the latest fascinating novelty, a noise making device that has created such a sensation in New York that we are swamped with inquiries from all over the states.

 Klitter-Klatter is constructed purely of wood and is a great noise making device that produces a most pleasing yet loud noise. It serves a double purpose as a most unique favor. Klitter-Klatter takes the place of hand clapping. As an advertising medium it's extremely interesting and without competition."

Friday, February 09, 2024

a guy with a wrecking yard, and a lot of skill with customizing, went all out on making a better looking Willys by adding some Mercury


built as a fill in project from several cars at his local auto wreckers. 

For the complete driveline, chassis and suspension they used a 1940 Willys. It was because of this base that it maintained its Willys ownership and licensing tag as well as the W insignias on the hubcaps, header etc. 

The most important body item was the cowl, dash, firewall, a-pilliars and the windshield and all trim items for this major portion of the project taken from a 1940 Mercury 4 door convertible. This donor Merc also supplied the hood and doors. 

The sides of the hood were trimmed and the doors were cut and mounted in a suicide enter position.

The front fenders and the header panel where donated from a 1940 Hudson. The rear 1/4's behind the doors and the rear fenders back too and including the taillamps were from a 1951 Chevrolet 2 door.