KRK Sr. Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Back in November I told everyone my autographs would cost BIG $$$ after February when I was on Car Crazy. Well... Tonight (if you watched) you saw me in my Flea space at Hershey say I was "Car Crazy" just before Barry talks to the head of the SEMA show (in the first few minutes). I still have not seen a schedule for the segment on the Hershey Meet, but I can tell you they used 3 seconds of tape so far... I am sure the 2004 AACA Fall Meet will be back... Speed Channel in PA re-runs the show at 11:30 tonight and again 2 times this weekend. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyDale Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Dear Karl,I went by your house today and saw some work was being done on the front.I stopped and asked your wife about it and she explained they were installing an 8' garage door in place of the entrance door so you could get your SWELLED head in.diz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 Diz, If I had an 8ft. door, I would be driving an old car (with swelled head) in the living room. You never have enough garage space. Oh by the way, I won't give up my day job... YET! Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Karl, that was the April Fool's joke, right? I missed Leno to watch you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 I missed Leno too, and taped Car Crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 1, 2005 Author Share Posted April 1, 2005 Nearchocolatetown, keep in mind I said it was 3 seconds of film... Barry's interveiw with me was over 1/2 hour long. He told me he had never been to Hershey before, and had no idea why they had not come East in prior years. He told me they had enough tape for 2 segments on Hershey... So all those interviewed, keep watching. I think YOU were sleeping in your chair!! Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Karl, was the other 29 minutes and 57 seconds the Wills St. Clair story? Car !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Nearchoclatetown, No, it's about jacks and tools, but since you asked about it... The Wills National Meet is this year. We Wills enthusiasts only hold a National gathering every five years. With 83 cars known, and over 25 in static displays in Museums, it is difficult to get a lot of them out for a Meet. The largest gathering was in the 70's with 18 cars. Since then, many more cars are restored and we're looking to get 20 cars there this year. It's only a days drive to Marysville Michigan, join us in August. If Car Crazy shows the other segments by then I will have my table signing autograghs Those funds will help defray the cost of my 8ft. door! Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschemesc/rambler Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Are we really talking WILLS SAINT CLAIRS here. WOW !!!!!!!!! I use to run around with my Dad in his 1926 T-6 I think it was. Please go to my post about the GREENSBURG SHOW and half way down you can see photo of it and read short story. Sometime in the early 80s we went to the old plant in Marysville and I think we had like six cars there. Maybe it is one of you guys that own my Dads old Wills. I think it is over in DC somewhere. thanks, matt wilson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyDale Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Dear Matt,I do believe you are INFECTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!diz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Matt, you are going to be sorry you started this. Oh no, wait I started this! As Karl will tell you he does have one and it is beatiful, I'm jealous! Quite impressive engineering for the time it was built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Matt, I saw the photo of your dads car yesterday, but did not want to change the direction of your posts. Your dads car is easy to find with only 83 to pick from... the engine # of your Dads car is 23907, the body # 24429. The current owner is not a Wills club member. Looking at the Jan,2001 newsletter it is listed as "missing" However, I guess you know who owns it? If you send me his name and address I will forward a current newsletter to this owner. You can do this by privite e-mail if you don't want to post it here. Maybe we can get him to Marysville too. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Here's a photo of my 1926 Wills Ste. Claire T-6 Phillips custom body Cabriolet Roadster, Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Karl, I've always liked the looks of the Wills St. Claire. What ever happened to the 1926 roadster that was auctioned off at Harrah's September 22, 1973? I was out there in August before the auction and looked it over for a friend. Hope to have a booth next to you if my Barry Meguiar interview makes it to TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschemesc/rambler Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Here was our Will's in 1980 along with our 1928 packard and all original 1937 Packard that had like 210,000 miles !!!! It ran like a top but smoked like hell. You will read below about the man named Friday that had owned the Will's. When he parked the Will's because of the War he bought this Packard. It was his daily driver until 1977 when my Dad bought it. Me and my brother had alot of fun in this car. A couple years went by and then Friday asked my Dad if he would want the Wills as he knew how much we enjoyed the old Packard. Friday had been asked by people about selling the Wills but they wanted to restore it. Friday hated that and wanted my Dad to buy it as he knew we would love and care for the car just the way it was. The rest is History. This is why I have no interest in restoting my Hurst SC/rambler. I just love the cars that have character with those cool stories to go with them. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Here's a photo of my 1926 Wills Ste. Claire T-6 Phillips custom body Cabriolet Roadster, Karl </div></div> Karl, were the Nickel bumpers and grille redone on your Will's or have they been chromed. Does anyone even mess with Nickel anymore???? What a nice Wills !!!!!!! Please tell me you will be at the Greensburg Pa show. I will ask my Dad the owners name and pass it on to you. I can post more pictures of it if you want and give a history of the car. It was sold new from the Dealership in Grafton W.Va. A woman bought it but couldn't steer it. It was then sold to my Fathers friend ,who was named Friday. Durning World War Two Friday hid the car so that it could not be taken from him to use as scrap for bombs. It sat HIDDEN in the cornner of his shop in Traders alley of Clarksburg W.Va. for like the next 40 years. My home town. I remember the crank case held a unreal amount of oil. These were the best built cars of that time. at least 10 years a head of it's time. I also have a picture of the old plant from back in the 80's with the wills parked by the wall that had a huge painting of a wills on it. It was great to walk around in the old factory. I heard Chrysler had it torn down not to long ago. Every time I see a Ford I think of C.H.Wills and the fact that he had been Henry Fords right hand man and that he wrote the Ford logo and made the trans for the Model-T's.I also love the fact that they don't rust as C.H. Wills knew about metal and built them out of MOLIDIAM ,I think it was called These cars are so rich in history. Their is a man named Vaninerstine that lives in Florida that had a roadster. I think it was a early one with the V-8 in it. I remember 1921 thru like 1925 were all V-8's and 1926 they were only sixes. They all had overhead cams !!!! I haven't got to talk with anybody about one of these car in years. I'm sorry I have gone on about them to long. Maybe we should start a post on these cars as I know we are off topic here. I could talk forever about these cars. thanks, mattGRAY GOOSE FOREVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From a Wills to a Hurst SC/rambler !!! I love the stuff that is different. Orpans have homes to and they are turely loved !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 1937hd45, Harrah has a lot to do with why there are so many Wills left. Prior to his death, he had 13 Wills in the collection including mine. Mine was sold in one of the 70's auctions too. The auction catalog listed it in #7 condition. that far from a #1! It was bought by him in 1960 and sat as an unrestored car in the back of a storage building until it was sold. He also had a 25 W-6 Cab. Roadster, this one he restored and had on display. With only small changes from 25 to 26 I guess mine was not a priority. All Wills 8 & 6 to 1925 had no water pumps, in 26 the "T" engine had a pump. Hard to see that when on display in a museum. The only other difference that COULD be seen was the fenders. Mine has a single crease in the center, the 25's have a raised flat center panel in the fenders. With the serial number I could tell you where the roadster is today. It was easy to find Matts as I have rosters from the 60's, 80's and current. If our heads don't keep hitting, we could share a table for autographs... You don't have to own a Wills to be a member, 4 newsletters a year. But You SHOULD own one, they are fun at Meets. Lots of great engineering stuff to talk about. link to the Wills web page: http://clubs.hemmings.com/frameset.cfm?club=willssainteclaire thanks for asking, Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Matt, Your dads car looks great! The Wills museum is trying to get a "history" file on every known car. I have the names of the owners, back to 1949, for my Wills. Last year, I forwarded all this info and copies of photos from the 70's and now to them for this file. Someday, my car will change hands again and this info will be at the museum for the next caretaker of my car. When you get time, please write all the info you have and I would be glad to forward the info to Marysville. Here is my car soon after the Harrahs auction. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschemesc/rambler Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Looks likt I well have to get up there again sometime !!! How much to join the Wills Ste.Claire club ??? Please let me know if you are going to bring yours to the Greensburg Pa. show. I would like to bring my Mom & Dad up to see it if they can make the trip.The years are starting to catch up to them. thanks, matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschemesc/rambler Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Dad use to take us to Harrah's and we use to eat and then go look at the cars I remember the one he had on display !!!!! I can't wait to tell Dad that I'm talking to you about these cars. THIS IS GREAT !!!!! thanks, matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 2, 2005 Share Posted April 2, 2005 Matt, Thanks for all the information you are posting on the cars your Dad had and the fun you both had with them. I just learned something from this........maybe there are other guys like you that have lots of info on cars I like but currently own cars that to be honest I can't get interested in. Most guys I've run across with post 1965 cars have no interest in the cars from the "Golden Years" of this hobby. Please keep posting your memories from events from the past. Best wishes, Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 2, 2005 Author Share Posted April 2, 2005 Matt, Our Wills won't be at Greensburg this year. However, my plans are to have it at Hershey in the fall. Thanks for sharing your memories of your dads Wills with this group, and bring your Scrambler, you will find many interested in the post war cars too. The 60's and 70's classes grow every year as more younger guys who were exposed as kids, find the time and monies to come back and enjoy this hobby. These "old cars" were the daily drivers of our youth that have fond memories for years to come. Join the AACA. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 Karl, I don't know how common it was but Wills St. Clair crankshafts were modified in the day for use in Model T Ford powered race cars. I remember a photo of one in The Vintage Ford years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRK Sr. Posted April 3, 2005 Author Share Posted April 3, 2005 1937hd45, I never heard of that, but it makes sense. Wills was a metallurgical chemist and an engineer. He had molybdenum steel through out the cars. Including the crank. So this would be just what a racer would want! Also the some of the big items of this steel include frame, springs, gears, and wheels. The Climax Mine in Lead Colorado reopened to provide Wills demand for Moly, they shut down when the first world war was over, with orders for armor plating gone the mine was in hard times till Wills started orders in 1920. I wonder if they cut the 8cyl or 6 cyl to adapt to the T Fords. Karl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted April 3, 2005 Share Posted April 3, 2005 I would think they would "butcher" the best and use the V8 cranks, you know how those early Hot Rodders are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now