Radical Evolution of the 41 Willys Pickup Hammerhead

As racers replaced their curvy contours in subsequent years with more modern racecars, the visibility of these cars actually seemed to increase in the decades that followed, as rodding enthusiasts were either looking to emulate racers past or shape radical new takes on these cartoon-like contours. As a result, it’s likely that more Willys exist today than remained on the road in the ’50s, what with modern fiberglass replicas and a few handmade examples that have surfaced since.

Certainly the most extreme Willys to date is Seth Wagner’s amazing ’41 Willys pickup “Hammerhead,” a radical departure from already flamboyant lines that leaves many people speechless as they try to describe the wild creativity expressed here. There’s no mistaking the familiar contours, and yet with every aspect of the original design exaggerated to the extreme, this little hauler has an identity all its own.

From Vintage Drag Racer to Custom Willys Pickup Build

Like so many of its predecessors, the foundation for this extreme machine was an old ’41 Willys pickup that spent half its life as a Memphis-based drag racer. Still fitted with a tilt nose, bucket seats and a variety of engine mounts, there was no questioning this car’s history, and there was no doubt that it would soon look like no other Willys in history.

Having worked up the overall design elements with Gary Constable at Mutant Art, Wagner then turned to Brent Gill to create a colored rendition of this pickup that would set the wheels of creativity in motion. Soon the project was handed over to Legens Hot Rod (731/587-6002) in Martin, Tennessee, where two-dimensional artistic renditions were translated into one of the most extreme Willys ever built.

Chassis and Suspension Under the 41 Willys Pickup Hammerhead

To get the car well grounded, a custom frame was shaped specifically for this project, as anything less would only have limited the result. Fitted with a Kugel Komponents front suspension complete with Aldan coilover shocks and Sweet Manufacturing rack-and-pinion steering, 245/35ZR20 Nitto radials provide traction around 20×8.5-inch Budnik Revolver rims.

A matching set of larger 22x10s fitted with 285/35ZR22s can be found at either end of half-shafts driven by a polished Winters quick-change, which is enabled with Positraction and 4.11:1 gears. As in front, the Kugel independent rear suspension features beautiful detailing throughout, along with other special details created for this car that defy description. Wilwood vented discs benefit from six-piston calipers in front and smaller versions in back, and as expected, every surface has been polished to a mirror-like finish.

Supercharged Power in This Custom Willys Pickup Build

In keeping with the racy heritage Willys earned in the ’60s, this wild take on past greatness is powered by an ’05 5.7-liter Chrysler Hemi, retaining all of its stock internals, other than a new cam grind from Comp Cams. The most important changes were made externally, as a Magnuson Magna Charger has been adapted with a custom LHR intake manifold. From there, LS1-style injectors and a powerful ignition system from FAST improve the combustion process and the horsepower rating before a Stainless Works exhaust system fitted with MagnaFlow mufflers quiets the result. To apply this power, an ’05 Viper six-speed transmission was fitted to the back of the Hemi with a McLeod clutch, assuring reliability in between. From there, power passes through a custom driveshaft to the ratios in back.

Fitted with an impressive range of custom components, including those cool valve covers beneath the custom K&N air cleaner and a wealth of other fine touches, and you have the makings for visual greatness. Few cars offer this level of superb detailing, where exceptional brightwork and painted contours are united in ways that defy description, other than to say it’s unbelievable.

Hand-Fabricated Steel Body on the 41 Willys Pickup Hammerhead

The same can be said for the bodywork, as every panel was hand fabricated from scratch in steel around wooden bucks that ensured these contours were formed exactly as the designers conceived them. Once again, Legens Hot Rod takes credit for the effort that went into the body, fenders, dashboard, bed and floors, all of which display first-rate metal shaping and finishing. In keeping with the larger elements are many smaller details such as the custom taillight housings and lenses, and Mini Cooper headlamps set within their own custom bezels. The two-tone blend of silver-and-gray paint from Spies Hecker highlights these shapely contours perfectly.

Interior Craftsmanship in This Custom Willys Pickup Build

Inside it is much the same, with caramel-colored shrunken buffalo hides covering the various surfaces, including several panels accented with woven leather inserts that resemble basket material accented with slim polished trim. A custom console between the embossed seats provides room for a large monitor in the head unit, while remote amplifiers and speakers are hidden. This only benefits from the specially mounted gauges from Classic Instruments, Vintage Air controls, custom knobs and other details, including a dash-mounted Willys emblem that doubles as a push-button starter. Lacewood used in the bed floor also fills out the center of custom billet pedals for a unique touch. And while there are many other details we’re leaving out, a notable detail is the ’58 Holden steering wheel sitting atop a tilt column that lends a vintage feel to this extreme pickup.

Having spent four years and more than 18,000 hours building, refining and finishing this Willys pickup, Wagner and the crew at Legens Hot Rod are fully aware of how difficult it is to describe all that’s been done here, as the Hammerhead only gets better the longer you look it over.