#66 • Offered at No Reserve | 1940 WILLYS GASSER ORANGE PLUS

Part of 5/3/2025 Spring Collector Motor Series Auction (live auction by Henderson Auctions)

Status: Sold

This custom 1940 Willys coupe, famously known in vintage drag racing circles as the “Orange Plus,” is a true Southern California gasser that made its debut at the iconic Lions Drag Strip in 1967. It posted a best time of 9.42 seconds at 144 mph before changing hands in 1975. Since then, it’s been brought back to its racing glory with tasteful, modern enhancements. Featured in Traditional Rod & Culture magazine and various automotive websites, the car’s story begins in Sacramento in 1964, when Dave McDannel discovered it and traded a 1953 Plymouth coupe to make it his. He hauled it back to Pasadena, where he disassembled and rebuilt it as a gasser. The transformation included a Kellison fiberglass front end, an injected Chevy 396 V8 (later swapped for a destroked 327), and an Olds Hydramatic transmission, which was eventually replaced by a Muncie 4-speed. McDannel raced the Willys at tracks throughout California — including Riverside, Orange County, Irwindale, Fontana, and Bakersfield — from 1967 to 1975. The car passed through multiple owners and disappeared from the public eye between 1991 and 2009 while housed in a private museum in Gilroy, California.  Today, the Willys is powered by a destroked Chevrolet 327 V8, now displacing 302 cubic inches. The engine features ported heads, and breathes through a Dominator Holley carb atop an Edelbrock intake. Power is delivered through a Muncie 4-speed manual transmission to a Positraction rear end, riding on Hoosier Quick Time Pro slicks. Additional highlights include a fiberglass hood and doors, MSD ignition, and a Probandit shifter -  all adding to its authentic gasser character. Genuine steel-bodied Willys gassers with real racing history rarely hit the market, making this one a rare and exciting find for collectors and enthusiasts alike. No Title - Bill of Sale Only. Selling in the Henderson Collector Motor Series Auction on Saturday, May 3, 2025 at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama. Visit www.hendersonmotorseries.com for details!