Latest News
2026 Honda Ridgeline ReviewJack Merkel’s Drag Racer is For Sale
Jack Merkel was a drag racing and engine building legend. Check out this Nationals champion’s Willys Coupe listed on Carsforsale.com!
A Hot-Rodded Willys Coupe
1933 Willys Coupe – carsforsale.com | Shop 1933 Willys Coupe on Carsforsale.com
Willys is usually remembered for Willys Jeep that they produced for World War II, but the manufacturer’s pre-war coupes are remembered for being some of the best “gassers” at early dragstrips. Gassers were hot rods that raced on your typical gasoline rather than using race fuel like nitromethane. The Willys Coupe was a small, lightweight car that was being sold for cheap in the post-war drag racing era. Teams would pick these Willys up and strip them down bare metal to reduce weight. They’d then swap in a modified V8 from Chevrolet or Chrysler and throw on some drag tires.
Some of the most well-known gassers of drag racing history were based off Willys Coupes. Ohio George Montgomery, Big John Mazmanian, Prock & Howell, and the trio of Stone, Woods and Cook. Another legend from those early days of the NHRA has had his Willys gasser listed on Carsforsale.com. Learn more about Jack Merkel and take a look at his 1933 Willys Coupe AA/GS Championship Car!
Gasser Drag Racing Legend Jack Merkel
Jack Merkel started his drag racing career on Long Island where he competed with his 1955 Chevy in the D/G Class. His modified hot rod was so successful that he started his own engine shop, Jack Merkel Automotive in Ridgewood, New York. He wasn’t just some guy putting parts together in a garage though, Merkel held two degrees majoring in engineering that helped him craft reliable, high-performance engines which led him and his customers to numerous NHRA wins.
Merkel eventually made the transition to Willys Coupes in 1962 with his first being a 1939 model modified to compete in the B/GS class. This car also happens to be listed on Carsforsale.com and still has its 364 CID small-block Chevrolet V8 with a 6-71 GMC Blower. That car went on to finish second for the 1962 season before taking back-to-back championships for 1963 and 1964.
Jack Merkel moved on from the ‘39 in favor of a steel-bodied 1933 Willys Coupe that he’d modified to compete in the A/GS class for the 1965 season. He’d swapped in the supercharged 364 CID small-block Chevy once again, but this time for a harder class. Even though the small-blocked Willys seemed handicapped against the big blocks of the A/GS class, it took down six-time consecutive reigning Nationals Champion Ohio George Montgomery at the 1965 NHRA Nationals. Merkel unfortunately lost out against Doug Cook the following round, but everyone was raving about the small-blocked car that had beaten what seemed to be the unbeatable Ohio George.
Merkel’s key to success was the power-to-weight ratio of his Willys. Having a larger engine meant more power while also adding more weight to the car. Merkel squeezed every ounce of power possible out of his small-block Chevy which allowed the car to accelerate much faster along with the reduced weight. This wasn’t enough though for Merkel as he had his eyes set on the next gasser class, AA/GS.
He took a ‘33 Willys and cut weight by giving it a fiberglass body complete with a custom molded front cowl. He stuck with Chevy for the powerplant but went with a custom-built 427CID big-block this time around since he’d cut so much weight from the body. The engine carried a 6-71 blower with a Hilborn Bug Catcher four port injector for the supercharger. This setup was capable of making an 8.75 second quarter-mile pass at 160 mph.
While his fiberglass Willys was a fan favorite sight, Merkel didn’t travel out very far around the country to race and there weren’t any more podium finishes after two seasons with the car. He ended up selling the 1933 Willys AA/GS dragster in 1969 to focus on his engine shop and making other drivers the fastest at the dragstrips. Jack Merkel left us in 2018 but left his mark on drag racing history and his legacy continues through Merkel Racing Engines.
Jack Merkel’s 1933 Willys Coupe AA/GS Drag Car
1933 Willys Coupe – carsforsale.com | Shop 1933 Willys Coupe on Carsforsale.com
North Shore Classics listed Jack Merkel’s 1933 Willys Coupe AA/GS drag car on Carsforsale.com. It’s had some paint restoration done, but it’s otherwise the same car that was speeding down the dragstrip over 50 years ago. The 427 CID big-block Chevy looks immaculate with that giant blower and the headers leading straight into dual side pipes. The vehicle also features a parachute, drag radials, and a triangular wheelie bar. Plus, you can find signatures from Jack Merkel along with Junior Hopkins on the roof of the interior. This Willys Coupe is a well-preserved example of early gassers of the 1960s and can still run a quarter mile in 8.8 seconds. It’d look great in any drag racing fan’s collection, but hopefully it finds its place at the NHRA Motorsports Museum so that its history can be on full display for years to come.
