Drag Racing History: The Most Insane Willys Ever Built – Fantasia

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This is the story of Fantasia, the most insane, evil, and oddly engineered Willys drag racing car ever. It was NOT a gasser. This was a full on AA/Fuel Altered that had the engine straight out of a top fuel car, direct drive, and some of the most bizarre mechanical decisions ever worked into a race car, no matter the year or era.

It is the story of a car that for nearly two seasons of drag racing was an abject failure built upon faulty logic until one brilliant engineering mind tamed it.

If you have never heard of Fantasia, I don’t blame you. Its lifespan was short, accomplishments perhaps even shorter, but its story is incredible. This is the history of one of drag racing’s oddest nitro burning hot rods. A car well before its time. Heck, that’s still a time that hasn’t arrived yet.

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33 thoughts on “Drag Racing History: The Most Insane Willys Ever Built – Fantasia”

  5. I don't know how this popped up and this is a great story. I turned wrenches for two seasons on an NHRA eight-time Wally winner this is awesome thank you. There are still things going on today with stockers in order to we'll say initiate some weight transfer with the front end.

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  10. I am proud to say I knew Chuck.Finders. I met him in around 1987. Last time I saw him he stopped by the garage around 2001. He was a kind humble and generous man. I was always surprised with how many of the people I knew, knew him. I will always cherish some of the modding advice he offered me.

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  13. Growing up in the Chicago area in the 60’s my next door neighbor was Bill Knox aka Willy Knox or Wild Willy Knox. He was a fuel altered roadster racer. He’s the guy that really sparked my love for drag racing and racing in general!

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  15. Hey Brian,

    Couldn't resist a trip down memory lane w/ this one.

    The '40 Willys has been a bucket list car for me since I was a model building kid in the '60's. Got into Gas class drag racing at the tail end of that era, & flatly lost a lot of interest 'cause of ET racing.

    It didn't help that the '57 Chev 210, 2 dr wagon I'd built for C-D/gas got stolen while I was out of town working so I could buy a trailer & make a trip to Pomona for the Winternats.

    Seriously took the wind out of my sails to lose the car, 2 high winding 302 SBC's, plus all my spare parts, & race related tools.

    Luckily, had my tool box & welders w/ me, or they would have been gone, too.

    It took 15 yrs before I could build another drag car, then that project ended when my shop biz partner went sideways; he owned the building, I made the biz happen & run.

    He decided I wasn't needed. I lost a dream shop I'd help build from scratch, but he only lasted 6 mos.

    So, now I'm an old man watching drag racing become mainstream, instead of what it used to be, & YouTube eliminating the need to scratch for sponsors & only get exposure at socially out cast drag strips.

    I was born 50 years too early, but it was still a real trip in the 60-70's.

    I just thank the heavens we weren't smart enough to marry Semi turbos to our mostly stock designed chassis, or the next gen of kids would have been much, much smaller.

    You have no idea how different, a 11.x run is in a mostly stock '40-'50's era car, compared to a 202x Vette or Camaro. Adding a turbo to the mix is terrifying to consider. LOL

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  20. My former brother in law and his friend took an old Austin Healy sedan and put a V8 engine in it with a new firewall near tge front seat edge. Actually sat in a modified rear seat. Had to put wheels out the rear or it would just flip over. Like around 1964.

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