UPDATE: Sometimes, we don’t know what we don’t know. In this case, Ted Robinette corrects the record regarding his creation of the WillyWilly (one word) Aluminum head:
NOT A HICKEY HEAD: The WILLYWILLY cylinder head is not a copy of or a rebranding of the Hickey head like the Chuchua head was nor “originated as a Vic Hickey product” as mentioned in the preceding comments.
THE DEVELOPMENT: I did purchase a well used Hickey head in California during the late 80’s and once I got it home to Australia found it to be only suitable for wall art so set about designing my own version.
To say it is a copy or rebranding belittles the development effort and investment involved in creating the pattern and core boxes to my own design here in Australia. While the top shape is inspired by, but not the same as, an early HICKEY head the water jacket is a different shape with strengthening ribs added internally plus internal bosses for the temp sender and bypass etc to thread into. The combustion chamber shape is my own design as is the use of 3/4″ reach spark plugs. The deck and walls are also made thicker to add stiffness to the head and as a consequence to the top end of the engine block. This latter point is more relevant to the Whippet and Willys 77 (48 hp) pre-war engine blocks for which the head bolt pattern in my casting could be drilled to suit.
THE NAMES: RO-ETT is my surname shortened. Nothing to do with ‘Rockett”.
The cylinder head is named WILLYWILLY, written as one word, being the word Australian Aboriginals used to describe a dust devil, gust or other strong wind. This name was chosen as a play on Willys use of Go Devil, Hurricane, Tornado etc to label the engines they produced. The WO part number cast into the top of the WILLYWILLY head is a play on the Willys part number for the circa 1939 factory aluminium cylinder head.
THE ARKANSAS HEAD FOR SALE ON FACEBOOK: I took the pattern out of retirement to specially make the WILLYWILLY head, #A715, shown in the Facebook sale for a guy in Arkansas who had an aircraft powered by a Jeep L134 engine. The L134 has since been replaced by a radial engine. In the last ten years I have only made three heads being the aircraft #A715 and another for a bellytank based Lakester race car and a twin spark plug conversion for my own Speedster.
ANY MORE HEADS FOR SALE? NO, I do not have any WILLYWILLY heads for sale.
OTHER ITEMS: A few years ago I made the patterns and core box for a twin downdraft carburetor manifold (Roett-Duett) to suit the L134 engine and have cast a few. Again the manifold is my own design and not a copy of the BURNS or DARLAND manifolds I have but found not suitable for my vehicles. More recently I made a pattern to cast a few aluminium sumps to suit L134 engine projects I am involved with. Unfortunately the closure of one foundry and then covid has caused foundry backlogs and materials and manufacturing cost hikes that might discourage making more of the manifolds and sumps. Time will tell.
Best Willys Regards
Ted Robinette
Australia
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This is a very rare head.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/WillysSwapMeet/posts/3172568699683054/
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