The Woodill Brushfire, a 5/8ths scale sports car.
The Woodill Brushfire, interior view.
Hey, what's this model doing sneaking in the picture, it has its own page.
Publicity photo taken at a park in the Los Angeles area showing movie star Robert Stack on the left, Woody Woodill on the right.
Publicity photo taken late 1954 or early 1955 during the time of filming the movie Written on the Wind. Written on the Wind featured the red Wildfire in the movie.
Robert Stack seated in the Brushfire, ready to take a test drive.
Los Angeles Times newspaper article on the Wildfire and the Brushfire.
This is a page from a marketing and sales brochure.
A single sheet sales brochure from 1955, showing the Wildfire kit upper right, Brushfire kit lower left.
The Woodill Brushfire kit was very complete, offered for $395. Price notation made by Howard Miller, an employee at Woodill Motor Co., he was the builder of the "Idaho Special" and the Brushfire.
Frame drawing for the Brushfire.
Frame drawing showing Floorboard dimensions and location.
Howard Miller's daughter, Dennie, along with her husband Art, and Steve chat about the history of the Brushfire and the Wildfire.
Dennie shares some of her memories about her father working for Woodill Motor Co.
Art holds up a few family photos of Dennie with the Brushfire that her father built. The car was originally Bronze colored.
In this 1964 photo, Dennie stands next the Brushfire her father built.
Seated in the Brushfire at the Miller home.
There was a turbine powered Woodill Wildfire. Here the Brushfire is parked beside that Wildfire. Notation on photo by Howard Miller.
The Miller family are celebrities to a car collector like Steve, here Dennie signs her autograph next to a Brushfire in the 1957 issue of "Cars Of The World".
Howard Miller did many other things after leaving Woodill Motor Co. He was very involved in fiberglass waterski design and manufacture in the 1950's and 60's. Here are a few of his wooden custom built waterskis.
The Brushfire has been loaded after Steve's purchase of the car. The waterskis that Howard custom made came along with the car.
An enjoyable afternoon spent with Art and Dennie comes to a close. A true pleasure to spend time with such a good hearted family.
The Woodill Brushfire being unloaded after being transportred from Utah to its new home in Colorado. The famous Studebaker Stiletto can be partially seen in the backround on the far right.
The Woodill Brushfire unloaded.
The restoration of the Brushfire begins.
Brake components undergoing restoration. Crosley mechanical brakes have been used, specially modified to be hydraulically actuated.
Front axle hubs after bearings and seals have been removed, bead blasting completed, awaiting paint.
Dick Shelton turning a piece of plastic to the desired diameter, to be used to press the new bearing seals into position.
After the bearing and bearing race are installed, the seal is pressed into position. Timken wheel bearing sets #07100/07204 were replaced.
A few of the parts for the front axle and steering after bead blasting.
The wheels are two piece, bolted together, with the inner half being painted and the outer half being chrome plated. Here, one of the inner halves has been bead blasted.
The wheels have been restored. New 4.80/4.00-8 Firestone Turf Guide tires and 4.80/4.00-8 TR-13 inner tubes.
The front axle assembly after total restoration. The front axle "floats" on the chassis via the center bolt, acting as the pivot point.
Detail shot of the axle, spindle, hub and steering tie rods.
Rear view of spindle action.
Front axle assembly together with wheels.
Front axle assembly mounted on chassis.
Front axle and steering box details. New brake master cylinder shown mounted. The wiring that has been added for the headlights and the brakelights can be partially seen. A pressure sensor switch was added to the brake master cylinder to activate the brakelights.
Restored brake pedal assembly. The 1950 Chevrolet Belair brake master cylinder was replaced with a new unit.
Rear axle restored and installed onto chassis. Crosley 6" mannual rear brakes units were used, modified to become hydraulically activated, using 1949-55 Chrysler Windsor wheel cylinders. Brake shoes are impossible to find NOS.
Crosley brake drum installed. Right rear wheel bearings Timken #1380 & #17580 were replaced. .
Inside view of rear axle and brakes. Passenger side.
Inside view of rear axle, brakes, and wiring for tail lights. Drivers side. Wiring runs inside period cloth asphalt loom conduit. Live axle is mounted to the chassis using pillow block bearings. Flexible brake lines used are from a 1949-50 Chrysler Windsor.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
NOS Briggs & Stratton engine.
Windshield frame side posts. The units are sand castings, and they were still quite ruff. Sanding and polishing have been started on the top unit.
Windshield post, after much time spent block-sanding and then polishing.
Block-sanding was all done by hand so the aluminum would not become heated and then gall. Block-sanding went progressively from 600 grit to 2000 grit, then a high speed buffing wheel brought out the shine.
The Brushfire was missing one of the side windwings. A forming jig was built to achieve the correct curvature and shape.
Acrylic was used for the side windwings. Acrylic is a bit more brittle than polycarbonate, but with this thickness, shattering is not a concern.
The edges of the side windwings were polished, starting with 600 grit, working progressively to 10,000 grit.
View showing arch in the windwing.
Both new windwings installed. The windshield was reinstalled using a new 7/16" U-shaped bottom seal, sourced from Steele Rubber Co.
Rear tail light lens is a modified 1954 Chevrolet Belair (Guide# R1-54) unit. Here an unmodifed lens is held up against the Brushfire. Brushfire tail lights were for appearance only, with the lenses just screwed to the body without any form of lighting base.
Template on the left in cardboard, transferred to Aluminum sheet, then rough cut. Third from left: after filing and bending of tabs.
Completed tail light housing, polished and installed. Bottom bulb is tail light, top bulb is brake light. Two bulbs were used as opposed to a single large dual-filliment bulb. Test mock up showed light was distributed better with two small bulbs vs. one large bulb inside a small lens.
Completed tail light assembly. Tail light is illuminated here.
Tail light and brake light both illuminated.
The nonfunctional headlights were badly rusted inside, so they were completely disassembled, bead blasted, then re-silvered on the inside and painted on the outside. Period correct wiring was then added to make the headlights functional.
Light switch added to the dashboard with Willys knob. A NOS Briggs & Stratton ignition switch, with keys, was added to replace the existing toggle switch. Ignition switch powers up the brake lights. Wiring is all period-correct braided cloth covered stranded copper wire in various colors. (Steering Wheel unrestored here.)
The Brushfire was not offered with a front grille. It was decided to design and fabricate a grille, mimicking the modified Willys Aero grille used on the full sized Wildfires. Here, the cardboard pattern has been finalized.
Pattern showing the backside. Grille will be formed in two halves that will then be welded together at the center.
Forming the contour in metal to match the pattern. I jig was made first, then metal was formed around the jig.
One half has been completed, matching it to the pattern.
Forming the contout took patience.
The two halves are ready to be welded.
Welding the two halves together, getting 100% penetration.
After grinding off the excess weld, the outside edges can now be drawn onto the part.
Grille has been fabricated using mild steel sheet. Here the grille has been cut out to final shape.
Pattern and Grille backsides.
Grille after block sanding and poilishing.
All that is needed now is the chrome plating.
Grille has been installed, showing the pattern in foreground. Grille will now be sent out for chrome plating. Headlight trim rings, currently painted silver, also will be sent out for chrome plating.
Grille installed.
The bumpers on the Brushfire are a bit large to be proper 5/8ths scale, so Steve has decided to have new bumbers custom fabricated. Note front bumper comparison with the 1953 Micklitsch. From the best that Steve can determine, the original chrome plated steel bumpers were modified Crosley items.
It was decided to use stainless steel rather than chrome plated steel for the new bumpers. The same material was used during the restoration of the 1953 Micklitsch bumpers. Two strips of .179" thick stainless steel for the new bumpers were purchased, precut to the desired 2.5" width. A crown needs to be formed into the strip to give the bumper rigidity. The first strip has been placed into a specially set up 30-ton Brake machine.
Machine shop owner Tim Junk is assisted by master machinist Shiloh. Stainless steel has been protected by white padding.
The bending angle and other criteria can be exactly entered into the numericaly controlled brake.
The top of brake has been setup with a special made round-headed tool. Bottom has two rails to allow bending action. Spring-back needs to be accounted for. Here the strip has been formed with a first strike. It was decided to hit it a second time with another 5 degrees. After this process is completed, the bumpers need to be shaped into an arch, and the ends bent around to match the shape of the body. Dick has turned some plastic rod material to make custom rollers to form the Bumpers arch.
After the front bumper was arched, it was clamped into place to determine final length.
The custom rear-mounted bumper grommets shown installed here.
Close up view of grille and new bumper relationship.
Grille and new bumper.
Grille and new front bumper. Rear Bumper has not been replaced yet.
The Steering Wheel was custom made by Howard Miller, likely using a British made unit as a starting point. Proportions came out nice. Steve has decided to replace the silver center piece, to refine the look.
First step is to file, grind, sand the steering wheel of imperfections. The wheel was brazed together. Grinding down the excess braze material was tedious.
After much more sanding and metal filler, the wheel was sprayed with a sandable primer, three coats.
The new steering wheel center is a 1955 Willys part. Here it has been chucked up so we can reduce the outside diameter to match the hub.
Checking the diameter with calipers.
Test fitting the new center
It was decided that the hub should be painted black.
The center was made of two pieces, the clear disk on top.
Close up view of restored steering wheel, with newly added Willys center.
Steering wheel with 1955 Willys center goes well with the 1955 Willys headlight switch.
Rear view, showing new front bumper, with old rear bumper still in place.
