Gas Class Grit: Ray Kasicki’s 8-Second Blown ’33 Willys Coupe

Whether he’s chasing timeslips or creating memories, Ray Kasicki is enjoying the journey behind the wheel of his beautiful 1933 Willys Coupe that blends brutal, blown big-block power and a strong family history rooted in brotherhood.

The Willys, which he’s nicknamed “Violator,” isn’t just Kasicki’s quickest car; it’s the culmination of everything he’s learned since he first started building hot rods alongside his brother more than four decades ago.

Now 57 years old and a senior technician for the Cleveland Metroparks, the Aurora, Ohio resident practically grew up with a wrench in his hand. Kasicki began building cars with his older brother, Ed, when he was around age 12.

Two years later, his first real project was a 1950 GMC pickup that he got on the road by the time he was 17. By then, though, he’d already moved on to his next project: a 1977 Chevy Camaro. Unsurprisingly, Kasicki had a little too much fun on the streets with it. “Too many tickets, license suspensions, and high-risk insurance,” he laughed. “I decided to finally listen to my dad’s advice and started racing at the track.”

Fast forward to 2007, when Kasicki’s friend asked him to take a ride to the west side of Cleveland to check out a 1933 Willys. “My brother came, too, and the three of us found a barely started project that was too much for our friend to take on,” Kasicki recalled. “Against my better judgment, and with the price being right, I decided to purchase it.” Within a year and a half, Kasicki had the Willys running and on the road.

Working in the evenings on both Kasicki’s Willys and his brother’s matching ’33, the men originally built the hot rods to be street cruisers with the occasional racetrack visit for sporadic gasser events. “Next thing you know, I blew up my engine at the same time my brother bought the 540 that’s in it now. We wanted to see what the car would look like with a blower on it,” stated Kasicki. The temporary test-fit blown combination became a permanent install, but Kasicki bought his brother a replacement engine as a ‘thank you’ for the accidental contribution to the coupe’s cool factor.

That curiosity inspired the build of “Violator” into what it is today, a legitimate gasser racecar painstakingly handcrafted by the brothers themselves. Under the Willys’ classic coupe body, the Kasickis fabricated a chassis that was certified by the NHRA to run 8.50-second elapsed times. However, the heart of the hot rod is the sick ride’s true showpiece.

Built by Nyes Racing Engines, the 540 cubic-inch big-block Chevrolet bullet is anchored by a Dart block. That base was assembled with JE pistons, Eagle connecting rods, and an Eagle crankshaft. Next, the V8’s banks were capped with a set of Dart’s Pro 1 cylinder heads and outfitted with Morel lifters, stainless valves, and shaft rockers from T&D Machine Products.

The combination’s crowning glory, though, is the wicked 6-71 blower from BDS that peeks out from the Willys’ hood; the supercharger supports a pair of Quick Fuel Technologies 950 carburetors that blend air with E85 fuel supplied by a complete Aeromotive fuel system. Altogether, the system supplies its driver with a generous 950 horsepower at 6,800 RPM along with 778 pound-feet of torque.

The result is old-school blown muscle done right, down to the smallest of details. Kasicki even fabricated the gasser’s trick custom turndown headers himself, and takes pride in his hands-on participation in the project with as many parts as possible. “Cal Automotive Body did the bodywork, but paint was done by me and my brother, Ed,” he shared proudly.

“We’re running a Turbo 400 transmission from Abruzzi with a 3,500-stall Hughes converter and a Henderson driveshaft,” he outlined of the pieces he chose to integrate into the drivetrain. “The rear end is a 9-inch from Moser with 4.11 gears.”

For suspension, Kasicki selected components designed to both maximize traction and the Willys’ gasser heritage stance. “Up front, we’ve got a three-inch dropped straight axle with QA1 shocks. In the rear, we run QA1 coilovers and a four-link,” he noted.

A set of American Racing wheels wrapped in Mickey Thompson’s quintessential, crinkle-wall big tire slicks fill out the rear wheel wells perfectly, while Wilwood brakes, discs up front, and drums in the rear handle stopping duties.

Even with its race-ready hardware, the Willys still carries a sense of streetability. Inside, a functional blend of stainless steel and aluminum panels creates a utilitarian yet comfortable environment. “I’ve added a passenger seat specifically so I can take my wife out for the occasional cruise,” he explained in regard to the small detail that says a lot about how the car fits into his life.

On the track, “Violator” is all business. The Willys has clocked a best 60-foot time of 1.22 seconds and run a quarter-mile personal best of 8.62 seconds at 153 mph. Those numbers place it squarely in serious territory, yet Kasicki is quick to downplay the stats when asked what his favorite part of the car is. “Honestly, it’s going to the track and hanging out with all my friends,” he affirmed. “That’s what it’s really about.”

That attitude is exactly why Kasicki now runs the Willys primarily as an exhibition car with ScottRods AA/Gassers. “I’ve been fortunate to hook up with an awesome race group,” he said. “We’ve raced at tracks I probably never would’ve been to otherwise.”

His Willys coupe has also seen success with the Nostalgic Notions drag racing group, a club Kasicki helped start more than 20 years ago. “I’ve won multiple championships with them, one with ScottRods, won twice at Summit Motorsports Park’s Night of Fire, and earned many trophies at different car shows,” he confirmed.

Despite nearly 20 years invested in the build and all its success, Kasicki hasn’t lost sight of what matters most. When asked about standout features, he doesn’t mention the wicked blower, the nearly four-digit power, or the impressive 8-second timeslips. Instead, he talks about people. “My wife, first and foremost,” he said. “Her support and patience with all the late nights in the garage mean everything to me.”

Kasicki also credits his brother, Ed, not just for helping build the car, but for teaching him along the way. “We’ve built so many cars together over the years. I wouldn’t be where I am without him,” he added. “Of course, none of this would have been possible without my loving family. Thank you to all of them, I miss you, mom!”

It isn’t just his immediate family that Kasicki is grateful for, though, as the racing family he’s developed during decades with Nostalgic Notions and ScottRods are just as important. “All the people I’ve met and raced with at the track. There are too many to list,” he shared, thankful for the community that gave him a place to race and belong.

In a sport that so often chases the next big thing, Ray Kasicki knows there’s more to life than boost pressure and elapsed times. His “Violator” supercharged 1933 Willys coupe golden orange gasser stands as a reminder of what really fuels drag racing: family.

CAR: 1933 Willys Coupe
CHASSIS: NHRA 8.50 cert built by Ray & Ed Kasicki
ENGINE: 540 CI big block Chevy built by Nyes Racing Engines
HEADS: Dart Pro 1
CRANK: Eagle Specialty Products
RODS: Eagle Specialty Products
PISTONS: JE Pistons
VALVETRAIN: T&D Machine Products shaft rockers and stainless valves, Morel lifters
POWER ADDER: BDS 6-71 supercharger
CARBURETOR: Quick Fuel Technology 950 (dual)
FUEL SYSTEM: Aeromotive
TRANSMISSION: Turbo 400 built by Abruzzi Racing Transmissions
CONVERTER: Hughes Performance
DRIVESHAFT: Henderson Driveline
REAR END: Moser 9-inch with 4.11:1 gears
SUSPENSION: QA1 shocks and 3-inch dropped straight axle (front), QA1 coilovers and four-link (rear)
BRAKES: Wilwood (discs front, drums rear)
WHEELS: American Racing
TIRES: Mickey Thompson
HORSEPOWER: 950 hp
TORQUE: 778 lb-ft
BEST 60-FOOT: 1.22 seconds
QUICKEST ET: 8.62 seconds (1/4 mile)
FASTEST MPH: 153 mph (1/4 mile)