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The Second Annual Texas Willys Meet

Who/What: Well folks the time is getting closer for the second annual meeting of Texas Willys owners and enthusiasts.  Myself (Rick Stivers) of San Antonio and Mike Harris of Austin will be hosting this event.  If you live in or around Texas, and would like to attend this Meet, then feel free to join us.  Best of all, there is no registration fee or required sign up.  We aren't a club and no membership is required.  We are just a group of folks that appreciate the simplicity and character of these fine workhorse machines.  If you want to come, I would appreciate it if you let me know. I try to supply free food for the event and this will give me an idea of how many folks will be there. In addition I will try to get some name tags together so we know who you are and which vehicle you belong to. Bring your Willys Jeeps, trucks, wagons, panel vans, Forward Controls and let's visit. If it won't run, trailer it to the event.    We just want the opportunity to meet with you and Willys. This does not mean that you need a Willys to attend.  If you just want to drop by and visit, that will be fine too. My wife and I will be there with my 62 Willys Pickup and I will even give rides to those that want to see what a Willys with a 350 feels like.  As always, this is a family event, so feel free to bring your spouses, children and pets.

Where: Bull Creek District Park, Austin TX.  This is a beautiful park with a creek and walking trails. It even has a climbing wall.  There are some beautifully picturesque boulders in the creek and on the shores to give it a bit of Willys charm. I'm afraid I've been unable to locate any close 4X4 trails to test the vehicles, but this is more of a Meet than a trail run.  We will try to set up a short parade drive for the locals.  You cannot make reservations at this park but it isn't overly crowded.  I will show up early (7 AM) to claim the main picnic area.  The park can easily be found on Highway 360 (N. Capital of Texas).  

Directions added by Joe VS  If you get lost you can call me on the cell phone at 210-860-6980

Here are the pictures we took of the park.

When:  20 October 2001 from 7 AM to 5 PM if weather permits.  (Note that this is a date change from 6 Oct due to a scheduling conflict with the MidWest Willys Reunion scheduled for the same date.) Some of you folks will come in the night before, so I did some checking of some local hotels and motels.  I recommend the Super 8 Motel 8128 N. I - 35 Austin. (512) 339-1300 or toll Free at 1-800-800-8000. It's located about 5 miles from the park so the drive would be easy. You will need to make your own reservations.  I have no affiliation with Super 8, but when I checked the local hotels and motels, they were the most reasonable in the area that I considered clean enough to stay in.  There are others that are cheaper but I know my wife would never stay in them.  They either smelled bad or looked unsafe. 

We will fire up the grill early in the morning try to keep it running all day.  I will supply coffee, hot chocolate, hot dogs and bratwurst.   If you would like something else you can certainly bring it along or eat in one of the local restaurants.   There are some great scenic routes to drive in the area and if it weren't so dang gone cold you could even swim in the creek.   This is a very informal meet.  You can come and go as you please and visit as long as you want.  I'll be closing up to go home at around 5 PM.  That doesn't mean you can't stay longer.  The park is open until 10 PM. It's a bit of an isolated park so I wouldn't advise letting children wonder around unescorted.

I'm open to any suggestions.

For e-mail discussions on the Texas Willys Meet and other local (TX) Willys events you can sign up for:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TXWillysMeet

Mike Harris wrote: I've got some other food and lodging suggestions for those who are coming from out of town, feel free to add them to your site, and include my info if anyone wants directions or more detail:

Days Inn North, 820 E Anderson Lane, 512-835-4311 is reliable and rates are comparable to the Super 8. The Raddison on Town Lake at Congress is great if you're looking to spend a few $$, or for something a little more historical the Driskill at 604 Brazos (512) 474-5911 is top notch, about $250 a night. Do not, under any circumstances, consider the Del Rio Motel off of I-35 (big & pink, across from the old airport) as strangers make the hookers & crack dealers nervous.

For fine dining at less than $5, Burger Tex makes a great one served on a fresh baked bun, 220 E Anderson Lane 512-339-1722. Taqueria Arandas is almost frighteningly authentic Mexican food - I'm often the only gringo in the place and it compares favorably with my wife's Mexican grandmother's cooking, 6534 Burnet 512-452-9886. There's a lot of Vietnamese near Highway 183 and Lamar, and a lot of great Viet restaurants. Try the Pho noodle bowl at Kim Phung, 7601 N Lamar, 512-451-2464, or sandwiches at Ba Le French Bakery, $2.00 for a six-inch sub sandwich with a Vietnamese twist, on the
best baguette roll this side of Paris (the one in France).

If you want to spend a few more $macker$, North by Northwest answers the gastronomic question "What beer goes best with duck dumplings?" They brew their own and is quite good if you don't mind a coochie-poochie boomalini type place, $10-30 per plate, 10010 Capital of Texas Highway 512-231-8157. Threadgills serves up great southern food, try the fried chicken livers in cream gravy or the fried green tomatoes, $7-14 a plate, two locations 301 W Riverside 512-472-9304 and 6416 N Lamar 512-451-5440. Trudy's serves good Tex-Mex and even better 'Ritas, $10-15 a plate, 8820 Burnet Rd 512-454-1474, also 409 W 30th St 512-477-2935 and down south at 4141 S Cap of TX hwy 512-326-9899. Sullivan's steak house is top notch if money is no object, don't expect to get out of there for less than $50 a head, 300 Colorado Street (in the warehouse district) 512-495-6504. I'm a pretty serious beer crank and my personal fave is Waterloo Brewing Company, $5-10 a plate and three bucks the pint, 401 Guadalupe 512-477-1836. Also good is the Bitter End, a little more upscale, $10-30 per entree, 311 Colorado St 512-478-2337.

Mike Harris
FORD, COOPER & KAKO L.L.C.
608 Morrow Street
Austin, TX 78752
Phone (512) 451-9260
Toll-free (888) 430-9260
Fax (512) 451-9508
mharris@fordckcollections.com

Confirmed Attendees for 2001 Those in red are from last year and have not confirmed yet.

* Probable     W = Wife       K= Kids       ? = Possible