Way back in the 'olden days', when a young man wanted to learn a trade, the rules were clearly defined. He would contact the local furniture maker, potter, or silversmith, and request the privilege of becoming an apprentice. In return for room and board and precious little else, the apprentice was taught the techniques and tricks of the trade. When the master craftsman in charge felt the time was right, he would assign the apprentice a project that would test both his knowledge, talent, and creativity. If the 'master piece' was judged and found acceptable, the young apprentice would be welcomed into the guild, taking his place among the ranks of other master craftsman.

With just a few concessions to these ancient traditions, Bruce Harvey chose a similar approach. An active enthusiast for the last 26 years, Bruce owns Pro Comp Customs in Cape Coral, Florida where he practices his trade and refines his skills, creating unique vehicles for his customers. Although he loves his work, the job has a serious downside, especially when you watch your labor of love driving away with its happy new owner. With every dark cloud however, there is a silver lining. Over the years, Bruce has compiled a collection of ideas and techniques that he would someday incorporate into his own personal work of art. What you see here is his personal masterpiece.

Bruce began with a relatively well known car, a '41 Willys that has been a favorite of street rodders for decades. Even though he was dealing with a fairly popular body style, Bruce knew that careful interpretation and innovative craftsmanship would make all the difference, elevating his finished product to a genuine masterpiece. He chose the fiberglass convertible body from Heritage Hot Rods in Kankakee, IL knowing that their removable hardtop and side windows would make the car weather tight and perfect for the air-conditioning requirements of the Sunshine State. Their deluxe rolling chassis comes with a narrowed Ford rear end with re splined axles, 4-link rear suspension, and Heidt's Superide independent front suspension equipped with Air Ride Technology ShockWaves on all four corners for an adjustable ride height. Pizza-sized 13 inch rotors up front and 11 inch versions in the rear were also part of the package.

The chassis was designed to accept a 350 Chevy V-8 but Bruce had something much more dramatic in mind. He considered 350, 427, and 502 crate motors, but opted instead for a mighty 540 CID Merlin engine. The first test of his creativity was squeezing the big engine between the narrow '41 frame rails, solved by fabricating new motor mounts. A Be Cool radiator was tailored to fit the narrow nose of the car and the multiple cores guaranteed the big motor would always run in the green. If lots of horsepower is good, more has to be better so Bruce took the Merlin to the next level, adding a polished Whipple supercharger with 55 pound injectors, March pulleys, Mallory Electronic ignition, and Hooker headers flowing into a 3.5 inch HPC coated exhaust and twin Flowmaster mufflers. The combination produces a pavement-buckling, 750 horsepower along with a very satisfying, ear-to-ear grin. The high performance, 4-speed, 4L80E automatic transmission transmits the power to the ground. Distinctive, custom cut rims (Custom Wheels By Pete) with Pirelli rubber get the car rolling in style with 20 X 8 inch versions up front and huge 24 X 11s in the rear, enhancing the Willy's already aggressive look.

Once the power train was complete, Bruce turned his attention to Phase two. Not content with someone else's masterpiece, he positioned the body 6 inches lower on the frame rails, chopped the top 4 inches, angled the A-pillars backward, and crafted the dip in the center of the hardtop, like a modern Viper. The hood was pie-cut 4" to lower the profile and a custom grille was fitted to the scoop. The widened rear fenders were also hand-formed with a forward-facing spear on top. Bruce welded matching grilles in the fenders, using strips of sheet metal bent to fit and then chromed. The taillights blend smoothly into the body and were formed using a piece of Lexan faired into the fiberglass fenders. Only the oval opening in the center was left clear, allowing the LED lights to shine through. The rest was painted to match the rest of the body. His penchant for the unique carries forward to the headlights, adapted from a Mini Cooper S. No simple bolt-in, the Willys fenders had to be re contoured to fit.

Lots of work went into the handcrafted interior, beginning with the L-shaped console that extends from the driver's side A-pillar to the center of the car, then down between the pair of reconfigured Toyota Supra buckets. Dexter's Upholstery in Fort Myers, Florida eliminated the head rests and covered the seats and door panels in authentic Florida alligator hide, dyed a golden tan. A full complement of Autometer gauges keeps the driver informed of all the under hood activity. Bruce chose an ididit column with a custom wheel that keeps him in close touch with his favorite ride. The car is equipped with a Pioneer DVD flip-face stereo with a monitor up front as well as a second screen located in the floor of the trunk. Speakers are hidden behind the seats, under the dash, and twin subs are located in the trunk. Air suspension controls were given their own compartment in the rear of the console while the compressor and reserve tank were located behind the seats. The custom trunk is also a work of art with fat rear tubs, a lighted Plexiglas window to showcase the chromed 9 inch Ford rear, and a separate monitor, built into the trunk floor. Everything was upholstered to match the interior.

Bruce sprayed the completed car a combination of House of Kolor, Sublime Green that fades into black, enhanced with green flake. The paint fade on the outside carries over to the interior. When Bruce created the graphics, he began with a chrome under base, using it to create the (airbrushed) chrome spear down the side. Then he sprayed the alligator pattern on either side of the strip. Multiple coats of clear create that 10-foot deep shine. The Willys took two and a half years to build but the completed street rod is everything Bruce wanted and then some. It has also become a rolling calling card for the shop and when he parks it out front, everyone gets a first-hand understanding of the shop's capabilities.

Shout Out: "Thanks to Elite Streets Magazine for the feature!" -Bruce Harvey