Gasser or A/FX

I have one bone to pick with the term Gasser used so freely on here.
OK, I don't want to be a dick but I wouldn't classify most of the cars you people have been calling gassers, gassers. Most of them are more of an A/FX car than gasser.

Most gassers were early model cars even for the time. The later model cars were used in A/FX (Altered Factory Experimental) a precurser to funny cars. NOT ALL HAD THE WHEELS MOVED FORWARD AT FIRST!

Now late in the gasser era late model bodies started to pop up but by that time the front ends were comming down. So a Chevy II with it's nose in the air seen in the day would more likely be an AFX car, not a gasser.
So stop blowing all this gas around and use the right term. Please!

Here's a perfect example I found searching the net.
RED CAR -- Gasser WHITE CAR -- A/FX

 

Rob - While it may be true that most red cars are Gassers and most white ones are A/FXers, the fact is, most people on here don't know because they don't care. Maybe 5 % of HAMBers are real racers. That's just how it is...

 

my 2 cents (for what it's worth)

A/FX is a class brought about by the NHRA because of the factory stock classes (S/S SS/S) racing cars with an altered wheelbase, engine set back or induction systems not "stock." It was all about putting seats in the stands. It depends on the year of the car. I'd say a car late 1964 and newer would be A/FX.

The gas classes had all of the above but were 'usually" older cars. They were cubic inch to weight classes.

 

Soooooooo, is it still an A/FX car if the lettering is red on the white car?

Oh, and jangleguy, I'll have you know, I for one, am definitely a RACER...an E-racer....

 

Sorry Jeem - didn't know that.
My head is hurting, thinking about the red letters on a white car..... Why'd ya have to go and do that?

 

Geez, Mines green now what do I do?

 

Anarchist!

 

You want a laugh? Go on Ebay and search "gasser"

After you get through pee-ing your pants, look up "rat rod"

 

In the '60s when I ran my C and B Gas '55 Chevy NHRA rules required a stock wheelbase, you could set the engine back 10% of the wheelbase measured from the front axle center line to the first spark plug. Could be manual or auto transmission and carbs or fuel injection. Add to that all the required safety equipment, driveshaft hoop, scattershield, rollbar, fuel and battery shutoffs, ect. Classes were determined by weight to cubic inch displacement. All us oldtimers had a great time. The FOGGER

 

Damn, I thought this was a gasser. Guess I need to study abit more

 

I see your point, but most of the guys your are talking about are younger. They dont care what the difference is. Gasser, a/fx, hot rod, custom, classic, who cares. At least there not building tuner cars, rice rockets, winged warriors, etc. Its just a fun word to say"gasser" i could say it all day."gasser"

 

Thanks, I kinda like that Anarchrst it fits with a few other things in my life.

So tell me if the Williy's has an altered wheel base and more importantly it's still painted Red is it an A/FX?

 

But they should care! It just shows ignorance, especially if it's their own car! If they want any respect and want to carry tradition and history forward it should mean something to them.
It's as bad as the people that call every primered rod a Rat Rod or the dummies that walk up to my coupe and say "Nice roadster".
Sorry but i just don't believe there is any excuse for it when it comes from someone who claims to be a car enthusiast.

 

Thorkle, you're evil, man.
Solid has the right idea: If everyone said, "Gasser" there'd be no more wars!
Gasser, Gasser, Gasser - c'mon everyone! Gasser, Gasser, Gasser, Gasser, Gasser...

 

i agree,the rat rod thing sucks, and half the guys that call their cars gassers arent gassers, but the more your into something, the more research you are going to do. They will find out that every primered vehicle is not a rat rod, and every car with a solid axle is not a gasser. I just dont want to be to critical of the young guys showing interest. We dont want to run them off. Who cares if the call a a/fx car a gasser. Theres guys who know the differece calling them gassers.

 

First off let me say I know your're trying to be a wise ass, but foar all the "YOUNGER" people... No the willy's is a "Period Correct" gasser. This site is about the honoring the history of rodding from a time gone by. I know times change and not everything on here is traditional, but calling an A/FX car a gasser is like calling a 440 a Hemi. You should be looked at like that.

 

My Opinion On the Gasser Matter,, it doesnt matter..

Were all here to enjoy and keep The American Car Culture Going..

In any way shape or form..

 

I don't think it's a matter of being "Critical", it's a matter of education. And if people take the position of not caring or that it doesn't matter then Tradition, History, and Culture become lost and diluted. It is our job not to let that happen

by the way, nice "Rat Rod" in your avatar

 

Gassers did not have an altered wheel base. They were allowed a maximum 10% engine setback. There were quite a few early Nova's, Falcon's etc running in the Gas Classes in the mid to late 60's. I'd have to agree though that up until Funny Cars era started most heavily modified cars of this type ran in the FX classes. There were 3 FX classes that many are not aware of, A, B & C/FX also based on pounds per cubic inch. I do agree that these days the Gasser term has become quite Generic. Makes me laugh my ass off when I see an awesome fenderless, hoodless 33 Ford traditional Hot Rod featured in a magazine with B/Gas painted on the 1/4 panel. It should have B/Altered on there instead to be accurate. Tells me that both the owner and the magazine don't have a clue as to what a Gasser is.

 

I agree . As an "older - been around for awhile" type , I think it is important to have the correct label on an item..

 

thats a primered a/fx car, thank you very much.

 

Well at least I'm not the only one laughing at the ignorance of some. It's like the fools who call any sedan a coupe. Or worse yet any car with a steel top a hard-top. I've seen both here.

 

The "gasser" classes were for gas burning coupes and sedans. That's where the name "Gasser" came from. The NHRA/AHRA ran gas classes well into the 1970's. The A/FX cars ran fuel and became "Funny Car" I think in 1970. Check out http://gassermadness.com/ under the history tab. Learn, Live and Long Live Gasser's

 

For those of us that are not real familiar with the true definitions of each and not wanting to be a NEWB forever, thanks for the info.

 

thanks ill try to do better, Im only 60 yrs old ..............and build them GASSERS for a living....

 

gasser is the new rat rod....well at least it is for keyword spamming... i did my anglia as a 10% legal gasser from back in the day...heck , ran it to lousiville the first year as a altered when it was having some heating issues....get it right or leave the class off the car... former gasser owner ...now proud owner of a c/altered model a.....

 

No, it would be an Aurora.

 

FX classes didn't start as fuel cars. They were cars that didn't meet the minimum number of cars required to be built by the factory. As such they were considered to be a factory experiment. In the mid 60's (64-67) general use of a straight axle Nova, Chevelle, Tempest, Fairlane, etc was as a match race car. Many were later considered outlaw cars as they ran fuel not gas, blowers, fuel injection etc and didn't really fit into any class. Malcom Durum, Ramchargers, Dick Landy were familiar names running this type of car. Richard Petty even campaigned a Barracuda for a bit. Being this board usually sticks by a 1964 cutoff this type of car being called a gasser is wrong. They were match race or FX cars. We've even seen the street freak cars called gassers

 

Could we use the term "Gasser style"? As in the appearance of gasser but not a true gasser.

 

How 'bout Gasseresque, or Gasserish?