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Old school Gasser

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by mccatch, Aug 9, 2011.

  1. mccatch
    Joined: Feb 4, 2009
    Posts: 11

    mccatch
    Member
    from florida

    I am looking at turning my 52 chevy business coupe into a Gasser style build. Can anyone direct me to a site or other info, mainly concerning the rear suspension. other comments or sugestions are welcome as well. just dont want to build the normal street rod. thanks ahead of time.
     
  2. DualQuad55
    Joined: Mar 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,382

    DualQuad55
    Member
    from NH

    Depends on the era you are looking for. Race cars evolved fairly quickly in the 50s-60s. Mid/late 50s could have a 265-283 bolted to stock driveline and run as a gas class sedan. By the mid 60s you would be running a highly modified v8 and possibly long ladder bars.
    Need to determine what era you want then buld accordingly. You might try GasserMadness.com.
     
  3. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    Try to get ahold of the 'weasel'. Honestly ,no pun intended, he seems to know alot about gassers and their history.
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2011
  4. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    The Weasel says do your homework and find out what a gasser really was. Don Montgomery's books on the Gasser Wars and www.gassermadness.com will tell you what type of cars were used as gassers. Your '52 Chevy seems an unlikely candidate IMO.

    This wannabe gasser thing of turning everything that has wheels into a nosebleed stance high ridin' mutant freak has been done to death is a fad and a trend. 1933-42 Willys, Anglias, Austin A 40s, Henry J's 1937-39 Chevys and 1937- 41 Studebakers are all suitable gasser candidates. Tri five Chevys and some early Fords ran as well in the gasser classes. Mainly lightweight pre WW II cars were favored.

    Note: this is the new and improved, kinder Weasel, soft on your hands and gets your dishes sparkly clean too....;)
     

  5. Special Ed
    Joined: Nov 1, 2007
    Posts: 7,967

    Special Ed
    Member


    Seriously? You've been on here on the HAMB for a few weeks now, and you want to start ripping guys that have forgotten more than you'll ever know about traditional cars in general, and gassers in particular? The lack of respect is becoming pathetic around here....:cool:
     
  6. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    I wasn't ripping anybody I learned from what the weasel has posted and figured I would help this guy out, honest to god. Who are you to say that to me??? I have done nothing wrong but post my opinion like every other Hamber. I don't have a lack of respect at all, I have the upmost respect for you guys on here, you must have mid understood my post.
     
  7. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Willy...I was gonna say to Ed that I didn't think you meant anything...then re-read your post...and saw the rolling eyes. Then I thought you were being sarcastic too.

    Maybe you meant to add a different face? Honest mistake...just changes the whole perception of the statement. Best to you, brother. You too, Ed.
     
  8. Guess somebody forgot to tell Gene Schwarts that a 52 was an unlikely candidate for a gasser.........
     

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  9. burnin53
    Joined: Mar 22, 2009
    Posts: 597

    burnin53
    Member
    from cuba,n.y.

    Glad you posted that,I started to look for a pic of his car in my "collection",and you did it for me.Thanks.:p

    I think that car was wrecked and he recreated it if I remember correctly.
     
  10. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    I didnt mean anything sarcastic by it ricky , i can see where the rolleyes would have suggested that, i erased it after i caught on. thanks and best to you.
     
  11. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Gene Schwartz and others. Yeah...I was thinkin' that too. I've seen many unlikely cars as true racing gassers of the era. Much more unlikely than a '52 Chevy coupe.

    I also think that there can never be too many of what we do. We tend to all get a little jaded here, because we see so many cars...some similar. But fact is, I've rarely seen gasser-style cars around my area. And I'd be just as happy as could be, if I went to a car-show, and every damn car there was a roadster or coupe with black paint and red wheels. I was concerned that I'd be building my roadster so similar to others. My wife asked me how many have I seen around here. She's pretty smart.
     
  12. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,606

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I know you didn't mean anything, Willy. I mean, you said "honest to God".

    If you were lyin', you'd be a black pile of dust about now...hit by lightning...lol.

    I hope Ed knows too.
     
  13. burnin53
    Joined: Mar 22, 2009
    Posts: 597

    burnin53
    Member
    from cuba,n.y.


    He did say he wanted to build it gasser style,not adhere to gasser rules of the '50's or'60's.
    I agree,not all gassers had their suspensions jacked to the sky.
    But,I don't consider gasser style cars a trend,I've loved that style since I was 14 and bought a straight axle '56 Ford Victoria,30 years ago.
    I just wish I would have had the brains to keep it.:(
     
  14. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    I hope my question is appropriate for this forum, when were gassers first a big hit? 40s 50s 60s? also whatwas the prime drivetrain for one, hence nowadays its bbc and a glide or linco.
     
  15. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    Late 1950's - 1958 or thereabouts. Olds was the preferred powerplant until the Hemi's caught on - quite a few SBCs depending on the class they ran. Supercharged and normally aspirated classes.

    Go to www.gassermadness.com for an insight of how it really was - click on the 'History' tab on the left column. Don Montgomery's Gasser books are about as informative as it gets. The Gasser classes evolved over a period of about ten years and the rules changed during that time....
     
  16. sheltonfab
    Joined: Jul 18, 2011
    Posts: 52

    sheltonfab
    Member
    from Mo

    Awesome , thanks for the info weasel, gassermadness here i come!!!
     
  17. gasserjohn
    Joined: Nov 9, 2008
    Posts: 1,218

    gasserjohn
    Member

    someone needs to posts photos of Racer Ken Browns gasser thru the years
    he's still running it faster then ever....off itself it is a history of the class as it involved
    he is still in business building strong transmissions
     
  18. bulletproof1
    Joined: Feb 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,079

    bulletproof1
    Member
    from tulsa okla

    the gassermadness site is awesome...by the class rules stated on the site i think we are building more toward the mid 60s style cars...
     
  19. I predict the new fad will be taking small, light weight cars that would actually make good dragstrip material, or better yet, old race cars, lowering them, adding wide whites, nice paint, custom interiors, and calling them "Led Sleds" or "Kustoms."
     
  20. choke
    Joined: Dec 15, 2008
    Posts: 323

    choke
    Member

    I think when you build a car to your personal taste it pretty much defines it as a Hot Rod. That's how this whole thing started back in the 30's. The Gas class does'nt even exits anymore in sanctioned competition. Sure they have AA/GS thru F/GS at the nostalgia events. But their a loose inturpetation of the rules of the original class. The real gassers over the years morphed into many different types of vehicles. So what's really period correct? The only thing to do is pick a certain period of the gassers you like and cherry pick the stuff you really like about the class. Build your car accordingly. Maybe we shouldn't call them gassers out of respect for the real deal . Back in the late 60' when I was growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area every sreet racer's car sat way up in the air. But we didn't call them gassers. They were just hot rods. Maybe someone can come up with a new name for these nostalgia cars. Any suggestions?????
     
  21. last g-man
    Joined: Aug 18, 2006
    Posts: 412

    last g-man
    Member

    ....a "nosebleed" to "tail drag" transformation fad.....:eek: k.
     
  22. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,757

    Deuces

    Yeah! Street Freaks!! That one's been around since that time...
     
  23. ...heres a pic of a friends 51 coupe...

    [​IMG]
     
  24. burnin53
    Joined: Mar 22, 2009
    Posts: 597

    burnin53
    Member
    from cuba,n.y.

    I think there is a guy on here called blt4speed that has a badass chevy four door gasser.
     
  25. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    I was lined up behind him in the staging lanes, but never got to line with him last weekend. Was wondering what his time was, I never got in a postition to see his time on the board. Car sounded good though.
     
  26. burnin53
    Joined: Mar 22, 2009
    Posts: 597

    burnin53
    Member
    from cuba,n.y.

    blt4speed2.jpg blt4speed.jpg
     
  27. outlaw256
    Joined: Jun 26, 2008
    Posts: 2,022

    outlaw256
    Member

    we all build our cars to copy a style of build that we like.unless our cars were built back in the day they are all copies.so if a guy builds a nose high car and it pretty much correct then its a gasser, just like our hotrods.
     
  28. shoprat
    Joined: Dec 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,109

    shoprat
    Member Emeritus
    from Orange, CA

    X2 on Ken Browns Chev, (Olds Powered) Racer Brown.
     
  29. Fiasco Automotive out here in So Cal. ran a 49-52 chevy (don't remember what exact year) in B/Gas with a 413 or 426 Max Wedge, and ran good. There has been a couple pics of it in Hot Rod Deluxe. It was pink (of all colors) and was driven by Ed Sigmund who later ran a car called the "Snarpeasle" (hey rymes will "Sharp Weasle") and went on to and still does race in the Street Roadster classes of NHRA Competition Eliminator. Also Frantic Fred Badberg (who has a Hot Rod business out here in Sun Valley Ca.)and also retired from drag racing in the Street Roadster Class (he got his nickname from the wild antics of his injected Big Block chevy/Clutch turbo power roadster). He ran a '53-'54 Chevy Gasser. Last one, as a 4-5 year old, going to San Fernando in the mid to late sixtys to watch my dad and his partners race, I still remember a dark brown or maroon injected '49-'52 Chevy that ran out there regularly.
     
  30. Yes he did but this time it was a sedan not a hardtop. Also he painted it red with some "on acid, phsycodelic, hippie graphics".
     

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