Hot Rods Bringing back a Gasser build for Southeast Gasser Association participation

2015-12-19 13.13.17 by fore-speed posted Dec 20, 2015 at 12:56 PM

2015-12-19 13.13.28 by fore-speed posted Dec 20, 2015 at 12:56 PM

2014-12-17 15.59.03 by fore-speed posted Dec 20, 2015 at 12:45 PM

 

Love to see the gasser builds

 

All your links come up as a Hamb Error. Gary

 

Killer! Great looking car, really like the intake!

 

2 things: I don't mind the wide whites, but (imho) don't think they look good on aluminum wheels. And, who's gonna fit in that back seat? Cool car though. I like it.

 

One thing, all 4 of the wheels are the originals put on the car in 1969.
The WWW's were ordered for the rear only as I thought they paid tribute to the earlier gassers running oversize street tires or re-capps for better traction. When these earliest racers found a pair of tires that were worn slick and oversize, they didn't stop to see which side looked best with the wheels.
Besides back in the day every wheel looked better with a white wall. White wall tires became affordable to the average Chevy and Ford guys in the 50's. They became Wide whites in the 55-60's trend of more and bigger everything looks better. The racer's running black wall tires were doing so because they were cheaper. Not necessary because they didn't like the look.
Your assessment of the wheel/tire combo is by today's standards. My car is built as it was or would have been in the 60's.
In the end it is important to note, this car will not win any awards for appearance. The entire car will remain in primer as I found it after 45 yrs of storage. This will not be a race car built from all new parts hidden under the old shell. Everything that we can reuse, we have. Items were replaced for safety purposes only. The reason no one will fit in the back seat is because there wasn't any rollbar and I do not have a death wish. No one needs to set in the back seat because "THIS IS A RACE CAR". AND I DRIVE IT FROM THE SEAT IN THE FRONT, YOU KNOW, THE ONE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL.

 

If its a race car it would have the seat [BACK] removed for weight savings.

 

"" "THIS IS A RACE CAR". AND I DRIVE IT FROM THE SEAT IN THE FRONT, YOU KNOW, THE ONE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL.""

OK..But make pics appear, still can't access..

 

Not necessarily so...

 

Good looking build, betting on 2.02 valves if the owner spent the money on a new shortblock.
If that T10 is numbers correct for a vette, I suggest selling it to the resto crowd and going with a stout trans that you don't have to be worried about. TKO600 with shift mods will take the abuse and let you gear the car for the strip, just my opinion.

Keep the updates coming.

 

I agree. Unfortunately the original builder didn't take it that serious, I guess. My job here is to preserve, protect and restore this vintage original gasser. The original owner first modified the car to a semi-custom street car. He added light custom touches most likely purchased from suppliers such as J.C. Whitney. He added chrome door frames that snapped over the original frame. He added a chrome cover that snapped over the glove box door. There is a chrome cover over the steering column. These gadgets and bling items seem to indicate the owner was not a hard core installer of speed parts. Removing the hood trim and installing an aftermarket chrome strip down the center of the hood implies to me a desire to make his car unique with a limited amount of mechanical skills.
So, at some point when the car is probably over 10 but under 17 years old, he has someone recover the seats and door panels with a black vinyl material, simulating leather, with large buttons tufted into the seat surfaces. For that reason, when the transformation to gasser began, the owner opted to keep his beautiful back seat and door panels because he liked them and probably paid a good price to have them done. The thought of lightening the load may not have ever crossed his mind.
My job is to preserve his choices not infuse my personal preferences.
Believe it or not we took great pains to install the new roll bar around not through that custom back seat.

 

I hope your bet is right on the 2.02's. I have determined those heads could have had 1.94 or 2.02 intake valves and we will not know until the heads are removed again.
I agree with your idea on the T-10. It is the same situation I have with the rear differential. To restore to "as built condition" would compel me to keep both the trans and rear in the car. As long as I use the car for exhibition only, I could make passes down the strip and keep the rpms in a safe range. The car sounds great with fenderwell headers, cam, 2-4 carbs and good heads. The one hangup is the rear gear of 3:08 just doesn't allow for high rev'in runs because I think this setup would allow me to drive 1/4 mile wot in two gears. I really need the rear gear to get up through the gears and cross the finish in 4th gear. The last thing I want to do is blow these vintage parts into the weeks.
It isn't my fault the original owner thought "the're Corvette parts, they must be good race parts".
The dilemma is, I'm not a anything it takes to go faster kind of guy. Winning races has never been my ultimate goal in any of my builds.

 

Right on, I just love making money on the resto crowd to use for better parts. I run the numbers on everything I buy. '56 vette 2x4 bbl heads, 69 Z28 block, 71 LS6 heads, 427 tuftrided L88 crank, bunch of bellhousings. Doubled my money or more on all of them and bought comparable or better parts.

Totally respect keeping as built, dumping the clutch is fun too. I like the build, wanna see more.

 

Here is an update on the front axle. Waiting for parts now to install the vega box and connect the steering.
ssteering.

 

Very nice build.

Guys I knew who went with straight axles back then used steering boxes from a Corvair or mid-sixties Chevy full size car. The Vega was a little too new. Just a thought.

 

Very slick!! I just sold my last intake like that, it was a really nice Weiand one and am really regretting selling it...

 

Found a suitable replacement for the light duty rearend that was in the gasser when built in 1969. The car was never really put to the test when built, so I guess they didn't realize it would never stand up to the abuse.
Replacement rear is a 69 (period correct) nova 10 bolt with a spool and 4:56 gear set.

 

I don't have much faith in the ten bolt, I've seen many broken with healthy street tires..Is it a c clip axle retention?

 

Ah the old LoadMasters rear shocks I have installed my share of them. Got better commission on them

 

It does have the C clips eliminated. All internal parts are Moser with hardened long studs. The housing is reinforced top and bottom.

 

Good! I hate breakage!

 

you can prepare but not 100% prevent.

 

So happy to have this update picture to show the overall effects of all the hard work done by the guys.

 

Peep mirrors added, rear wheel wells radius-ed, trim added to door, gas door installed and cherry bomb mufflers installed. Front tank is all fabbed and will be re-installed now that most all mods are done.

 

Love these 51's as a gasser. Looking fantastic!

 

The 51 is now known as "Shifty 51" Most everything has been addessed, car passsed tech by Great Lakes Gasser's at Milan Drag Strip. I need some fine tuning prior to first trip down the track.

 

I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

 

I hope you are going to change to DUAL throttle return springs with a proper bracket.

 

YES, thanks for reminding me. That is one thing pointed out to me during tech but I forgot it.

 

After driving the car several times on the open road, I found the steering to be unreliable, it was very herky jerky when trying to navigate curves at 25-35 mph. That will definitely need to be addressed asap. Another issue has been the carbs and back firing. I feel the power valves are blown and I will need to tear both carbs down prior to anymore driving. Quain has ask that I replace the front tires and wheels with slimmer ones aka "front runners". I have been looking and have not been able to find vintage replacements as he has requested. He also wants me to eliminate the alternate side exhaust as it does not follow the Gasser theme. I have pretty much decided to scrap any plans of street driving anyway, so I will modify it to allow removal at the track.
I'm currently in Florida for the winter. Been here since last Nov. with no way to work on the car that is stored back in Michigan. My to-do list is complete and realistically, I will be lucky to have the car ready to compete by mid summer.