Hot Rods Numbers on doors and...

...fake racing class designations. This has become too common. It seems silly to me. Why do people do it? A big ass pick up truck with a blown big block and a gas tank stuck on the grille, sporting a D/G on the fender is really kind of dumb. Or, at least historically inaccurate... It doesn't actually rise to the level of offensive, but to we who loved drag racing and the Gasser Wars, who hung in the pits and in the stands, it looks like a sad attempt to be cool. If this is you, please don't get your feelings hurt. It's less a case of us making fun of you and more of a case of telling you, discreetly, that your fly is open.

 

I totally agree......also the old trucks with some fake speed shop name on the door. Lame.
But, everyone has their idea of what's cool. I don't let it bother me anymore...

 

Small penis?

 

No thanks


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Still gets me in trouble....


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It isn't a sad attempt to be cool It is a HAPPY attempt to be cool!! Why did I do it? 'Cause I have ALWAYS loved Willys gassers since I quit playing with the toys at Smith's Market in Porterville in about 1962 and picked up a Rod & Custom with a Willys feature article. I started my dream then. About 1964 I noticed the tell-tale spare tire panel on a car sticking out of the car port at a friend's house in Terra Bella when riding the school bus as a Sophomore. Turned out to be a '36 Willys coupe originally bought by his grandfather. He agreed to sell me the car for $75. I saved up all summer to buy it. In the mean time I found out another classmate had a 331 hemi in torn down condition which I bought for $25. Another friend had a '54 Merc with a '54 Hydramatic dual range 4spd trans he traded for a '56 dual coupling Hydramatic that was in a '56 Olds parts car I bought at the junk yard. I got the Drag Machine long bell housing-to-Hydro adaptor and flywheel as my HS graduation gift. With all the parts acquired I started my life long dream to drive an A/GS Willys coupe. It took me 30 years (had to get a college education, rear a family, get the money, get the skills, etc., etc., etc.) but I finally got my dream car on the road in about 1995. Never been ashamed it is a cartoon of a gasser, I get goose bumps every time I see it 55 years after I saw it in that car port. It has never crossed my mind whether someone else thinks I am an silly for my cartoon car.

Kinda begs a huge number of similar questions; why do guys put chrome Jag suspensions on street rods? They are totally impractical. And why paint a car with candy paint and spend untold hours polishing it to perfection? WAY too difficult to keep in perfect condition if the car is driven, and REALLY expensive. And why put headers on a crate engine? They serve absolutely no purpose. And why spend big bucks getting a custom leather interior when there are really inexpensive seat covers available at Pep Boys? And what is the practicality of chrome or billet valve covers, chrome air cleaners and why fight a single wire alternator that is constant problem when a factory two wire unit works much better?

Answer to all the above including the initial question - whatever makes YOU happy on YOUR car is the best option!

 

I've always thought gasser trucks are kinda retarded...

 

Yeabut; will back down most rice-burners which is a victory for the good guys!

 

yeah....come on, guys....we all know the number and fake class designator go on the window, with shoe polish.

 

Thanks for posting that story, makes seeing a photo of the car a bit memorable now after taking so long to build. Bob

 

I hate 'em...

 

I rarely put "fake" numbers and class designations on my car, but when I do, its usually because Im getting ready to break something...

 

This hobby is supposed to be fun!! Some of you guys are way to serious...

 

I honestly doubt that D/G pickup would back down any serious ricer. You can think all you want but those guys make seriously crazy HP in some tiny packages. I helped a kid a couple years ago that was running 9.0 @ 175 with a FWD Honda 4 cyl and a single hair dryer. Well over 1000HP with a stock crank and block. He wouldn't have wasted his time on a fake gasser that wasn't anywhere close to his league.

I can see some of the number stuff. Certain cars it looks good, certain cars it comes off as purely poser. Depends on the car. I get more bunged up on Moon tanks handing off grilles or noses a foot and a half higher than the tail. Never liked those 2 deals.

Next week, fake blowers and does changing pulley sizes make them more cool or more dorky.....

SPark

 

Darn! And I was just about to order the 4 pie crusts for my 4 speed, straight axle NAPCO. I am beginning to feel that I will never be accepted

 

Everybody doesn't agree on everything. That's why we have politics and horseracing.
No matter where you draw your line in the sand, the guy standing next to you will probably draw his somewhere else. If you get 2 or more to draw their line in the same place, you can start a club. If you get a dozen more, you can start a movement. Multiply that by 10 or 20 and you can start a culture.

 

That would the Texas and the Alamo, correct?

 

Really went there huh Phil. Yes, it's a serious insult to guys like us who actually had a tech guy slop a number and class on a car we were actually racing. My bitch is if you must do it, do a little research, and actually get the class designation right for the car. It's not that hard. Regarding the "D/Gas" pickup, no car EVER ran D Gas with a blown anything under the hood.

 

As a guy who was born decades after drag racing died out I dont have much of an issue with it. Wouldnt do it my self.
for the most part my eye just kinda passes over it.
Personally im not into gasser trucks but think gassers are cool and have eyes on my father-in-laws morrie for the project.
For me the older the car and more faded the numbers the better. Think old 30s rides look the best but hey thats just me. If they have ever been down the line isnt to much of a biggie for me. Number or not we all feel like racers when we feel that rumble.

 

It's like Japanese wearing shirts with nonsensical English language words or phrases on them. They don't care about the actual meaning, as long as the look of it is cool...to them. Of course, English is not their first language, but in the subject of this discussion, it is.

 

There is a bright side to the OP’s concern with the ‘misappropriation’ of numbers and class designations that some in our hobby seem to enjoy.

It suggests that the OP does not have any greater threats to his well being and that is a good thing.

Ray

 

Thanx Kid. It truly is a life-long love affair! Here are some shot when I first started it's migration to Gasserdom. I was probably in JC (19?) when the pics were taken. The 'finished 'car was about the same time. It ran but that is about all the good I can say about it. Suffice it to say I incredibly survived driving it with its farm implement rear tires, beer keg gas tank, running-board-bracket-converted-to-brake-pedal brakes, stock front mechanical brake drums converted to hydraulic with a some junk yard slave cylinders, etc., etc., etc.

 

I actually think Dean nailed it with doing a little research. I think the 60s was a great era and I for one have great memories that I will never forget. I understand why people want to emulate the era but I wish they would do a little research and stick to an era. I cringe when I see so many moon tanks with fake spindle mounts (except on altereds), and white wall slicks. Some research would show whitewalls belong on 50s and early 60s builds for the most part and spindle mounts do not belong on cars emulating the gas classes. I really appreciate it when I see guys that get it right but sadly I do not see that many guys actually try to pick a year and stick to it with the look, stance, class designation, lettering and/or stickers, wheels, traction aids, induction set ups etc. Some get it close which is cool and some miss the mark by a bit.

Overall though I think it may help keep what I believe is the coolest era alive for more than a few years to come which is not all bad.

 

I am sometimes to black and white , myself. But I noticed I enjoy the day better when I add in a little gray .

 

Yep, early to mid sixties is in my estimation the Hay Day of Hot Rodding. It was exactly what American Graffiti was depicting. It wasn't a myth. It was a time for cruising, street racing, looking for hide and drag strips on the weekend. Dean has it right the blown P/U should not have been in D/G class. That was for cars with a modified SBC's and other low displacement engines. I have to chuckle when I see guys who think they know how it was back in the day but don't have a clue.

 

'Dragging' Main in Porterville was what we did in the 60s. American Graffiti was supposedly set in Modesto but I would put Porterville's 60s Main street Friday night cruising up against any city in the country. Guys from Bakersfield came to Porterville to drag main. And it was EXACTLY like the movie. Everyone headquartered at Coleman's next to the high school to be seen. then take a couple circuits east on Olive to Main, up Main and back to Olive, then back to Coleman's.

 

Very nice Willys, willys36. I'm glad you didn't slap meaningless numbers on it. Does it run as good as it looks?

 

I agree.....lots of shades between the two extremes..........

Ray

 

Just part of having fun.....do your research first though, like Dean said!
Just part of having fun.....like pictures of old cars in front of old abandoned buildings!

 

Nothing new!