gassers w/o straight axles

So how do some of the mid 50s gassers get the front end up w/o using a straight axle? Sifting through threads Ive noticed quite a few.

 

some used ball joint spacers and taller coils...seems like ive seen some early 50s chevy with i-beams between the frame and k-members...

 

55-57 Chevy's had modified extended spindles.
Other types of spacers become more popular over straight axles as time went on as the overall geometry was better and safer.

 

I saw an early 50s chevy with a straight axle that showed a past set up with I beams in a magazine

 

In the 50's the real gassers were usually street cars with an engine swap and no jacked suspension. I don't remember any jacked suspensions until the Ramchargers Car showed up and started the trend. The C/gas 52 Ford we had that ran a 56 Thunderbird 312 was actually lowered and it held a couple of track records in the PNW in the mid 50's. In those days a gasser had a modified or swapped engine and wasn't a poser with a jacked up suspension.

 

For my '57 wagon, I lightened the hell out of the front end ('glass fenders, hood, doors, no bumper, no inner fenders) and installed 6cylinder front coil springs. With a small block, I can just about get my head between the top of the 14-inch tire and the front fender opening.
Even if all the front steel was there, it'd still sit high. '62 Chevy 409 w/AC coils would get it up with all the sheetmetal in place.
-Brad

 

Around 64, locally it was a hard running car, won a lot. It had balljoint spacers, worn out shocks, and left as hard as any of them.
Larry T

 

I had a 57 2-door post in the 70s jacked up pretty good with heavy duty front coil springs and long shackels out back. I had 14x6 cragars in front with 15x8 cragars out back and Tiger paw tires. Anybody remember those Hi-Jackers with the rabbit?

 

You mean the Gabrials? (spelling) LOL yeah! Those things always leaked!

 

on the 49-54 chevy I have seen 2x4 steel between the frame and the front end. there is one on here as well but they were pulling them out to drop it cant remember exactly what year but it was 49-54

 

I second that. As stated in Gasser Wars 1955-1968 "a Gasser was a modified coupe or sedan, fully capable of being driven on the street with some type of hot rod engine"

 

That's a badass '55 dude. We need to hear more about it.

 

Those are the ones. They still make them today, but I remember back in the 70s some of the guys used to put the the sticker on their window, the one with the cartoon rabbit who has his rump up in the air and it said "Hi Jacker"

 

My high school buddy had a Chevelle with Hi Jackers on the back. He got a ticket for bumper highth on the way to school one morning.

 

Yeah Ive got the stickers in the back side glasses of my 55.
I had one side reversed so they would both be facing the same way.
I dont have the equipment just the stickers, its the same way they done it back in the day

 

Here's one of ours without, Ball joint extenders and coils and twist in knuckles.

 

Wow. Very nice

 

a guy from iowa had i-beams in his 53 at the 03 or 04 hamb drags.

 

Before the straight axle, we used balljoint extenders and spring compressors reversed to work as extenders. The extenders all broke at the same time. It was a little iffy there for a while.

 

we used six cylinder coils or torsion bars and worn shocks with extensions or 90/10's an ball joints spacers or extenders but it wasn't to raise the car it was for better weight transfer and the car would settle down after the 1/8 for better miles per hour.most of the cars were lower than stock plus we reworked the arm bushings grinding the serrated part so there would be no preload

 

1963 Pocono Drag Lodge,Bear Creek Pa

Left the starting line at 9 grand......


taller front springs..lightened A-arms...90/10 front shocks....57 pontiac rear, Pat Bilbow built wheels......

 

Here's a photo of mine.

 

I have a pic of the 51 Ford my wife and I built but can't seem to get it attached. Has a BB Mopar w/tunnel ram, 9", fenderwell headers, and stock front end that handles great. Anybody help to get some pics up?

 

This is '67-'68 and still had stock front suspension with ball joint spacers and relocated upper control arm mounts in B/G

 

That 55 is beautiful.

 

When I was 16 (1972), I drove a '54 Chevy with the I-beams as a daily driver. It had a 12 inch steering wheel with no power steering. Man, was that a bitch to steer in town.

 

49-54 chevys can be set up like this

 

Guy here has a wagon set up gasser style high in the front by using 3 inch drop spindles then swapping them upside down.. makes a 3 inch lift.

 

What type of car and do you have any pics of under the car looking at the spindles. Most spindles have the camber built in them and fliping them would cause major problems includeing mounting the steering arms so as not to have bump steer.

 

That's what I was thinking . . . I'm curious howl he pulled this off and how well it drives. Pix would be nice.