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Event Coverage where are all the gassers ?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by filthy frank, Sep 24, 2010.

  1. ShakeyPuddin55
    Joined: Dec 22, 2004
    Posts: 1,906

    ShakeyPuddin55
    Member

    Your post comes off as really arrogant and negative because you go to the strip the other night and didn't see any gassers. Whatever your definition of a gasser is? :rolleyes:
    So you rant and bust everyone's balls.
    The gasser guys from California are a super cool bunch of dudes. Some of them have steel Willys, or very well built expensive cars and choose not to take a chance at the Friday night drags on a greasy track with a bunch of front wheel drive Hondas, just to entertain you.

    So put up, and until then, SHUT UP.

    And gassers are supposed to be BUTCHERED. Hacked off cowls, radiused fenders, glass noses, etc. I thought you said you were there back in the day??? :confused:
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
  2. Bob W
    Joined: Sep 14, 2008
    Posts: 687

    Bob W
    Member
    from Here

    Gas cars ran in a lot of classes. They used weight breaks and raced in LBs per CI. Example would be a 10lb car would have to weigh 3270 lbs with a 327 engine. There were rules as what you could and couldn't do. Now days some guys think any rod is a "Gasser".
     
  3. I prefer the term "STREET FREAK" and that seems to fit better that gasser,my 56 gets called a gasser and its damn sure NOT a gasser,but a 70s built street car,But it gets to the point that I get tired of saying its not so I guess people DO think all axle cars are gassers...........whats a guy to do?? I got to much respect for REAL gassers to even consider my car a real gasser,wish more guys saw it that way
     

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    Last edited: Sep 25, 2010
  4. Bob W
    Joined: Sep 14, 2008
    Posts: 687

    Bob W
    Member
    from Here

    Yup, you are right "Street Freak" or "Street Machine" is a much better name. It's more in tune with what guys really have.

    Bob
     
  5. Gasser57
    Joined: Aug 23, 2005
    Posts: 749

    Gasser57
    Member

    Well said ShakeyPuddin. When the Mods lock these backwards gasser threads, they should add a link to Byron's Gasser Madness. Obviously, there are still plenty of folks out there that still have no clue what a gasser, especially a pre-66 one that qualifies for this site, is. The info would do them good. The best A bad B/fx cars of 65, with the best technology of the day, with huge financial backing, with the best drivers, were all over the 11's and 12's, and rarely in the 10's. They were a far cry from streetable as well, and much slower 5 years prior in the earlier gasser years. Whether someone wants to build an early or late styled gasser is their choice. Hot rodeos know that street/strip cars rarely do BOTH as well as they could. I sure wouldn't drop a 1200hp turbocharged, nitrous fed Subaru in gasser to keep some SPECTATOR happy with my e.t.'s, either.
     
  6. Here ya go. Real Gasser in So Cal. Record holder at the Real Irwindale (where this picture was taken) - 11.18 in 1970, B/Gas, injected Chevy with a 4 speed. ANd that was indeed FAST for the time and era. Tires sucked back then. Car got into the low 9's at 160 by the mid 90's.
    I have now restored it to its original configuration and with modern tires it should still be in the 9's, we'll see fairly soon
    Oh and look, it isn't jacked way high, in fact sat pretty low in the front and this was by 1968, it's launching in the first pic, sitting standard in the second
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  7. KooDaddy
    Joined: Oct 16, 2006
    Posts: 753

    KooDaddy
    Member
    from Wis.

    Check out the threads on here about The Meltdown @ Byron lots a neat stuff
     
  8. filthy frank
    Joined: Jan 25, 2008
    Posts: 541

    filthy frank
    Member

    you're right ! i was arrogant, but im tired of seeing all these guys jacking off to these GASSERS that are supposed to be so bad assed.im only saying, if there so bad assed, run them,not just irwindale,theres california,famoso, ect.,thats all ! and I WAS THERE AT THE EARLY TRACKS BACK IN THE DAY !i might have been young, but i was there, and i saw a LOT of REAL CARS running some real numbers, and , some of them were hacked up,but they still ran some good et's.and they were NOT all flat black !im sure your buddies are a bunch of cool dudes,and im sure they have big hearts !but im saying,lets see these cars run !i'll be wrenching on my 57,and i'll get it out to the track.have a nice day !
     
  9. bonebroke
    Joined: Aug 28, 2009
    Posts: 152

    bonebroke
    Member
    from WI.

    hey filthy frank, sell the '57 and go buy a new vette, or mustang or whatever fuelinjunked pile you want, and let somebody build the '57 to run 12s and enjoy it! jeeezusss!!
     
  10. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,603

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    :eek: Oh the power of editing :D Couldn't help myself Frank :p
     
  11. Bob W
    Joined: Sep 14, 2008
    Posts: 687

    Bob W
    Member
    from Here

    Gas Cars in the 60s.

    I guess this info came from http://gassermadness.com/ web site.

    I don't think most guys today know there were a lot of gas classes that ran in Street and later Modified Eliminators. Those cars were true Hot Rods.

    1964-1967


    In 1964, the basic rules for Gassers were unchanged from 1963. As mentioned in the previous segment of this series, many of the rules were changed in 1962 and the Gassers were now much less “dual-purpose” street & strip machines than had been required prior to 1962. The bodies were required to be “a coupe or sedan body originally produced by an American automobile manufacturer”, with the following exception “There are at present a few foreign coupe and sedan bodied cars that, in general characteristics, better meet the requirements of Gas Coupes/Sedans class better than sports car class. Provided these car bodies and cars do meet all other class requirements – wheelbase, etc. – these cars are classed according to cubic-inch displacement to weight under this section.”

    As in 62 and 63, the Anglia was restricted to small-block, unblown engines only.

    Moderate customizing was permitted, but the total height of the body couldn’t be reduced more than 4”. Fiberglass fenders, hoods, doors, and trunk lids were allowed, but their use required the addition of a roll bar which was otherwise only required in the supercharged classes, A/G, and all convertibles or customized classes. Yes, convertibles were permitted in the Gasser classes, but had to run with the top up.

    The rules also required the seats to be in the stock location, but they were permitted to be relocated no more that 4” rearward to allow additional legroom. The other interior rules were subject to a lot of interpretation. The rules for “Upholstery” read as follows: “Interiors may not be gutted. Must run full upholstery, equivalent to factory specifications. Floor mats optional. Bucket seats may replace stock seats (two required), only if they are fully upholstered. Rear seats are optional. Factory type upholstery and/or paneling must be used in lieu of the above.” So…basically, you could rip out the stock seats and carpeting, replace them with lightweight bucket seats and dump the rear seat. Sounds like “full upholstery, equivalent to factory specifications” to me…yeah, right.

    The class breakdowns were according to the following tables.

    Supercharged classes:

    A/GS


    6.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    B/GS


    9.00 to 12.59 lbs. per cubic inch

    C/GS


    12.60 or more lbs. per cubic inch

    Unsupercharged classes:

    A/Gas


    5.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    B/Gas


    9.00 to 10.49 lbs. per cubic inch

    C/Gas


    10.50 to 11.49 lbs. per cubic inch

    D/Gas


    11.50 to 12.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    E/Gas


    13.00 to 14.59 lbs. per cubic inch

    F/Gas


    14.60 or more lbs. per cubic inch

    G/Gas


    5.00 to 10.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    H/Gas


    11.00 or more lbs. per cubic inch

    G/Gas and H/Gas were for non-supercharged pre-1960 flathead V-8’s, in-line six cylinder and straight eight engines with stock production-type heads and pre-1960 unblown 4-cylinders with any type head.

    For 1965, about the only noticeable change in the rules was the addition of a “Batteries” section which required all wet-cell batteries to be located outside the passenger and driver compartment. The rules also specified that a maximum of 2 passenger car batteries may be used and they couldn’t weigh more than 150 pounds combined. No more of those 400 pound truck batteries!

    Although the rules for NHRA remained the same as far as the Anglia, etc. were concerned, NHRA was NOT the only game in town. The AHRA had made terrific inroads and, particularly in Southern California, AHRA had no problems with blower motors in the small cars. Shores & Hess put the first blown small-block Chevy in an Anglia, followed shortly by the Kohler Brothers. Upping the ante a few weeks later, the Kohlers dropped in a blown big block and were followed a week or two later by Shores & Hess doing the same. The cars were tremendously popular in Southern California, and the handwriting was on the wall. Just as an aside, Skip Hess is generally given credit for coining the term “Rat Motor” for the big-block Chevy when he had Jack Burr add that lettering to the scoop on the Shores & Hess Anglia when the big motor was put in the car.

    1966 saw a redistribution of the unblown classes as shown in the following table:



    A/Gas


    5.00 to 6.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    B/Gas


    7.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    C/Gas


    9.00 to 10.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    D/Gas


    11.00 to 12.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    E/Gas


    13.00 to 14.59 lbs. per cubic inch

    F/Gas




    Unchanged from 1965

    G/Gas

    H/Gas

    The other change for 1966 was some slight changes in the weight breaks for the supercharged cars, and a redefinition of the classes. Instead of being known as “A/Gas Supercharged”, for instance, it would now be known as “AA/Gas”. NHRA’s stated reason was to bring the class designations more in line with the rest of the classes where the double letter (AA, BB, CC) itself designated the class as a supercharged class.

    Though I suppose it seems silly in retrospect, I do recall that this change was NOT popular among the racers of these cars.

    AA/G


    6.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    BB/G


    9.00 to 11.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    CC/G


    12.00 or more lbs. per cubic inch

    The rules for 1967 were unchanged for unblown gassers running A/Gas through F/Gas. The “flathead” classes G/Gas and H/Gas saw some major changes though.

    G/Gas, at 5.00 or more lbs. per cubic inch, was now for “Non-supercharged flathead V-8’s, in-line six-cylinder, opposed six-cylinder and straight-eight engines with any type head.

    H/Gas, 11.00 or more lbs. per cubic inch, was for the same engines but with stock production-type heads.

    Noticeably absent from the “Wheelbase” section of the rules in 1967 was the passage specifying “small-block” only power for the Anglia. The supercharger was still forbidden, however.

    The blown gas classes were realigned somewhat as shown below.

    AA/G


    5.00 to 7.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    BB/G


    8.00 to 10.99 lbs. per cubic inch

    CC/G


    11.00 or more lbs. per cubic inch

    1967 was also the year when the newer body styles began showing up in the Gasser classes. While many decry this as the “death of the Gassers”, keep in mind that the racers in the classes were there to WIN, not to keep things “nostalgic”. They merely took advantage of the existing rules as written in order to try and win races.

    Next time, we’ll tackle 1968 (and the return of the “S” to the supercharged class designations) and subsequent years.

    1968-1969

    In the Supercharged Gas classes, the “S” was back! I mentioned previously that while it may seem silly now, changing the class designations from A/GS to AA/G, B/GS to BB/G and C/GS to CC/G was not a popular change with the racers. Well, they won…sort of. As of 1968, the classes were designated AA/GS, BB/GS, and CC/GS. I suppose that made everyone happy.

    As far as other changes for the gas classes, there were some fairly big changes. The biggest was probably in the frame section of the rules. AA/GS through B/G and all cars with unibody construction would now be allowed to use rectangular or square steel tubing in frame construction. The minimum was .120 wall thickness and 2x3 inch rectangular or the equivalent square tubing. Prior to this, the rules called for a “stock automobile type frame”.

    The weight breaks for the blown cars were unchanged from the prior year, but a little bit of “Tightening up” took place in the upper ranks of the unblown classes and the major shakeup was in the G/Gas and lower classes. The class designations were as follows:



    A/Gas


    5.00 to 6.49 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 5.00 to 6.99 lbs. per cu. in.

    B/Gas


    6.50 to 7.99 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 7.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cu. in.

    C/Gas


    8.00 to 9.49 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 9.00 to 10.99 lbs. per cu. in.

    D/Gas


    9.50 to 10.99 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 11.00 to 12.99 lbs. per cu. in.

    E/Gas


    11.00 to 12.49 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 13.00 to 14.59 lbs. per cu. in.

    F/Gas


    12.50 to 13.99 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was 14.60 lbs. per cu. in. or more

    G/Gas


    14.0 lbs. per cu. in. or more.


    Was flathead class

    H/Gas


    6.00 to 8.99 lbs. per cu. in.




    I/Gas


    9.00 to 11.99 lbs. per cu. in




    J/Gas


    12.00 lbs. per cu. in. or more.




    K/Gas


    10.00 lbs. per cu. in. or more.




    A bit of explanation is probably in order regarding the H/Gas through K/Gas classes. The H, I, and J classes were for “Non-supercharged flathead V-8s, in-line and opposed six-cylinder, straight-eights, and in-line and opposed four-cylinder engines with any type heads.” K/Gas was for “Non-supercharged flathead V-8s, in-line fours or sixes and straight-eight engines of American manufacture with stock production type heads installed in American production bodies.” Basically what was happening was that NHRA was making a place for the VWs and Fiats that were starting to appear in great numbers in the lower gas classes.

    In 1969, while AA/GS remained unchanged, BB/GS tightened up from requiring 8.00 to 10.99 lbs./cu. in. to 8.00 to 9.99 lbs/cu. in. and anything at 10.00 or more lbs/cu. in. was now in CC/GS.

    A/Gas through E/Gas were also unchanged, but F/Gas was now 12.50 or more lbs./cu. in. Another reshuffling took place below that, as G/Gas was back to a flathead class and K/Gas was dropped. The breakdown is as follows:

    G/Gas


    6.00 to 7.99 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was H/Gas

    H/Gas


    8.00 to 10.99 lbs. per cu. in.


    Was I/Gas

    I/Gas


    11.00 lbs. per cu. in. or more.


    Was J/Gas

    J/Gas


    10.00 lbs. per cu. in. or more.


    Was K/Gas

    K/Gas


    Dropped




    Other than that, the big news was that blown Anglias were now legal in NHRA. Prior to 1969, Anglias, with their 90 inch wheelbase, were only legal for the unblown gasser classes. As of 1969, NHRA lowered the minimum wheelbase from 92 inches to 90 inches. Of course, that didn't matter too much, since the older bodied (Anglias, Willys, etc,) cars were rapidly becoming uncompetitive next to the more modern bodied cars.
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2010
  12. I am building a "Street Gasser" andit should run mid 11s and my goal is to be able to drive it to the Lone Star Roundup and the HAMB Drags, not a big deal in this day and age of horse power. I also hope to build a Supercharged engine to get it in the 9s someday, how driveable I don't really know, yet. But I will try, you can bet on it! But it's for fun, my fun! I don't need a dick measuring contest, just friends and the common intrest in old cars and driving them. But speaking of daily drivers, how many drive a commuter depends on their needs and drive. I am lucky enough to have a short drive to work and my off topic driver/beater/parts chaser is a '82 S-10 that runs 12.90 @106 as it sits. Not real fast but fun to beat around in for the last 6 years and paid for. More money for the toys. If you want see it go to my home page. Remember, new cars are like cable TV, how much HBO do you really need??? :D
     
  13. Kenny P
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 450

    Kenny P
    Member

    Pop's drives it 1/2 hour to the Strip, unloads Mom, runs 11.4's at 120mph and then Mom hops back in and they drive it home.
    Cool.

    This was taken at Bonneville, yeah he drove it there too, from Erie Pennsylvania.
    [​IMG]
     
  14. cuzncletus
    Joined: Dec 1, 2006
    Posts: 86

    cuzncletus
    Member

    It's hard to believe I'm one of the 'old guys', but calendars and mirrors don't lie. I was there in the 60's for many of the gas wars on the East Coast. I saw SWC, Big John, the Malco gasser...many of the famous match race gassers; first the altered WB funny cars then Jungle Jim, Malcolm Durham, Jim Larsen... all the touring funny cars. That was the golden era and it was a huge influence on my wasted life. We would travel 150 miles or better to go see a big name like SWC face off against K.S. Pittman or some other national name, usually from California just like in the magazines. Many times their incredible cars ran IN THE NINES!! Think of it today. Stands packed with people from surrounding states to watch two national names face off and maybe run mid-9's. The bad local boys were in the low 10's, occasional high 9's maybe.

    Now new Camaros and Mustangs hit 9's. My younger buddy's turbo Buick drives to the track and back and runs 10.80's. A good street car in the 60's ran in the high 13's. A 12 second street car was bad enough to have a huge reputation around a big city. (Street races were everywhere, every day.) The fact is.......the good old days can't compete with the cars of today. That sure doesn't mean today's cars are more fun. In fact, the existence of this board argues the opposite. But anybody today racing a small block Chevy, a 302 Ford, or a Mopar hemi is running a dinosaur, just as ancient and obsolete as the flatheads scattered on my garage floor. The tuners, the turbos, the technology from the factories is a whole evolutionary era beyond our old tyrannosaurus's.

    So don't bad mouth a guy who's gasser runs 12's. There were pits full of 11 and 12 second B, C, and D gassers. If he's running a small block Chevy typical of "back in the day" he's going to be doing good. He knows he's not going to be the fastest just as sure as I know I can spend the amount of money that would buy me a killer crate motor just to try to get my flathead competitive as the slowest Jap car off the lot. The point is challenging yourself, having fun, and not giving a very big slice of a three bean crap about what anybody else thinks.

    If you want some exciting racing these days, go watch the 10.5 outlaws. That's the closest to 60's style gasser/altered racing I've seen in decades. If you want to have fun, go find a 327 and a tunnel ram and see if you can twist it past 9 grand as I saw so many do back in the dawn of the hippie era. D/Gas 55 Chevys, spinning a two bolt bottom end through the traps at suicide rpms, and clocking 12.90's. And we loved it.
     
  15. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Man, I have learned SO MUCH about what constitutes a "gasser" since I have joined HAMB!
     
  16. Thanks Man, Sometimes I just sit in a lawn chair like a Street Rodder and stare the damn thing!

    And what isn't!:eek:
     
  17. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Actually, I knew THAT long before I got here. Seems I have to unlearn it, or someone might call me a cranky elitist asshole.:D So lemme see, if it has 5-spokes, or aluminum slots, its a "gasser". If it has a blower, its a "gasser". If it has a tunnel ram, its a "gasser". Fenderwell headers? Oh hell yea! Its a "gasser". Primered? Yup, its a "gasser". Man, I was WAY ahead of the curve, and didnt know it! My V-8 Pinto driver back in 1978 had aluminum slots, fenderwell headers, sat nose high and was in black primer! I didn't know it then, I just thought it was a sh*tbox, turns out it was a "gasser"!:eek::D
     
  18. Blacktop Graffiti
    Joined: May 2, 2002
    Posts: 964

    Blacktop Graffiti
    Member

    Can't we just say 'gasser-style'?
     
  19. 57tony31
    Joined: Jul 20, 2008
    Posts: 632

    57tony31
    Member
    from Woods

    Not trying to start anything but whats that bus got to do with a gasser:eek:
     
  20. ags41dave
    Joined: Mar 17, 2010
    Posts: 96

    ags41dave
    Member
    from midwest

    Frank:May I suggest that you come east if you wish to see lots of gassers running at the tracks Mich.Ohio,penn.are a gasser heaven,Dave
     
  21. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Well, the irony is, I spent a LOT of time hanging around the shop of a guy who actually DID have a gasser(no quotation marks) a D/G Thames. If I woulda started referring to my pinto, or any of the 20 odd straight-axle street cars that were running around our town as "gassers" I probably wouldn't have even SURVIVED the withering rain of ridicule I would have been subjected to. But, that was then, this is now.
     
  22. GlassThamesDoug
    Joined: May 25, 2008
    Posts: 1,527

    GlassThamesDoug
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Gassers will be at Famoso Oct 15-17
     
  23. choprodz
    Joined: Nov 18, 2006
    Posts: 82

    choprodz
    Member

    Both of these Anglias ran the strips in the late 60's. The blue one ran BB/GS and the gold one ran the street as well as the track. The paint on the gold car was done by Creative Customs in St.Louis Mo. Bill can throw down paint like a MO-FO! The blue one is for sale and listed in cars for sale.
     

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  24. filthy frank
    Joined: Jan 25, 2008
    Posts: 541

    filthy frank
    Member

    thanks johnnie gee ! at least YOU have a sense of humor ! and 41 dave, thanks for the invite ! i will be headed your way soon as i finish my car ! there is NO way ill ever get a vette ! ANY year !
     
  25. filthy frank
    Joined: Jan 25, 2008
    Posts: 541

    filthy frank
    Member

    thanks johnnie gee ! at least YOU have a sense of humor ! and 41 dave, thanks for the invite ! i will be headed your way soon as i finish my car ! there is NO way ill ever get a vette ! ANY year !
     
  26. Mr. Jean
    Joined: Dec 13, 2007
    Posts: 603

    Mr. Jean
    Member

    Here's a gasser for you Frank, but we were there different nights.:p:D
    The old Irwindale back in 68-69.
    [​IMG]
     
  27. Mazooma1
    Joined: Jun 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,598

    Mazooma1
    Member

    If something is modified, someone will call it a gasser. You can put money on it.
     
  28. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    Yea, the paint on the gold one is neat. Gotta like that!
     
  29. Nope, just got to stop listening to all the "Experts" on here about "gassers" :eek: (and I dig V8 Pintos, but gotta have more of the Pro Stock vibe, oooh let's start a discussion about Pro ...... never mind ;))
     
  30. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    If I didnt run it with the front end up a bit, the pipes would catch litter left on the road, and drag it along for the ride. Considering what the car looked like, that may have been kind of appropriate, but it was embarrassing and disconcerting when the greasy hamburger wrappers would burst into flame... :eek::D
     

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