Close- from when all the big shiny went to the chrome shop- It's a neat ideal- back in the day it would of been about the same as making a cadillac a gasser- I think it only shed about 80 puonds but it is one heavy mother to take off lol. danny
Alright, first of all, that '57 Olds drag/show car is the coolest shit in existence, period. Chopped top, fade paint, canted quads, bubble scoop... damn! "Gas" indexes were weight divided by cubic inch, so running a huge monster car was an excuse to run a huge monster engine. Plus a '57 Olds has an incredible rear axle that could probably handle everything short of a modern top fuel Hemi. Plus there is a lot of history of drag racing wagons of all makes, lots of professional and amateur teams ran them. http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/69678_1961_drag_racing_dodge_dart/photo_07.html All it's about is having fun. If cutting up an old wagon blows up your skirt, go for it...
Build it however you want. Then bring it to Mokan, like Denise said. I'll line up aginst you in my gasser-inspired old hunka-junk that I built the way I wanted. We can be misfits together!
Ben reading this thread with interest. I'm new here and am building a 55 chev gasser. Not for racing but I know it will end up at one. I'm not doing it for coolnessor anything else. I'm gonna have FUN and burn the wheels off her because it reminds me of a simpler day and time when my kids could ride there bikes around the block without a body gaurd. Is'nt that why we are doing what we are doing any,TO HAVE FUN AND JUST BE A KID AT HEART AGAIN!
Right on,my friend! You have said it the way it needed to be said completely BUILD IT / DRIVE IT/ ENJOY IT!
This is an interesting thread topic..alot of back and forth..it is YOUR car, build it any ol way you want, whatever blows yer hair back....I have an old 51 Chevy Hardtop ex-gasser that probably would be alot more "valuable"? if I restored it..but I can't help but want to go back to its racecar days..the gasser section of the new R&C has a picture of a black hardtop gasser and it inspires me...
Opinion's are like @$%holes everyone has one. I drive and enjoy what i like, you like it or you don't. Don't matter to me. Build it, Drive it, Beat it, Chop it, Drag it, just enjoy it! http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3333389 1971 Vega Panel GASSER. what the hell else would you do with a Vega.
At least the Vega isn't some heavy luxury car that has no business being considered a "race car." The basic idea is to create something that at least could be fast.
Gotta agree with Philly on this one, and the word "Gasser" is about the most abused in the hobby these days.
I agree i dont like the butchery myself, BUT, MANY 60's drag classes were based on weight vs HP or CU So even the heaviest of cars WERE competitive in certain classes There were a few sucessful '57 olds cars even, most of which were running rockets and hydros
There was a reason for big, heavy cars in the lower Gas classes, it was to do with rules and trying for an advantage. There is no reason for a fake drag car that looks like a barge on the street IMO. Maybe someone will take a crew-cab dually cab with a tow-truck bed and make a fake "Gasser" out of it...that doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Danny, I had a white 57 hdtp, I took the bumper off too, I have to agree that is a HEAVY awkward bumper to take off by yourself!!
Don´t have a pic of it, but I remember a ´57 88 or Super88 (short wheelbase -series Oldsmobile) Holiday Coupe I saw back in the ´80s. No pure-bred "Gasser" by any means, but it had a set of 15" Centerlines with fat gumballs out back, and a jacked-up -appearing stance to it all around. He was running a 455 in it. Cool as hell. Anyway, I just thought of that car as I saw Your thread. A ´57 as a gasser would be most impressionable. No hood and shiny stuff poking out sounds cool but if it were my car i wouldn´t bolt off that front bumper -piece as it´s one of the most impressionable parts of that car, plus removal of it most likely isn´t gonna make the car any faster or quicker, anyway.
And the olds had a lot going for them, all of the drivetrain is bulletproof, engine, tranny and rear, all are good starting points for a fast car
hey GEAR HEAD...don't worry about the weight, that 454 will take care of it. believe me there still is room for an OLDS gasser in the real world. just call it a conventinal hotrod, and problem solved. it's the wording some CLOWNS have a problem with! call me POP...or the old FART!
doing one myself without the grille and front bumper...blown 392 hemi powered too....in the planning stage right now but the driveline is done and straight axle ready to go too..
i would like to see your build AS I am doing something similar....i am from upstate ny....i will contact you when i return home in april....johnnyB