Technical 48-52 Ford F1 Gasser

First time builder here. So far I gotten pretty far at building a old school Gasser with a few upgrades.
I started with a cab and a dream bitten by the rat rod addiction, but got tired of some of the junk people were putting out as rat rods and decided to change. Plus it was being over built and I have too much appreciation for the old tin and refuse to destroy it.

So I have went Gasser style. I built a frame from specs of a 48-52 Ford F1 frame sheet I found on this forum. I was able to locate a front axle and springs from what I believe is a 53 ford truck axle. Used S10 rear springs since they had a similar weight specs as the original Ford F1 and easy to obtain, and a 9in rear. Engine wise I'm using what I have laying around. 454 gen v. with a nv4500 trans (yes I know its heavy and a hydraulic clutch but its free.) Still don't have a front clip. Looking but debating on fiberglass.

But getting to my question. I am setting the engine and kinda need to know the engine bay size. From fire wall to front core support? I have the engine set where I like it but worried its to forward. don't really want to cut fire wall. Like to keep progress going until I determine front clip I'm using.

Thanks

 

I love a fast truck!

 

Truck 'gassers.' Was that ever a class?
And I thought rat rods were a rash.

 

Not gonna last long

 

Geeesh, if built well, what's not to like? Big engine 2x4 TR.

Oh, he used the term gasser?

 

Tunnel rams are OT anyway.. Too new.

 

Really? Seen many posted on this board, first I heard of that

 

A truck gasser?
No.
A street freak/fad/look at me/ poser/ mismatched/whatever, yes.
A gasser was allowed a 10 percent engine setback. It looks like you've gone 20 percent forward.
70s era or later tunnel ram? Big block?
"Gassers" are the new rat rods.

 

No poser here!

 

I was just going to mention Priscilla, wonder what happened to her?

 

Of course it's inevitable that the few oddball freaks from over the years will get posted in some lame attempt to make it seem like truck gassers are a perfectly common everyday thing.

Yeah, I've seen them all.

 

I saw it run last year. This year I'm not sure as events at Woodburn were all non-spectator events.

 

Any Thing with a straight axle is a “Gasser”! Research any subject Before sticking a label on it, Thank You.

 

Funny because my copy of the Rodder's Journal just showed up yesterday with a feature on the Panella Brother's '41 Willys gasser truck that campaigned back in the mid '60s, running low 10s. Awesome looking race truck.
Don't let the naysayers get you down, I think an F1 will make a cool gasser style build. I doubt you'll have a problem with engine bay clearance for your BBC since F1s came with 6cyl engines as an option (core supports have a forward set of mounting holes for radiator mounts, etc). I would measure my '51 F1 for you but it's currently in the body shop 110mi away.
Regardless, I'd still set that engine back as far as you can though. May also want to get rid of those peanut port heads, I have a genV 454 in an OT truck, at high RPMs it feels like it caught COVD-19 haha.

 

Here's a whole bunch of gassers back in the day, I didn't go through the whole list but I see at least 10 trucks just scanning it quickly. Mostly willys and ford trucks. Good pics for design ideas too.
http://georgeklass.net/gassers.html

 

That big old Dodge is a modern build (and nicely done), and I'm betting no where near competitive in B/G - My B/G Anglia was running low 9's at 150+ in the 70's and in the 8's in the 90's. Somehow doubt that brick would come close. The Panella Willys Truck, along with a couple of others ( The Silver Dollar, Ron Bizio, the Burch Brothers, Jack Merkel's, come to mind) were the exception not the rule and the reason they were competitive was due to being small and lightweight ~ they were really no differnt than the Willys cars that way.
People seem to forget these days that "Gassers" were, and are, a class of Race Cars ~ not a Trend of Fashion Statement.

 

Plenty of inspiration here.

 

Granted, not an F-1 in the bunch but I'm sure the OP won't complain, inspiration comes in many forms.

 

Josh, My 51 F1 measures 34.5" from the firewall to the engine side of the rad support. Check out the photos.
Also, don't pay attention to the nay sayers, its your truck do what you want with it. As far as calling it a gasser, you can call it a rock for all I care, its yours.

 

Little Willys and Austins make a ridiculous comparison with F1 trucks. As already pointed out:

 

Just read that NHRA even had some language in the rules for gasser trucks, regarding how you can replace the bed but it has retain stock dimensions. So obviously people were racing pickups in the gas classes.
Heck I'm even finding old pics of ford F1 panels as gassers, haha, cool stuff.

 

Thank you. I'm working on the motor this winter. pricing out heads and pistons to get up to 9.5:1 compression and better flowing heads. I do plan on taking it to the track. Hoping to pull 13's in the 1/4.