I like to think that the change had to do with someone finally figuring out the physics of it all.... But I could be wrong.
yep, once they figured out how to get the suspension to work and transfer weight, it became readily apparent that pushing all that extra air by being way up high was not such a good thing. Look at my car, Never was a nose high car. and even though i dig the ones that sat somewhat high, I wouldn't want to slow mine down and make it squirrely (no offense ) by raising it
I guess that you have completely missed the point of the thread. The queston is if a gasser runs on alcohol or gas not what type of saftey equipment it has. There are rules and retraints that keep an old race car from running on a modern track with modern rules for the track. That was not the question was it. It is about running a fueler and calling it a gasser. As long as it looks the part. Lets take a different tack (or is that tac) not to be answered just to give everyone something to ruminate on. It is easy to make in the 600-1000 hp range with a twin turbo LS7 on gas. So I got me this 55 chebby and its all jacked up to have the proper attitude, carbon fiber front end trunk and bumbers all painted so as not to look like carbon fiber as well as lexan side lights. That makes it a little lighter, if I throw my LS and a modern tranny in there is it a traditional gasser? What if I go the full race car route with electronics and an air shifter and maybe a little NOS just for good measure. Is that any different than running on fuel to make a show for the people? It looks like a "gasser" and even runs on gas but is it a traditional gasser, I mean it looks right and keeps the spirit alive doesn't it? Like I said this is not for debate just something to ruminate on. SDR Jones, No one can deny that this was or is a gasser. It ran in the era that most of what we see called gassers ran in, hell it even says gasser on the door so the fella that was getting ready to loose could tell what he was loosing to. I think it ran on pop though. Oh and just for arguements sake this car actually sat a lot lower than that when it wasn't motoring down the track I just don't have a pic handy.
Is it possible to build a car that meets modern safety standards (say for something that runs 9.90's) that may also be worthy of running at the HAMB drags (old style)? Can I make old school safe enough to pass modern tech?
Well, let's see. If you are running "gasser" class, then you run your car according to the rules of the class. Old days was readily available pump gas. Now days a lot of gasser associations allow alcohol. If you're not running a class with rules, then you are running "outlaw" (see post WAY above) and can run anything you want. .....................................................My head hurts. And as far as nose up/axle cars(how did we get here??????????????????). Pass the Excedrin.
far and away the biggest factor was tire development, Especially the arrival of the wrinkle wall, starting on dragsters in early '65, trickling down to gassers by mid '66. Note that this pre-dates the arrival of Ralph Ridgeways tunnel rams by a solid year and a half, and TR's coming into common usage by about 3 years. There were still nose-high cars being built in '66, but they were obsolete before they were finished. What 90 percent of the guys building "gassers" are actually building, if they could be bothered to investigate a little, are closer to late sixties/early seventies street cars.
I ran a D/GS Chevy for years. The class name was oficially Gas Coupes and Sedans. The allowed fuel was gasoline only. The sub classes were A,B, C and D and class was detirmined buy cubic inch of the engine and weight of the car. Present racing sanctions make their own rules so as long as everybody plays buy the same rules I guess NOS and Nitromethane would be OK. The more you tip the can the bigger the explosion.
Sure you can. You can build a proper cage, put SFI certified parts where they don't show. I think the hardest part would be wheels. Ya got to remember that a gas class car actually had fenders even if it was an A model so most of what would make it legal would not show. No one is going to boot you off the track for being safe. Someone might pitch a bitch if you entered a fuel car in gas class but no one is going to cry over you trying to keep safe. I think that if you were pulling 9s in gas class it may be suggested that you go into a competition class with the car. Like comp coupe or the like. But maybe not, everyone likes a good race. This is a change of subject if anyone will allow, but while we are talking about the HAMB Drags, for some of you fellas that want to make it interesting. You can hook up with anyone you want instead of just taking the luck of the draw. If you got a fast car and you see someone else with a fast car, seek them out in the pits amd make arranmgements to hook 'em up instead of running your fast car against someone that is a couple of seconds slower. OK back to the original arguement if there is any arguement left.
A little illustration. KS Pittmans car, circa early '65... KS Pittmans new car, built for the '66 season. Yea, I know, I know, history is stupid and boring, your "harshing the vibe, man"
<TABLE id=post7901818 class=tborder border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" align=center><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #e5e5e5 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: #e5e5e5 0px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" class=alt2 width=175>drofdar<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_7901818", true); </SCRIPT> Newbie Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Fresno Ca Posts: 66 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #e5e5e5 1px solid" id=td_post_7901818 class=alt1><!-- icon and title --> <HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5; COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->But, what do I know? Since I have modern seat/shoulder harness/crotch restraint, and a Full Face certified helmet, and the car is set up with the best in safety, perhaps I should not be lurking on this forum at all! Thank you for playing, see the lovely lady at the door, we have some very nice parting gifts... </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Well said! It's like calling all snot rags "Kleenex"! They're not! Here's a good example.... Here's a car that was NOT ALLOWED to run with THE GASSERS in Thompson because he does not have a straight axle. You be the judge... GASSER or not!
Can't be a gasser its not in primer and it is not a tri five chebby. Hell everyone knows that. Gawd some of you guys just don't know anything. I still love a J, hell I even like Allstates real well.
Are you F'n kidding me? Who are the dipshits running that program? Have they ever looked at a little history or know that probably 90% of Real Gasser's didn't have axles? maybe read an old rule book Seriously, if that is the reason they didn't let that car run at a Gasser event, they need to go to school!
That's right!!! Check out the photos from the event a few weeks ago. You'll see this car with mine (red lighting real bad) in the right lane. I don't get it... this car screams gasser.
Dad initially was running cheater slicks on his up until a guy he knew from a reputable race team gave him a set of M&H wrinkle wall's. He said his time dropped by at least a second.
Too much time in a magazine and not enough time in the pits. I guess it is hard to wax nostalgic of a time that you were not part of. DrJones, I was running cheaters (old hard basterds) on my first car because that was what my budget allowed and i was still driving to the track about 30 miles away. One weekend an older fella that I kind of knew (an old friend of my dad's) comes rolling these real slicks into my pit and says grab a jack and lets get started. I told him I couldn't accept them and he said, "Kid either race or go home." After the races I rolled them over to his pit and he said, "If they won't fit in the trunck put them in the back seat." They did shave a full second off my time.
WARNING...Rant! It applies to not only this thread... I really don't understand this place.(HAMB) Some of you younger guys get all butt hurt, pissy & confrontational when we try to keep OUR history straight. What the F is that all about? WE WERE THERE! I'm sorry, but we are telling you the straight scoop and if that doesn't fit your interpretation of what was or wasn't, take it up with your minister...I'm sure he will punch your ticket for you. Okay, I feel better now...
I like history. Notice he swapped the wheels for Crager's too. When did the first Crager's come along? Couldn't have been much earlier than '66. This may be the earliest dated picture I've seen with Crager S/S wheels. Edit: Went and did some reading. Crager S/S wheels came along in '64 according to a couple of sources.
Rich I wanted to post a smart assed remark to what you said but I was laughing so hard I had to go in the other room. Lets just leave it at well said I reread your post and I am starting to laugh again.
Was this a Geezer's Gasser's deal or some other group deal/event. It may have been just a straight axle type event. Just asking....
I personally can't answer that. But show me some "original" NHRA, IHRA or NASCAR rule books from back then that say "you MUST have a straight axle" to be a gasser.
I have seen some that suggest that maybe you shouldn't if it didn't come with one (suggest being the operative word here). But they are old books from the era that we call traditional. I don't suppose that those would apply.
I guess I'm pulling the bumper off my 55 for the hamb drags. Thanks for the pic. I'm guessing there's more to the story. Does it have a modern race or street rod type front suspension?
I understand and I'm not suggesting it's not a gasser. It may just have been a group event, that has their own rules, for THEIR event/racing. So this guy didn't belong to the group and didn't fit their rules, so he doesn't get to play. Anyone know??
I'm sorry but this rant is not "traditional". A traditional old man rant includes the phrase "get off my lawn" and a reference to "whippersnappers".
I have yet to actually use the term wippersnappers but I have been known the wield my trench gun and run people of my lawn before. But I think that it doesn't count because I don't drink pabst blue ribben and I never worked at the Ford factory.
Nope! This car, as well as others "the Brothers" have, are about as right as rain. If memory serves me correctly this "J" still has stock front suspension. This car runs in the gasser classes pretty much everywhere they take it including Bowling Green. Oh man this one is going to get me going and I really don't have time right now to fully and properly comment. I'll post something later.
The Jalopy Journal
