New here and absolutely love the site. I'm wondering if anyone here has or is building a street replica of an old factory experimental drag car. Just like the gassers, altereds and etc. of that era, they were just too cool. These are the cars from which the term "funny car" was derived of course but before the one piece flopper bodies. Altered wheel bases, set back engine, injector stacks sticking through the hood and a straight axle of course. Any other fans of these? I'm betting yes.
I'm a HUGE fan of these cars. Lots of lookalikes on here, I'm even getting ready to do a 63 F100 Styleside kinda like the F 100XL Drag Truck that was unibody. Just do a search for gasser, I did and came up with ALOT of cool stuff.
This is a 51' Ford altered wheel base that I bought from our very own "Groucho". It's got a 421 Pontiac with a 4 spd. It was just shot for Rod & Kulture magazine.
Do a search - http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php I'll bet there are over a hundred gassers either in progress of running throughout HAMBland. If you really need a fix, look here - http://gassermadness.com/ http://www.jrthompson.net/gasserlegends.html They were big here before they be came the trend that seems to be starting. Vance
I did a search on factory experimental and found at least one link w/ relevant pics. http://samson-power.com/65afx/photo.htm They were not gassers although they had some similarities to them. Actually by the rules of the time I believe they could be run as and sometimes were run as altereds. Most of the pictures on this link are actual F/X cars are precisely what I was describing. Some of my favorite body styles for these were the '65 Coronet or Belvedere, '66 Dart, '65 and '66 Fairlanes or Comets, etc. I've always wanted to build a fairly authentic street replica of this brief and unique period in drag racing. With the great variety of cars and tastes around here, surely someone's doing one.
Notorious - I envision doing that one day as well - my problem is the lack of budget and lack of talent. I actually have 2 old sports cars and an old motorcycle that need attention, so I will probably sell one of the cars. I likely will snare a beater Chevy II or Dart and keep it, and execute as time and money permit. Love the F/X cars - more so than the gasser...hope to see more!
I just picked up: "Extreme Muscle Cars...The factory lightweight legacy" by Kruse Publications at Iola. It's an awsome book that covers Factory lightweight and AWB cars. It's full of vintage photo's as well as modern photo's of some of the cars from then as they are today. It covers every brand from AMC to Pontiac, as well as some stories about original lightweight drivers. I HIGHLY recommend it!
If you go to www.performanceking.com, you'll see some good work from "Mr. Rich" - unfortunately, he's West Coast, no help to me. Another interesting group is www.thefunnycarfarm.com - these are the guys that helped Steve Magnante build his Nova 'basher. I lean towards doing a Nova since you can buy bolt on front clips complete with the axle assembly. Not cheap, but easy for the all thumbs crowd. Otherwise, I'd get a straight axle from a Mopar van and put it on. No way I could accomplish the read wheel move. I am limited to engine work, body stuff is not my thing...any East Coast shops that do that work?
I was involved with 4 friends in the purchase of a 1962 Plymouth Savoy. We bought this car in 1966 and ran it that summer at the local drag strip. The car was one of the first factory lightweight non altered wheelbase cars. I believe these cars were built for the series of exibition match races that toured the country in 62 and 63. This car featured raised torsion bar mounts, aluminum front bumper, hood, and fenders. The rear side windows were plexiglass, there was no rear seat (reminiscent of a business coupe) no door windowcranks or vent windows, just a piece of glass sliding up and down in the chanels on a with a piece of nylon strap to raise and lower it. It had no carpets, a taxicab style bench seat, no radio, no heater. It did have a spare tire, filled like a tractor tire with water and calcium chloride for weight. It had traction bars on the rear axle (don;t know if they were stock or add on) The engine was a 413 Wedge with the long style cross ram intake, factory headers, and push button loadflite trans (truck unit) with 4.13 locked dif rear axle. We ran it A Gas Street Altered, on cheater slicks. I think the best time was a high 11's, the factory cars were running low 10's at about 145. These were the follow on altered wheelbase deal (1965) Richard Petty Sponsored a 66 altered wheelbase hemi Barracuda I remember being at the local strip running agains Dick Landy car like the one below. http://www.mopar.com/img/body_profile_mu_1005a.jpg http://www.mopar.com/img/body_profile_mu_1005a.jpg http://www.mopar.com/img/body_profile_mu_1005d.jpg
I love them, I am building a 65 falcon, I moved the rear axle forward 10 inches. I have a chrome moly straight axle for the front it will be 5 inches forward. I have an F.E. ford engine that I am building for it.
A few years ago i helped build 2 A F/X style Pontiac Tempests. A white 62 that runs high 9's/low 10's , and a white 63 that runs mid 11's. Both are Pontiac powered.
Here is my clone of Hadin Proffett's car. Fenderwell exit headers are in the works, and I'm thinking about moving the front wheels forward a couple of inches.
Judd, Is that a stock wheelbase? Hayden's Comet definitely had the rear wheels pushed forward. Even so, pushing the front with a straight axle is awesome, definitely do it. I was into the idea of Nostalgia Funnies before the new craze (with new "old" bodies - feh!) - they even have Associations to run. I know there are Super Stock leagues, but what about an F/X group? Anyone know if that exists?
1 AWB 65 Dodge just left our shop...........another in the wings..and our 65 Comet AWB also...and a 65 Plymouth coming out soon. M.
Tex, really? How much do they run? Curious - I am not in the market, but if/when .... of course by then it'll still be outta my league!
It's not a copy of anyone's car, but it's still an A/FX or possible gasser anyways. I'm in the process of building a mid-60's style 1963 Plymouth Valiant. I've made room for the 440, but I'm stock on whether I should run the heavy but easy straight axle or the light but not as period correct independent? Decisions.
I picked up a chrome moly axle at a swap meet that I am using, This makes it easier to push the front wheels forward.
Can't help but remember a buddy in the mid 60's started to alter the wheelbase on his new Plymouth when he got sent to basic training by the National Guard. He had it cut up real good at a buddies house when he left. Seems his dad had a minor wreck and thought he'd just drive his son's car while his was getting fixed. When Bill's dad saw this "new, still not payed for, cut up, undrivable car" he wrote his son and said, "boy you really done it now". The car eventually got finished and even later got a hemi transplant and drove the streets of Fresno.
I'm working on a 65 Belvedere 2-door sedan altered wheelbase.I moved the rear 17in. and the front is a straight tube axle.The Fenner Tubbs 65 A/FX Plymouth is my inspiration.
The Jalopy Journal
