Projects Gasser Rims... Red V Black

I am building my first gasser, well that is the eventual goal. I'm starting with a couple necessary repairs to get it safe and drivable. It will remain stock'ish until i collect the items that are required to gasserize the Studebaker. I have a great start, but before i can install the big engine/trans i need a rearend. I can install a gasser front end before the engine swap, or after but either way i need that rearend, so i hunt for a studebaker Dana 44...

Same kind of story with the brake upgrade, converting to disk brakes just to be safer until the new front end is installed (with disk brakes). I need new wheels before i install the brakes because the old drum wheels wont allow for calipers to clear the center of the rim.

Wow, all that and I am just getting to the question!

I purchase a set of plain steel rims with baby moon caps and beauty rings. At first, I was looking at a set that were close to the ones I purchased, but they were already powder coated semi-gloss black and were a hundred bones more per wheel, beauty rings and caps extra! So i got mine thinking id get them painted fire truck red. I was not expecting to not be able to find a shop that would paint them. Several people suggested powder coating. I'm told that red doesn't hold up well unless its cleared so the cost of powder coating to red (3 stage coating process) is more than a two stage coating. This got me thinking about a satin black rim instead of red. I like red and think it would look bitch'n, but semi-gloss black with the polished baby moon and beauty ring would look bad ass...

I kind of want a mostly period correct 60s/70's gasser. I think those red rims would be killer on my 38 dodge pickup, but might be too much of an old school look for my 60 Lark.

Your thoughts...

 

Halibrands.

 

There are threads about real gassers. I suggest you study them. And BTW Gimpy is correct.
Especially in light of this statement:

 

Ditto!!!!!

 

Steel wheels are ok just not those and not every gasser had Halibrands

 

baby moons and trim rings? hmmm....

(black, to answer your question)

 

White wheels (sometimes with a other-color stripe) were popular as you could see wheelspin easier.

The last thing you want is any type of 'smoothie' steel wheel, with or without a hubcap or trim...

 

I concur!
15x12's.

 

Paint 1/2 of your black wheels white, or at least a thick white stripe.
Like this dude did. Cragars or Americans up front.

Like Gimpy said, Hali's are perfect, and I'm partial to the magnesium TTs

 

When will this fake Gasser trend end?

 

Rules stated no hubcaps unless they were bolted on like the moon discs. So your wheel choice would really show off how fake your gasser really is. Steelie's with no caps or trim rings would be better. Narrow in the front and wide in the back. Half painted one color and another color on the other half was very traditional so they could tell if you were spinning off the line.
Look at the Southeast gasser rules to get an idea which wheels are traditional.

 

I am afraid if you build your "gasser" with hubcaps and trim rings you will be labeled as a poser before your get out of your driveway. IMO gassers are race cars, all these guys that hit the cruise ins and car shows with their fake gassers don't have a clue. All that said,its what ever floats your boat. Make the car like you want it to make you happy, just be ready for some negative comments from the peanut gallery.

 

I respectfully think you fall squarely into the category described below. No harm though, build what makes you happy. But don't get all butt-hurt when the welcome wagon blows by you by those who actually do get it.

 

Quick google search for Studebaker gasser brought up a ton of stuff...... no hub caps tho.
Build what makes you happy, but if your going for period correct then do your research.

 

Most of the rest had "Americans" as stated No Hubcaps or Trim Rings allowed in the Gas class.

Pat

 

This is going to sound pretty harsh but here goes. Most will not build a car with a prime requisite being the color of the wheels. Gimpy does have a point though, many builds (of all types of cars) have been inspired by Halibrands.
Adapting disc brakes to your present spindles sounds like money spent putting the cart before the horse. Why upgrade now and then have to change some, or maybe even all, brake components again once you add a straight axle with different spindles to the car.
I’m not trying to discourage you Brian. Rather I’d suggest you will be better served by sitting down and coming up with a cohesive plan for your “gasser” and then stick to it.
Read tech articles and look at pictures of cars with components you like. Read some more and build this car in your head, or even put the plan to paper. Then read some more and gain more knowledge.
Putting something on a car and then obsoleting those parts before completing the project is just two steps backward to me, and could lead to abandoning the whole project.

 

^^^^^^ Great advice

 

Not all Gassers had Hildebrand's in the 60's, a prime example is Gene Cromer's Moonlighter. HRP



And 50 years later. HRP

 

^^ What is a "Hildebrand" ?

I think the OP needs to do a LOT of reading and learning. A "Gasser" is not just some car with a "Gasser front End" - whatever the hell that is. More Real Gas Class cars ran stock front suspension, some with riser blocks for weight transfer, than straight axles.
Don't get sucked in by the Street Freak Fake Gasser trend. If you want to build a Gasser (a Race Car) or a Gasser Tribute (street car), fine - but do it RIGHT!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildebrand

 

Brian, I think you should do a little research prior to spending any money.


This book is a really good read with lots of pics for reference. Actual gasser pics. That’s the key.

 

Agreed, if you don't know or understand what real gas class cars looked like you had best be doing your homework before ever touching the car.
In the 50's and early 60's running in gas class meant you had a stock bodied car with an engine swap. That was all a gas class car was be it 32 Ford with a 40 flathead in it, 52 Ford Victoria with a Thunderbird 312 in it or a 55 Chev with a 401 Buick in it. They didn't have to be an weren't usually jacked up or run tube axles or what not. The purpose built race cars started that.
As the guys said, no hubcaps, First thing you did when you got to the strip or when preparing to go to the strip if you had steel wheels was pop the caps and rings as drag cars weren't allowed to run caps or rings in any class except the moon disks held on with screws.

 

Get your discs the right way from an Avanti. Twin piston Bendix brakes not GM floaters. Performance car brakes are stationary not floating, and Avanti brakes should be a bolt on.

Now just for arguments sake, and to make those who have not yet been overcome by marketing experts, the @raven was running 10s this year and stopping just fine with his 4 wheel drum brakes.

Now onto the wheels. Wheel color choice is a personal thing. I have seen Gassers with steelies since gawd knows when and seen every color imaginable on them. What you do not see is hubcaps n rings (I know its just an image). No sanctioned track and almost all the rest do not allow hubcaps on class cars.

OK back to expert testimony. Sorry to take your time.

 

Never, because it's "traditional". And us old fucks don't know what the hell we are talking about. Even those of us who were there, and did that, are apparently clueless.

 

There were no rules that said a Gasser needed an engine swap, and many gas class cars ran original engine combos - from Tri 5 Chevy's with small bocks to VW's with their flat fours way down in H and I gas.
Just didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea

 

I misspelled something, sue me! HRP

 

Halibrand and Hildebrandt are both names of speed products mfrs.
Hildebrandt mfd. valve covers, engine adapters, and limited intake manifolds.
Halibrand was the mfr. of magnesium and aluminum wheels and quick change differential housings, and other race proven products.

 

The only thing that makes the Suicide King a "gasser" is the fuel choice I am afraid. The engine setback alone would have put it into Altered class.

It is more of an exhibition car, this is not to take away from the car. Lots of exhibition cars are what made little kids get interested in drag racing. The ones that did it for me were the "Green Monster" and TV Tommy's "Wagonmaster" but lots of kids were taken by cars like the "Little Red Wagon"

There is actually room for a street beasty type of a car in our ranks but they need to put on a show. They are not typically race cars in the purest sense.

 

Our lawyers will be in contact, rest assured. Spelling infractions can be costly. We will not plea bargain.

 

And Hildebrand is neither, LOL - although it's some interesting history