Hot Rods GASSERS GOOD OR BAD?

Na

Nailed it JOECOOL. All of my rides are weird and I can say this because I am one (old fart)... There are groups like opionated old farts, fox-bodied fans and high maintenance women that I could give a sh** less about their likes or dislikes in a car. Build what you want its your pocket book. Those people aren't gonna like it anyway. Variety ! My take on it is " If you have one, I don't want one". Gasser.. remove as much weight as possible, mix bodies and engines, run it on gas...nothing to do with the axle.

 

How in the world does a simple word get people pissed off enough to make comments like this? "Gasser" is a mere word, a descriptive term. Americans are known for putting things in little boxes to describe them. It's convenient.

"Gasser, what a joke. That car'll never see a drag strip. I was there. I know what a real gasser is and it sure as hell ain't that."
Yeah, okay.

 

Used to have to put a cable from frame rail to frame rail looped under the engine to support engine if an engine mount should break...Only one I've ever seen is on my car..

 

The reason is simple. This is (or was) a traditional forum, with strict guidelines.
Some of the cartoon like , excessively jacked up, modern front wheels stuff, belongs on F/B "GASSERS", but not here...in my opinion.

 

Perfectly stated. Thank you ...

 

But so often wrong in its application today.

Now why should good people allow the wrong version of things be perpetuated? We should be grateful people who know the truth, tell the truth. Otherwise it I does a disservice to history.

 

What would a VW powered VW, that run in a H/Gas or a lower gas class back in the '60's be called nowadays? No fender well headers, no 'too narrow for their car' straight axles, just a VW - etc. These and other 'odd balls' were gas class cars

 

I would say to go ahead and put H or I /Gas on the window, and you'd surely find out the answer, especially if it has a turbo charger on it.

 

It was wrong of me to take a dig at someone's ride and I apologize. You build what you like and only YOU have to be happy with it. I think the style of a gasser has a good look to it.

 

Hello,

I was walking around in a daze taking photos in this car museum on Friday. Look what I found: a carbon copy of our 40 Willys Coupe. Black rims, red primer paint, level stance, a simple, “streetable” coupe suitable for the gas coupe and sedan class competition. These local museum guys know how to build them from the condition they were in when brought into the reconstruction shop.

This Willys had the look, stance, and simplicity from 1960 Lions Dragstrip racers during this time period. (No gas tank in the front, no "jacked up" front end, just a mean business looking coupe ready for action.) I was floored when I saw it. I immediately ran over to the red, primer painted Willys and looked it over. Could it be? Was it real?

It was not our burned out and reconstructed 40 Willys, as our car met it final fate at a salvage yard 57 years ago. But, catching it in the side of my vision as I walked by, made me look twice and then I researched it on the spot. This place does wonderful re-constructions on a lot of the rolling cars that show up now and then. But...

To add fuel to the fire, everything from the cab back in our 40 Willys was in pristine condition when we left it sitting in that salvage yard dirt. The front fenders were also in great condition despite being wedged into a fence the night before at Lions. (We did not keep anything, except for the power train and running gear.)The hood was a little crumpled, as was the grill. So, somebody could have seen the empty hulk in the salvage yard and made a so called, local, “barn find.”

Jnaki
But, in the back of my mind, it just looked like the same car… Maybe the owner found the wrecked, burned out Willys Coupe right after we dropped it off at the scrap auto salvage yard 57 years ago. It was visible from the main street. That could be possible, but totally improbable… The owner of this car did grow up in the local area, and was an avid hot rodder always searching for the next find, so, some facts would fit.

When Atts Ono and I drove off that August day in 1960, from leaving the remains of the Willys at the salvage yard, we did not look back at the car sitting in the dirt drive way entrance. We just kept going… But, who knows, someone may have been cruising by later and saw the hulk of an empty body just sitting there near the gate. A barn find for sure...“Only The Shadow, knows…”
2017
Our Willys Coupe, 1960

thanks...Rruss

 

Yes Finally someone speaks out on the "Gasser Wheel". You are right no Gasser EVER ran that style wheel and it is a 10 spoke spinoff of the original American Racing "12 spoke Magnesium wheel that was offered in 15" and 18" diameter used on primarily on Fuel Altered's. No no intention here to offend anyone but That ad they have been running calling them "Gasser wheels "was a great advertising scheme but this Cliché wheel has poisoned the minds of all the newbie gasser builders into thinking they are cool. My buddies and myself all laugh at those who mistakenly fell for the ad propaganda . The bottom line is please STOP using those wheels!! There are several great period correct mags available to choose and even a 4 1/2 -15 chrome rims would look better than those stupid 10 spokes.. Yeah I know opinions are like assholes and everybody has one but this subject is one I had to finally rant about.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

If you want to get really uppity, THIS is the only 'real' gasser front wheel.

 

My favorite subject. LOL
If you've got a strong stomach, go on the F/B GASSERS page. I think you can get a discount on fake spindle mounts by mentioning that page with your order.

 

Ha ha!

 

Hal's are great ...but I 'd go with the American Lemans 15"x 4" pre '65 or the good ol' strait spoke 15"x 4" magnesium there after...

 

Willys36 - Halibrands would be the pinnacle, agreed. But TTs are as real as it gets, too. Exibit ''a''.

 

Yeah . . . for LOOOOOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

GOOD SOUND FROM 1959...A TRUE GAS CLASS SEDAN
Hello,
Here is the ultimate, old time, consistent winner in B/Gas at Lions Dragstrip from 1959. The class was called Gas Coupes and Sedans. All of the top gas coupes/sedans had the stock appearance and only when the tremendous power was applied to the rear wheels, did the front end come up.

This 41 Studebaker Sedan used to beat everyone, unless it blew up or missed a shift. But, missing a shift was not an option as those shifts were right on the money every time it ran. Junior Thompson at Lions Dragstrip with an added "something" to the original, movie clip. A 1959 Gas class sedan winner with 1959 actual sound from this same, So Cal Studebaker.

Jnaki
A 1959 tribute to Junior Thompson as I remember the moment of filming the Studebaker at Lions Dragstrip.

 

It might have been the Ultimate for some folks - But the Anglia I had for 25 years set National records back when using, Cragar's! Oh the horror.


And then there were these


Oh No, it looks like American (or possibly National) 12 spokes Did get used on Gasser's


Even 5 spokes

 

Before this thread gets locked. I would put my like to put my 2 cents in. I grew up in the "GASSER' era. Now days when you are at the weekend car show or at the drag races and you see an older race car jacked up with original wheels from the era, you say 'THAT'S A COOL GASSER. Yes I get it, this is a dead horse, but GASSERS have been around forever, and before 1963, and are still fun to see and watch an out of control car sliding and bucking down a 1/4 straight line. JUST SAYING.

 

That's in Australia, so it doesn't count

 

LOL.

 

As per Bowie's' point on American LeMans five spokes.
Exhibit "B" (gas).

 

The reason you didn't see many spindlemounts of any kind on early gassers was that the rules stated you had to run 4 wheel brakes. Kind of hard to do with spindlemounts, but eventually folks started making kits to put go cart disc brakes on the wheels and spindlemounts started showing up on more cars (even 12 spokes). A little later they did away with the 4 wheel brakes altogether and a lot of spindlemounts strarted showing up on gassers.

And there were lots of spinoff gasser matchrace groups that didn't enforce all of NHRA rules.

And you saw LOTS of Cragars on race cars (like Don's) because Cragar comped wheels to major teams.

 

The front brakes rule went away in '67 (I think). My Anglia never had them

 

But you car still had free wheels.

 

Does anyone remember the Willys Coupe project built by Pop Hot Rodding using an Olds engine?! If I remember, it had a similar look to the museum car that jnaki posted above. Please no hate mail for this, but if you really want to know what a gasser looks like, take a look on everyones's favorite auction site!! Everyone, have a great weekend.

 

Catdad -Sort of, but X was the star child for PHR.
Just for the hell of it, here's the Wee Willy.

 

Here's X Almighty getting mechanical fuel injection. The PHR guys nearly wore out the bolts trying new stuff on this car.

 

Crager S/S are hard to beat in my book........You can dang near fix any car with them.