The NHRA cars with all the eletronics are on a sunday drive same as my pro mod car they have taken all the talent out of racing.
If your talking about the green 55 in the pics that Darren posted that's Greg Porter it was raced in the 60s. Gregg pulled it out of the woods about 5 o 6 years ago very little has been changed it runs 6.10 in the 1/8 has been 5.90s in the cool air and good track. it's very period correct except for a few things on the engine it's a 4 speed car also. Those pics are from a period correct race we had a few weeks ago. We had a hard time finding cars that met the rules for around the 1965 era.
Here's another video of Quain running Jeremy Pearson. We're gonna get the build pics resized and sorted out and start a build thread soon.
I don't think they had Jerico transmissions in 65, but I love the idea. The real mags are what give those cars the killer look IMO.
??? New one on me. Sounds like a good way to tear up the gear lugs. What clutching really does is allow you to get it out of the previous gear. It'll go into the next gear if the lugs and slider are in good shape.
No shakey there were no jerico's in 65 I thought about a clutch flight (have to have a clutch to boring with out one) but no luck finding one. And I don't think a super t 10 will stay in it with the tracks we have to day.
Don't think Greg is on the HAMB but here is a video of the Nightstalker in action. Super cool car as well! Daron
The 2 step that you hear on the starting line is on the car in the other lane not Greg's car. Greg drives it like a man he don't need any driver aids.
Great car. There is a formula that is nearly dead on for converting 1/8 mile to 1/4 mile times. 1/8 mile time divided by .65 = 1/4 mile time Count me in on seeing the build pictures.
If you ever have the chance to meet Quain Stott take it.He is one the most genuinely nicest and smartest people you will ever meet.He has been one my greatest heroes my whole life.Started when he had a chassis shop about a mile from my house growing up and I couldn't wait to get out of school,ride my bicycle by and see what might get pushed outside that day for a closer look.He is one the last great pioneers of drag racing there is left today.I remember a pro street monza he built for street racing back in the day and he spotted a new turbo 280z 25 car lengths and passed him shifting into 2cd gear.Anyway,if he's ever around racing in your area stop and see him,buy a t shirt and support him if you can,no one will be more appreciative than him and you'll be glad you did.
That was the hardest part when I was learning to drive our Gasser. I always took care of my cars and didn't want to abuse them. But when driving a 3000lb Willys with a 305 SB and get every 1/10 sec you had to, but the trans and clutch had to be right.
Here it is Gasser1961, this is what you and your buddy are trying to do out here in Cali. Quain, very cool, this is exactly the kind of racing I want to do with our '56. We are having Augie Delgado set up a set of Jackson Injectors for our car right now. We need to keep getting these gassers together, it would be really cool to have a once or twice a year deal where we all meet in the middle or the west coast guys go back east on one race, and the east coast guys come out west on the other, like when the Geezers Gasser guys came to Bakersfield. This is really inspiring and I think you could easily fill the stands with the right deal and a little advertising.
PS. If someone did a decent job of filming one of these races (the whole event) they'd probably be a "sell out." Quain, pass the word (you probably already have) to your racing circle about how much fun your having with your Willys and how much less expensive than running your Corvette. Maybe we can get some of them involved in this traditional Gasser re-birth too.
The problem we are having is trying to get true period correct cars. People around here think that if it has a straight axle it's a gasser. Well maybe it is a modern day gasser but that's not what we are looking for. The car's we are getting all have some things that are not p.c. including mine but we are working on fine tuning that as time goes on. In some of the pics you will notice that a few of the cars at our deal have sideways carbs we ask that they at least put a towel over them so the fan's don't see them while in the pits. The other gasser deal's that are around started with the same intentions but now they are just a nostalgia body class. I watched some video they have out and it look's like a super gas race. I guess they would let me run my pro mod it's a 1963. I guess I'm being to picky but a lot of people have went to a lot of work to be right and we are at a bad disadvantage running beside a car with late model stuff. It sounds like you are on the right track I would love to get with you sometime and try to put something together.
Are you limiting the trans to 4 speeds, or are you allowing a Doug Nash/Richmond 5 speed as long as its clutch assisted, also are you limiting to a certain size rear tire? Does the car have to have a magneto, or MSD's and boxes ok as long as not visible?
Tire size is 11'5 on the ground (some tires are marked 12" but are 11'5") Doug Nash/Richmond ok no lenco or liberty that sort of stuff. MSD box must be hid no 2 step or any type driver aids. We had shift lights at the first race but they may have to go in the future. We had to let automatics in for the first race to get enough cars that may change but not this year. The cars with clutches were the fan favorites by a long shot. There were 4 of each.
I really like the Willys Quain and belated welcome to the HAMB. I wouldn't fuss about it steel or not, the glass ones i've seen are heavier anyway so theres no advantage, lets save the steel ones for the musuems, collections and authentic restos. How about a clutch turbo, did one of them figure into your calculations or were you just set on the jerico? I seen a B&M 4spd hydro or two come up for sale too. I'd do jerico but they be hard on parts.
They Jerico isn't as hard on parts as you might think. With todays adjustable clutch setups, if its done right, (minimum base, and add the counter weight, with entire clutch assemblys that way less than a 50lb flywheel,and you put a good rearend, drive shaft , 5/8 wheel studs etc., the carnage can be minimal. My brother in law and a good friend of mine run A & B Stickshift Stockers in NHRA w/Jerico's. The cars weigh 3200-3700 lbs depending on the engine combo run 9.60's-10.5 0's and rarely ever hurt a part. Usually a face plate or shift fork, but they never broken gears or fragged the whole thing, and I can't remember the last time they hurt a rearend part, maybe the 9" slicks help that too. Here is my bro in law Chris's B/S Wagon at Pomona. 10.40's-50's @3800 lbs.
Back in the 80's i tried running B/A and priced the clutchless jerico, i think it was 2500 with the vertigate. Wish i bought it but taht was a lot of money and the guys i had to run against were just stepping into the 5speeds. I saved and saved but never cought up to it.
Keep an eye out in Racing Junk etc. they show up from time to time. Stay away from "narrow gear" versions as Jerico doesn't make them or parts for them any more. I know a couple guys who bracket race with narrow gear road race (ex Cup) trannies, so far so good, but when they break.., good luck parts hunting.
My car would be cool with a clutch turbo but I love the clutch on the gear change as much as the start it pick's the wheels back up in 2nd when I shift right. Your right the glass body is heaver than a steel one and a lot cheaper. I'm going to be restoring a steel body willys this winter back to a perfect period correct A/gasser. It was raced in the 60s by Gene Cromer (moonlighter) he still has it. It's in bad shape but most everything is still there. Should be a cool project.
Our family runs in a manual trans. only class. And your cars would fit perfectly. www.umtrdragrace.com. I agree with the comment about if you lift when shifting you should be driving an "AUTOTRAGIC" I run an OT 69' Chevelle (Grandfather built it in the late 70's) with a Liberty ProShifted Super T10. My Dad runs a 66' Fairlane with a 428 and a Liberty Face Plated TopLoader. I would love to run with you guys but I think a lot of the cars would not fit your Bill.(Maybe dad's Fairlane he is as oldschool dragrace as it gets)
Call Jerico with the "Job #" that is stamped on it. They'll have any history of the trans since new (any history that is of it coming back to them for repairs or updates). Good talking to you Quain, I'll check ya during my California ride home from work aka 35 miles/1-2hours!
I do love fuel altereds. I am into anything around 1972 back when racing was a lot different than now.
I will it's going to be a lot different than mine I won't be making a lot of parts just restoring whats there. I'll ask Gene if I can post some pics as it set's now. It's in really bad shape.
The Jalopy Journal
