What makes a Gasser a Gasser?

LOL Thanks Tom LOL

 

Lions and MoKan were both AHRA.

 

Here is a Few pics of the Oddy Austin frame Jimmy' "Engish Wheel Bob" & I going over what had to get put back after 40+ years for different owners

 

Opps forgot a few

 

Here are those pics, on the subject of weight, when Tom brought the truck to me for restoration, the 4-bar front links had 3/8" rod ends and 3/4" cm tube, along with "single shear" brackets on the axle and frame. Steve Plueger had installed the "lightweight" stuff in about 1967. It held up, but I talked Tom, into the 7/16" ends and 7/8" tube and "double shear" brackets on both ends, all chromoly.

 

It's amazing as well as scarry to think this car went that fast with that chassis.

Some folks may piss & moan about the NHRA and others rules but looking at this, it's really for our own good as well as the guy's in the other lane.

Hey thanks a lot Marty!

 

So what I'm gathering from these couple of Gasser threads is if I want to build a period correct Gasser, it is not possible unless it was an original race car???? That doesn't even make sense.

I will be a poser to some after I am done building a car that is race and street ready and still fits into the rules and ideas for that time period?

By that logic, nobody would ever build anything ever again.

Sorry, just read all 11 pages and thats the gripe I took out of it but not sure who said it though.

 

[QUOTE
So what I'm gathering from these couple of Gasser threads is if I want to build a period correct Gasser, it is not possible unless it was an original race car???? That doesn't even make sense.

I will be a poser to some after I am done building a car that is race and street ready and still fits into the rules and ideas for that time period?

By that logic, nobody would ever build anything ever again.

Sorry, just read all 11 pages and thats the gripe I took out of it but not sure who said it though.
<!-- / message -->][/QUOTE]

The thread ask for input on what makes a gasser a gasser I was not looking to have a review of the thread. If you want to add a comment about the topic please do. If that what you got from what was said so far, maby this topic is not for you . Thanks for your review

 

Ok let try to make it simple when you look at a car today or from back in the day what is it that makes it a gasser ? & what does not make it a gasser? I am looking for peoples vision of what makes a car a gasser in there mind & what does not make it a gasser ?
All I am looking for is some input not a review I can review it myself

Hope this helps thanks

 

Trouble,
For me it is a car that is or was a race car (that's what gassers do/did, and if it wasn't for that there would be no "street gassers") that basically meet the rules of the gasser class. It doesn't have much to do with solid axles, height, etc. Do they have to meet EVERY nit picking rule in the rule book. Some of them didn't back when they were racing in NHRA, IHRA, and AHRA so I don't figure they would have to now. There are a few basic things like engine setback, fenders, wheel base that are important too me though. But, I'll even let the "pump gas" rule slide. Kinda hard (yea, maybe I'm not looking hard enough) to find gas at the corner station that will run 12 1/2:1 compression now days.
That's it for this morning, it might change by this afternoon..............or even after the next cup of coffee.
Larry

 

Larry
I know that you and I have had this discussion before but for the sake of arguement you can buy gasoline at the track that will make 12:1 happen. While it is not true Skell Gas or Mobile from when we were kids, it is at least gasoline and of comperable octane of what could have been purchased and not alcohol.

I know that some (if not all) the race promoters allow alcohol in the gas ranks but for whatever reason it just sticks in my craw. I got a goofy mind set I suppose but metanol makes if a fueler. Not saying that to make an arguement or to say that someone is a phoney, rules is rules. I am just saying what I think.

Chris,

you are 100% correct, while there were some cars that were built to show standards and others that were just real nice for every nice one that was 3 cobbled up messes from under someone's shade tree. It was a class for the multitudes. Hell we see the cobled together cars all the time on here when somone posts "Hey I scored an old race car" most of them are cobbled up messes that I wouldn't let my cat sleep in. Some of them I may have helped build.



The reason that there are oly a handfull of "heros" in any corner of our hobby, be it raceing or cam grinding or intake casting ot you name it is that only a handfull of the people stand out from the rest.

 

I've been following this thread waiting for an answer myself because I'm not sure I know. You asked so here's my 2 cents worth. If it was raced as a Gasser back in the day it's still a Gasser today unless major change has been done that's where it gets tricky every body has a different opinion of period correct change. I personal like to see the old war horses left untouched but then you can't race them but that would be OK to. For the new Gassers that are being built I don't think it's possible for it to ever be like it was in the 60s but a lot of people are trying myself included. I have gotten so obsessed with trying to make my car period correct that I've about taken the fun out of it. We have a little local Gasser(if I can call it that) deal that we race a few times a year I will bet anybody that we have the strictest rules around on period correctness but still it's just not the same as it was in the 60s and never will be. I tell all our guys I want them right in the pits as well as on the track meaning no big late model gauges high back seats and stuff like that. Anyway I been following this since it started just thought I would post hope I didn't make anybody mad. ~Quain~

 

Jim, without getting too flamed here, I would say it is your car, build it how you would like it to look. I recommend to folks that talk to me in the pits or via the net asking for advise, to pick an era (which is a very short window with gassers) that you like best, and keep every thing close to era correct as possible. I loved the early version of the Willys in the movie 'Hot Rod' and made my car similar to that with my own twist. I am currently restoring a 33 match race AA/GS car and am trying to keep it looking exact to what it was. Now it was very light. Chuck Finders and Larry Sikora built it and the work is top notch. I am keeping the original chassis, but the original cage had to go. Just muffler pipe! Honestly, building your own car is the easiest way to go.


There are a couple pit peeves that some modern gassers have that in my opinion ruin the look. The biggest is wheel tubs combined with big rear tires. Nothing like a pro street car with a straight axle. I do think you can put too big a rear tire on a gasser. I also am not a fan of coil over springs. When I built my car, I thought of what was available in the junk yards of the time, those are the parts I wanted to use. Wheels can make or break a car, but that statement is true for any hot rod or custom build. I think too much money can ruin a gasser build. No room for creature comforts in my opinion. One has to be careful with the name and graphics on the car. I won't use examples for obvious reasons. Safety equipment is required if you want to run your car. To which all Gasser builds should have that in mind. The faster you go the more equipment you need. Not a big fan of guys with modern bracket cars that show up at a nostalgia event to win the payout. Two Step rev-limiters just kill the vibe at the event. Do your homework, check out some great builds on here, get some magazines, go to some events and take pictures of what you like and get started. Don't worry about the Gasser police, not many of them have a gasser anyway.

 

This is good maybe the word I am looking for is( My 2 cents) this is not for judging peoples 2 cent. I (meaning me) am very interested in hearing everyone 2 cent.
Thanks

 

I agree with you on this. Too big of tires and the wrong wheels is the easiest way to ruin the car a lot of times. Creature comforts...no needs. Safety a must, otherwise it wouldn't pass tech.

Too much money to me isn't a race car, unless it was spent on the go fast parts. Its a race.. not a car show. Shiny paint and chrome wheels wont get you to the end quicker.

I don't care about the Gasser police. There's always going to be someone who doesn't like what has been done to my car no matter how I build it.

 

To me a real gasser (that is raced or shown,cruised today) should be alittle period correct...no big tires out back and a straight axle if desired,no modern engines! AND OVER POWERED LIKE A MOFO!!!!

 

I'm pretty sure the coil over shocks on the front of barb Barb Hamiltons' CC/G Willys have been there since '65 or '66. I myself only plan to attend one or two gasser races this year. A person can only take seeing so many so called gassers with convo pros, drag stars, rodlights, e-t ten spoke fake spindle mounts, billet steering wheels and column drops, kirky high back bucket seats, sheet metal valve covers, snorkle scoops, tacky stick on graphics and tear away paint jobs. These are the people who just don't get it and cause all the controversy.

 

like it or not racing started on the street and lots of gassers existed before local strips
were avaiable they were street cars that went to the track (maybe) we are not talking a/gas here---race cars sprang from street cars not the other way around


For me it is a car that is or was a race car (that's what gassers do/did, and if it wasn't for that there would be no "street gassers") that basically meet the rules of the gasser class---LARRY T

 

Nope. Wouldn't care to second it, because that would include all the modern "Nostalgia gas" cars with their glass bodies, and tube frames. Plus all the "gas" cars that run nitro, or alcohol.
Running gasoline in your car, and making passes down the strip wont make your car a gasser, but it helps.