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Hot Rods What type of cars make the best gassers

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Duellym, Apr 14, 2016.

  1. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    Thanks everyone, gassers seem to be quite more complicated than I thought. That just makes them more interesting.

    By the way when I say up here I mean up in massachusetts. My bad for not clarifying it.
    It seems as if someone is selling a anglia near me, it's way too expansive for me though.


    Thanks again.

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  2. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,941

    squirrel
    Member

    Keep searching, but don't be disappointed if it takes a year or two to find a car to build. You probably don't have the money to buy all the parts you'd need, anyways, right? But keep thinking about it, go see what other guys are doing, and keep reading the hamb.

    btw a friend found an old Studebaker about ten years ago, the small one from the late 30s, and it ended up going to a young man who made a really neat gasser out of it. the car didn't cost much. It's one of those friend of a friend of a friend deals, which seems to be how all the neat cars end up getting purchased. So...make friends with local gearheads, put the word out your looking for something reasonably priced, with potential. you never know.
     
  3. LOL I have been building cars for well over 45 years and an Anglia has always been too expensive for me.

    If you opt not to build your truck like I suggested, keep your eye out for a Willys Aero. let me see if I can find a pic for you.

    This is a '54 Model I think they built them into the later 50s or early '60s. They are not popular with the modern gasser crowd, but they actually were quite popular way back when. The last one I saw for sale was a 50 dollar car and that has been since the change of millennium.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    Too bad you're so far away. I've got a friend here in NorCal who has a really clean little 2 dr Falcon for cheap that would make a nice gasser.
    PeteJoe; in '67-68 I drove my Olds powered '47 Ford gasser to high school and to Lions, on the Inglewood slicks. Chrome straight axle, dual quads, C&O 4spd hydro, fenderwell headers, radiused rear fenders - it didn't get too much more gasser than that. I was only one of several in the LAX area. So it did happen in the '60s in some parts of the country.
     
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  5. The Willys Aero was only sold between '52 to '55 here in the US, so they're not too common. Another gasser choice could be the '53-59 Ford Anglia 100E (also sold as the 4dr Prefect and panel truck Thames), sometimes seen in gasser trim. These turn up still, the main downside is a very short 87" wheelbase; with big power, they can be hard to keep going straight... LOL. Even the later '59-68 105E and 123E Anglia would make good gassers, as well as the '62-66 Ford Cortina. And there's Austins (another popular gasser), as well as the German Ford Taunus or even a Hillman Minx (these were sold in a pretty sharp-looking 2dr hardtop version). US cars to look for could include early Falcons or Chevy 2s, but don't forget early Comets or Fairlanes either. Or early Dodge Darts, Valiants, or really different, how about a Lancer? The point is, not all gassers were Willys or the early Anglias, you can find examples built out of all makes/models of cars.
     
  6. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    I could point out that most of the cars above do not, and did not meet the minimum 92" wb for a gasser, and never raced under NHRA Gas class rules because they weren't legal, but anybody who points this sort of stuff out on a HAMB "gasser" thread is a "hater", and "gasser" is a state of mind, so I wont...
     
  7. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    I thought gassers were a fad, like Disco vans and pink Local Motion t-shirts?
     
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  8. Granted, the 100E was too short to be legal, but the 105E and Cortina had the same wheelbase as the 'legal' '49-53 Anglia. The Hillman is at 96" WB, plenty long enough...

    I almost bought a 'gasser' 100E about 15 years ago (straight axle, tunnel-rammed SBC and a four speed) and only passed because of the snaky handling. But it was a fun stop-light bandit... LOL.
     
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  9. ...there's lot's of things wrong here...
    2R5%20gasser.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2016
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  10. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    Thanks for all the help guys

    That's my problem I don't really know of any of the cars they made then, if it's not a 40 ford a 54 chevy/nomad or a willys I've probably never heard of it


    Is the picture above me a studebaker or an international

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  11. falcongeorge
    Joined: Aug 26, 2010
    Posts: 18,341

    falcongeorge
    Member
    from BC

    I was going to post that the '49-'53 anglias didnt actually meet the NHRA wb minimum, and were granted a special exception by NHRA that did not extend to other cars with a wb under 92", but when the Studebaker PU's with beer kegs on the front start showing up on a gasser thread, I am clearly out of my depth...
     
  12. don daddyo
    Joined: Feb 20, 2011
    Posts: 271

    don daddyo
    Member

    Stude...,y prefer Gasser you'd be the Henry 'j and Nova are cool too or 55 Chevy 2 doors sedan ...
     
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  13. patrick english
    Joined: Feb 15, 2008
    Posts: 806

    patrick english
    Member
    from La puente

    Crosley wagons are the best:D
     
  14. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    Something to drive on the street? You might start with something like this. street anglia 5.jpg
     
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  15. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    Haha that looks pretty streetable


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  16. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    It's got treaded tires -- gotta be a street car.

    It was going to be a street car, but it looks like someone else might want it worse than I do. I think it's leaving tomorrow.
     
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  17. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    1949-55 chevy coupe. Lots of builds chopping and dropping these. Nose high, bumper removed, on slicks, these cars look great.
     

    Attached Files:

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  18. Borracho
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 17

    Borracho
    Member

    a 59 or 60 Studebaker Lark 2dr sedan might be a good choice, usually not too pricey. Not everyone likes the looks of them though, but I do.
     
  19. Bummer. There goes my daily driver.

    P5290002[1].JPG
    2439D3-4_rear3[2].jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2016
  20. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    Thanks, that does look great.

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  21. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    I like them aswell but I've always loved the quirky ugly cars.

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  22. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    This is a Real Gasser.

    Due to lack of knowledge, everyone and their brother thinks if they screw a straight axle under a car or truck its a gasser, it is not........... those are called 'Street Freaks' and they have there place in the hobby.
    Fact is, a lot of the 'real' Gas Class cars ran stock front suspensions....

    11659472_981408241880365_5755543747166045223_n.jpg
     
  23. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    In the 60's there were probably twice as many Tri-Five Chevy race cars running stock suspension as "axles" around here in the Gasser classes.


    But we've talked about this before. throttlebender.jpg
     
  24. Or maybe this.
    upload_2016-4-15_22-32-10.png
     
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  25. rfraze
    Joined: May 23, 2012
    Posts: 2,008

    rfraze
    Member

    Really simplifying it, gassers could have no more than a 10% engine setback, had to have the steering wheel on the left side (not center steer), have certain equipment (dependent on era), weigh x amount per cubic inch of engine displacement (assigned for each class), and (wait for it)...run on gasoline. Rules changed and evolved throughout the years.
    When nostalgia racing appeared, everything changed.
     
  26. Duellym
    Joined: Feb 28, 2016
    Posts: 315

    Duellym
    Member

    Sorry I didn't get to this earlier but what I see as probably the fastest is the willys.


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  27. deucendude
    Joined: Oct 31, 2008
    Posts: 667

    deucendude
    Member
    from norcal

    In the 60s On any night anywhere on So.cal. there were lots and lots nose high gasser look alikes on the streets of Southern Ca. Maybe not in Ohio. I even took the dropped axle out of my 40 ford 327 chev. with C and O hydro Stick.
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2016
  28. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    There's an exception to every rule. That picture was not taken in the 60's. :)

    Even good looking women give lap dances. Nice car would give a left nut for it. Where's the Christmas tree?
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2016
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  29. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,875

    Larry T
    Member

    I got to thinking last night. I guess by todays definitions, there might be 3 classifications of gassers.

    1 - Race cars built to one of the rule books for "Gas Coupes and Sedans".
    2 - Race cars that are driven on the street.
    3 - Street cars that are built to look like the owners vision of "1".
     
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  30. jimmy1931
    Joined: Jan 13, 2012
    Posts: 728

    jimmy1931
    Member

    Build what you want, call it what you want, just have fun with it.
     

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