Projects I get to build an Anglia gasser (build thread)

Ok, it's not an Anglia gasser you had pictured. Not sure of the year, 50 something.
This one belongs to an old friend of mine. He took the car, engine/trans and narrowed Old rear to a local "pro" shop and had them start the project.
Lot's of cash later (I was told $9000) this is what he has. Needless to say he pulled it out of that shop. Called me and asked if I would build it even though I'm semi retired these days and I think it could be fun so I took it on.
The build criteria is street legal car but he want's it to be able to tech to run 10's in case he ever decides to put a "big" engine in. He does want to race it on occasion and he want's it to have the old school gasser look. After looking it over just about everything he's paid for is going in the dumpster. Here are the before pics, if there is intrest I'll post progress pics as it comes along.

sits a bit too high even for a gasser

body is 3" too far foward on the frame + set at 87", 3 " too short to be NHRA legal

No bracing when the floor/ firwall was torched out, now neither door will close.

motor mounts

Engine is set so far back the carb is in the dash

got scarier when we got the body off

How about old rusty steel for a quality build!

 

Can't say I've ever seen ladder bars like this ( sept maybe on a monster truck!)

a hole in the tube with a bolt thru saves on hiem ends! (all 3 points) Oh yeah, leaf springs with no floaters.

I don't think NHRA likes it when your head is behind the roll cage.

How about rusty pipe for a cage. 1 1/2 od, gotta throw it all away.





Steering, geez. One bolt holding the box to the frame and a long bolt and spacer to get the drag link to clear the spring.
OK, been kinda of a rant on the work my buddy paid for. All this gets tossed and start over. Been close to 30 years since I've built a drag car so I'm open to suggestions, comments as I progress. FWIW I did pick up a current NHRA rule book and been talking to one of our tracks tech inspectors.

 

Well some of it looks strange, and some of it looks like maybe they weren't done when he took it. I suppose you can't really comment on the incomplete stuff, but the strange stuff is just hard to accept.

 

no comment,keep us posted

 

Will it stay center steer and be street driven?

 

Some people need to have their torches taken away. Yikes. Looking forward to see what you make of it.

 

1971BB427, Yeah, a lot of it wasn't finished (like the cage), my buddy didn't see the point of letting it go any farther and pulled it out of the shop it was at.

117harv, It wasn't suppose to be center steer and it's not now, just sorta center. Not sure what the plan there was other then it was easy to mount the seat there(???)

 

They're so narrow that center isn't far from left! Anyone sitting on the pass. seat of my Austin has to keep their hands in their lap or I'll elbow them in the arm when I'm making a turn! Those old British cars are tiny!

PS-It looks to be around 1959 vintage:

 

$9000!!!!! Looks like the "shop" did $9000 worth of damage/rework needed to get it straight.
The cage suspension work is going to be a total blow out. I'd even be suspect of the frame welds and wonder if the frame that was built is square, etc.
You're brave to take this on. Should be a neat ride when you're done.

 

$9k for that work??? Yikes, your buddy got severely hosed.

Check out Gassermadness for some pics of those done right and plenty of good builds here on the HAMB for a "gasser" style car,


http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446359

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478768

Dragrcr50 did another more detailed buildup somewhere here but I coudn't find it.

Good luck and have fun!

 

That's an Anglia "100E", they were made from '53-'59. Bitchin little cars. The guy who attempted to build that one must have had good life insurance or something.

 

Looks like it was being "designed" as it was being built. No plan, just start cutting and welding. If you call yourself a pro shop and have some work like this taken away, that's a good thing. Except for the body and drivetrain, looks like a complete start over is a better idea. I hate fixin' other people's mistakes.

 

Wow! Looks like your going to have to remove the body, save whatever suspension parts you can and just start over. No point in trying to spit shine a turd. Good luck, I'm looking forward to updates.

 

From the Post above - this is just PLAIN Bitchin!

This car needs the horizontal shoulder/belt mount bar to be offset behind the main hoop just like Sam (Dragrcr50) did in his Henry J build:

 

You said you're open to suggestions. Use current tech for rear suspension. Most of it is only seen by interested parties (tech inspectors) and you can still dress things with paint and plating if you want a vintage vibe. The cage, well that has to be current as well since it sounds like it will be raced based on your posts. A current ladder bar/coil over is simple, effective, more in keeping with that car than any other type of approach. It also leaves room for the driver and decent floor work. The front is probably something you could get through easy enough with a dropped axle get up.

The rest, the pics and previous work, even "good intentions" don't justify it. I'll stop there as I could go on...but why bother.

 

I was going to say '59 also. I had a '59 Reilly once and the body was about the same basic shape.

Its a funny thing we all think the same thing when we think Anglia gasser. but sometimes it isn't at all about what it looks like. Sometimes it is just about going fast in a straight line.

Looks like a fun project. Hope you get it sorted out and when you are done it stands up and cuts a straight line.

 

Yeah, I wish I could off started from the begining, I think it would of been easier!
Looks like at this point all I'm saving off the chassis is the rear axle, front axle assy and steering box. The basic perimiter frame is still up in the air till I get it stripped and on the frame table. If it happens to be square and level (I'm not going to assume it is!) then I might use it. Will go thru and reweld/ gusset it regardless, I Don't trust this guys welding at all.
Highlander, I do plan on a modern ladderbar/ coilover set up in the rear. I want to be able to fine tune it to get it to launch hard and STRAIGHT. This short of a car is going to be a wild ride regardless, gotta make it go straight.
AAFD, great pics, some good insperation! FWIW I've known this guy for 30+ years and he's always been a wild man, no fear to mash the pedal on anything!

 

You might check with the current NHRA (or whatever sanctioning body) rule book for wheelbase minimums, might need to stretch it a couple of inches. Would be a bummer to build it then get bounced from inspection

 

Yeah, the wheelbase is at 87" right now and NHRA minimum is 90". Going to be tight but the rear wheel openings are going to be radiused and opened up to take a 30" tall tire so we'll do all the opening towards the back and move the rear axle back 3". I will probably leave the front wheels slightly foward in the opening (maybe an inch) so I end up with a 91" wb to have a little cushion. My biggest concern is moving the rear wheel opening back might make it look a little goofy but we don't want to go threw the work ($$$) to strech the body. I'll probably do a little photochopping to make sure it will look OK before I commit to moving the wheel opening that far back.

 

I think you're on the right track moving the rear back and front slightly forward. Starting with the leading edge of your tires close to the present leading edge will probably nearly get you there and not look weird.

 

try movin the rear back an inch and the front up 3" ?or split the differences?my 2 cents for ya...i also like what he said ^^^ but dont be afraid of movin the front forward it has alot of advantages and dont look bad as long as you dont go to far?i like it!I think the anglias are too kool!

 

hey guys, thanks for using my build thread here. good luck with this little flower. I think if the orig wheelbase is 87 it can remain 87 just cant change it to 87 inches>>>> my advice is to lengthen the front about 3 inches or so and fudje the back an inch or so when you cut the wheel wells out for the big tires... that is what we usually do anyway to fudge some wheelbase on the short crs. as for the prev work, i have a salt flat 29 roadster in now the same way, had to part out about 70 percent of it and start over. just square the frame, get a plan and stay with it.. need advice just yell.... and again good luck..

 

Geez, that "pro" shop work reminds me of Bruce Lee's sister, Ug Lee. I'll be watching the build thread for sure. Yes, it definitely sucks to have to go back and correct someone else's fugly mistakes.

 

Thanks 51 Henry J. That's mine...

Good luck on yours, man!
Scotty

 

Looking forward to seeing this build!

Im on the home straight with mine now...

 

The way I understand the rule book (NHRA) is it can remain 87" only if the original powertrain is in it, don't think that would make for a very exciting gasser! The way the prvious builder set it up he moved both axles up 3" and it places the front tire right under the front lip of the opening, I can't go 3" foward with the front and still lower the front as far as I want. We want it nose up for sure but not stupid high. Looking at Jangleguy's car (lcool car by the way) his rear wheel opening is oviously moved back and it looks good so I think I'll be good with 1" foward on the front, 3" back on the rear. I agree, best to fudge as much WB as I can get on this short of a car.

 

Jangleguy's Anglia [my brother] was only eclipsed by his Morris...got me inspired enough to score a little Gasser project of my own..a '57 Lloyd.

 

Yikes , good luck sorting that out. Agree it sits too high, maybe just use what you have and mount the axle above the springs instead?

 

Yesterday I got it striped down to a basic frame. Surprisingly it's preety square and level except it varies an inch in width front to rear, not a taper, narrowist at the front of the kickup. Guess the guy let it pull while welding up the kickup. With the clean up time involved + the questionable welding I we decided to scrap it and start over. This frame is 1/8 wall, normally I use 3/16 wall if it's 2x3 on a street car but this one will have a full cage. Trying to decide weather to add the weight of 3/16.

Remains of the old cage. Turned out to be 1 1/2 x .125 wall. I found out the guy origanally building the car used the same material in his racecar and the track wouldn't pass it back in March so he replaced his cage. Funny he never did anything to change the tube size in this car after that.

Bye-bye funky ( and HEAVY) 5' ladder bars. Maybe I'll build a crane or something with them!

Does anyone know where the VIN is on one of these Anglia? Also trying to figure out what year it is.

 

The VIN tag should be on the right inner fender and it should be stamped on the factory frame (unibody) rail. But it appears those bits have gone missing on the one you're buildin'. Maybe a Brit will chime in with other spots it could be found. Good luck with the build. I love these little Anglias and used to own 2 of 'em!