Projects Possible Gasser? Challenge accepted! 1956 Austin A50

<<<<(((UPDATE! Progress on page 3!)))>>>>


Hey everyone,

---I've been collecting a lot of parts over the years for a car i thought i wanted to build but i have totally lost interest. I've decided I either need to do something with them and have a nice project for my sanity this winter or sell the stuff off to make room in my shop. I've been throwing around ideas of what I could do with the parts and a period'ish looking Gasser popped into my head.

---My friends are all into drag racing but it's with modern cars and I always watch and wrench so now i'd like to get into it for myself and show some of these guys how it could be done with old methods bare bones technology and possibly with way less money.

---Main engine parts I have are a low mile roller cam 350 bottom end from an 87 TPI Camaro, I also have a mild comp roller cam with a power band to about 53-5500 and a new timing chain. I have sourced a rebuilt pair of the 300hp 2.02 camel bump heads and possibly up for trade for all of my TPI FI. I have an edelbrock C3BX dual plane intake which i believe ive read to have a power band to about 5500. No carb yet. Aluminum short water pump and a pair of original finned Corvette aluminum valve covers. I have a points Dist. converted to electronic with an adjustable vac advance and an uninstalled spring and weight kit. For headers I have Patriot 39-41 Chevy fenderwell exit long tubes that I think will look amazing in white.

---For the transmission I have a rebuilt TH400, a B&M 2800 stall and a B&M Ratchet shifter. I will probly install a shift kit or a manual valve body.

---For the rearend and rear suspension i was thinking a non period looking 8.8 ford because they are strong and cheap esp if i track down one with 31 spline axles and disc brakes. Would I need C-clip elims with disc brakes? My friends are beating the crap out of theirs running 14's all the way down to low 9's and they have either a lot more power then i will have or a lot more weight i'm hoping. 33" long ladder bars in kit form or something homemade with Alden adjustable coilovers, I just have to get the right springrate coils for them. 3.55 ratio with 26-27" tall slicks.

---For front suspension i was thinking of using my posies transverse leaf spring with my old ford straight axle. I have 48 ford spindles with new king pins and bushings and i have a brand new wilwood 4 piston brake setup for it.

---For steering I have a vega box with a bracket, new pitman arm and tie rods. I've got 3 Borgeson U-joints with a length of D-D shaft.

Now.. I've been looking for a shell to put all off this in. 60's and older and as light as possible. Also very cheap and not a rotted pile of crap. This is asking for a lot but i have found a car that fits my needs, small, light, old and local but I'm just not sure if it will look right for a Gasser.

It's a 1956 Austin A50. I cannot find any pictures or stories for these used for drag racing on the internet, only A40's.

Here is the car.




Here is what they look like.






Here is what I think it could look like drawn up on my lunch break.




It will have all of the proper safety gear for todays standards I'm just not sure how fast it could go. With a cage, no bumpers, gutted interior with racing buckets it would be nice to get it around 2500lbs without me. The stock weight is 2352.

What is your input!

Thanks!

 

It might be pretty cool. Just because it wasn't done back in the day doesn't mean it couldn't be done now and still look period correct.

 

you'll need rear coil springs in the 90 to 100psi range and I don't think 3.55 gears will be enough

 

I agree on the gears, not enough....small block chevys like to rev...figure at least 4.56 with 29 inch slicks....

 

with 29 inch back tires ,

I was thinking 4:88 gears in that Ford rear-end....

I could be wrong ,

still it would look bitchin....

 

I think your've got a great start, and oddball cars like this make cool race cars.

 

wetatt4u is right 4.88 or 5.13 should be about right

 

first off,check the wheelbase,NHRA has a minimum of 92 inches.

 

SmokinBill that thing is amazing! Thanks for the input everyone!

About this specific car, one thing that is allowing to start another project and my girlfriend to even put up with this project is the fact that it's British, she is obsessed with England and it will be automatic. My other cars are stick and it would be cool to pull up at a cruise night each in our own cars.

Anything British and 2dr would be even better! I didn't like the looks of the car at first but it's really growing on me. It's almost like a mini 50 Ford sedan from some angles. the only other car i've found around the $1000 mark is a 1960 2dr Comet. It weighs more and i'm not sure if i like the looks. I wish it was a Falcon.

I came up with 3.55 gears with a gear calculator. with the stall and 26" tires the car would supposedly cross the finish line at 5500rpm in 1:1 with a 3.55 gear. Trying to make the car as light as possible I figured it might be able to pull it off, maybe not.

 

Thanks! so my 450's will be a little stiff LOL.

 

99.25 inches

 

Build it!

 

Yup! That would be the sheeit!!

 

450lbs is way too much also the inclination of your coil-overs the more it leans the softer it is and you don't want shocks that are too stiff, get the longest stroke possible as you don't want them bottoming or over extending because if either happens it upset traction and make for a poor ride the best is to call the manufacture for advice.

 

hell ya build it ...

 

The Comet would be better.

 

Everybody builds a comet or a falcon or a shoebox.....your thinking outside the box, go for it!!

 

I think the car would "work" better if you transformed it into a 2 dr, like the one Smokin bill posted. Hopefully the cab won't look too long as a 2 dr.

Maybe someone can photoshop the side view pic into a 2 dr. for you?

 

Well I can't stop thinking about the one SmokinBill posted so I drew another version of the car. 2dr, with the same roof line and body length. I just moved the B-pillar back and lowered the stance. A 2dr conversion can be easily done and should save some weight.

Here is A50 2.0



SOOOO much better!

 

I may be outnumbered, Hell I usually am, but I really like it. That first drawing (4 door) looks really really cool. The 2 door model looks great as well. I think its a neat idea.

 

Well I'm thinking the consensus is that this car can be made to look cool in many different ways. Knowing that, I just need to get my hands on the thing before its gone!

 

I like it a lot ! When you show up at the drags you won't be seeing one like it in the next lane, that's for sure. I can see it with a simple rectangular frame, straight axle, cage, and big slicks hanging out the sides a little.

If it was around here I would be doing exactly that.

Don

 

Do it! I like the idea of making it a tudor also! Should be real fun!!

 

Here's mine
351 ford c4 9" rear

 

going really fast will forgive most uglyness !

 

I like it I think it will be way way cool.........

 

English body styled Gassers are traditional and totally cool! Build it.

 

I like the 4 door drawing as well.

 

Wicked!

I started to draw another version of a 4dr with the 2dr stance it looks pretty good. I should stop drawing and do more getting the car!