History '55 Chevy Gasser "Green Seen"

I was wondering if anyone knew what happened to this one. I got this pic from the Gasser Madness site years ago, and have always thought it is a bad looking dude! Some one had mentioned next to the pic that this car ran in the 8's back in the day, and I thought' "no frickening way"! I recently ran across a blurp about this car on a Drag News CD from '68-'69. The '55 had won an Eliminator at Lions or Irwindale (can't remember at the moment), anyway, it ran a string of 9.30's deep into the 140mph range. To say I was stunned is an understatement. This car was evern badder than it looks. I thought it would be neat to see if anyone has kept track of it. I googled the name and came up with nothing, so sorry if someone had already inquired of the cars where abouts, or its demise.

 

Love these '55's that were brutal quick. Nice find. Hoping for more pix and info from the cyber world too! Makes you think of Bob Bunker's Beast and it's running mate Temptation. Both dipped into the low 9's before going under some radical frame/body mods to go even faster.

 

Yowza! That IS fast! Esepcially for the late 60's! I would love to hear more about it!

Sam

 

Hope you find it. That's about the best looking 55 gasser I have ever seen, and it was way fast too boot. --- Steve ---

 

That is cool and I kinda like green

 

Sure looks like Bob Bunkers car ?? Chris

 

I think the guys last name was Darrow or something like that, I'll look it up tonight. The only way this is Bunkers, is if he bought it from Darrow. If you look on the back corner of the roof,you can see the car classed as X/S. As the gassers morphed into injected funny cars, I think NHRA started such a class as this, (Experimental Stock). Some of the gassers in the late 60's/early 70's would run in either class I believe, depending on the event they were racing at.

 

That is one cool 55, not freakishly high in the front either.

 

I've often wondered what happened to this car as well, I run similar times with my 55 today and I know how hard it is, Can't imagine doing it in 68-69 just shows how they had their stuff together!

 

That's one bad 55.....I too would like to know if it's still around.

 

Man that's fast for the late 60's, real fast

 

Yes, it sure reminds me of Bunker's Beast before it started looking like a pro-mod car.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjSbt2W-Q64

 

late 60's noses were coming down---check the slicks...

 

That's exactly what I was thinking. At best he may have had a 480 something inch rat motor on methonal & L88 aluminum heads on methonal, and that car couldn't have been much lighter than 2800-3000 lbs. Heck it even has a hood bird!

 

This is the announcement of the New X/S class for 1966. If you notice it is for 1964 and NEWER bodied cars!

Five new classes for Funny Cars have been added to the National Hot Rod Association's 1966 competition rules.

The new section's classes will be blown as Experimental Stock (XS), and are for 1964 and later highly modified stock cars.

In order to allow their participation in the '66 World Championship Series and other events at NHRA sanctioned strips, the late-model hot rod XS classes will have their own set of national records, with standard elapsed time records for the Eliminator handicaps.

The five XS classes will be determined primarily by total car weight, with minimum permissible weights per class as follows:

A/XS 2000 lbs. min.
B/XS 2600 lbs. min.
C/XS 3000 lbs. min.
D/XS 3200 lbs. min.
E/XS 3400 lbs. min.

Only one engine is allowed per car, which must be mounted up front. Make or model of engine is optional, as long as it is an automobile engine of 1964 or later production. Maximum permissible engine setback is 25-percent of the total wheelbase, measured from the centerline of the front spindles to the engine's nearest spark plug hole. Maximum allowable engine displacement for A/XS cars is unlimited. Maximum for all other XS cars is 430 cubic inches.

Engine modifications are optional in XS classes, but superchargers are not permissible. Either carburetors or injectors are acceptable in the A/XS and B/XS classes, but the other three classes are restricted to carburetors only. Fuel type is optional for A/XS class. The other four XS classes are limited to gasoline only.

Bodies must be of a type manufactured for 1964 or later stock cars, unaltered in size and general contour. Fiberglass or aluminum bodies and components may be used. Four stock type fenders are required, which may be elongated to accommodate axle relocations.

Frames may be stock production, altered production or special tubular construction. Full automotive type front suspension is required. Rigid mounted rear axles are permissible. Minimum permissible wheelbase for all XS cars is 100 inches. Safety hubs are required. Locked differentials are not allowed. Wheel track width may not be narrowed more than four inches per the original specifications for the type of body used. Four-wheel-drive or front-drive cars are not eligible to compete in XS classes.

A roll cage, suitably reinforced and braced, is required for all A/XS cars. All other XS classes require roll bars. Maximum removable weight for ballast is 100 lbs. No disguised ballast is permitted. Parachutes are required on all A/XS cars and on all cars in other XS classes having two-wheel brakes. Fire-protective suits are required for drivers of all fuel-burning A/XS cars and are recommended for others.

Explosion-proof flywheels and pressure plates are required in all stick-shift cars in XS classes, as are adequate scattershields. Safety rules applying to NHRA's Altered classes generally pertain to the XS classes, with Fuel class rules in effect for fuel-burning A/XS cars.

Eliminator handicaps for the five new XS classes will be based on official elapsed-time records, per NHRA's national records procedure. Cars in the A/XS class will compete in the Competition Eliminator category, while cars in B/XS, C/XS, D/XS and E/XS will run in Street Eliminator finals.

First events at which national class records may be established are scheduled this weekend, April 2-3, at Phenix City, Alabama, and Carlsbad, Calif., where the '66 World Series events make their season's debut.

NHRA strip operators in the Northeast Division have already programmed a new Experimental Stock Circuit for the XS classes, with an $8,000 purse. Popularity of the "eastern super stocks" is the best insurance of the success the Experimental Stocks are destined to enjoy in 1966.

 

In 1967 Funny Car became a new classification and X/S did remain for another year or two,as something between Stock and Funny car, but from what I can find, the 64 and newer body rule remained - at least in NHRA

 

I was thinking that's Bob Bunker's "Folsom Flash" 55 also, right down to the color, radiused wheelwells, missing front valance panel, and missing door trim spear. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

that car is awesome! love me a well built 55!

 

Amazing how hardcore cars like this thread are ignored. Like to start a thread of them lates '60s'-mid '70's rippers. Keeping it HAMB styled criteria of course. BUMP for someone who has info on the mean green machine.

 

I think Bunker had his car in the 60's... so it probably isn't the same car.

My yelloow '55 used to race with Bob Bunker, Wayne Torkelson and Dave Riolo in the late 60's early 70's... only my car ended up surviving in its 1967 rendition...

Until recently.

Sam

 

That is one mean looking 55 gasser for sure.

Not sure about the green color but it does looking very cool.

Jimbo

 

Sam, I believe you are right. I remember reading an article on Bunkers car a while back, and that he had owned it before it was a race car. I think the green paint is bitchen, and the green windows are even better. Sam, when are you gonna have another one of these bad boys, do you miss yours?

 

Here is a cool picture of Bob bunkers 55, just 'cause......

 

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nice picture

 

I miss mine... but I don't miss the fact that I couldn't drive it all over the place...

So, I bought this '57 to make into a streetable hot rod.

But I like '55 Chevies better... so, I'd like to find someone to trade a '55 for this '57.

Aside from the fender flared in the back... and the hole in the hood... it's the nicest Tri-Five I have seen in 25 years.

The glass is all new, the trim is all there and there isn't a single ding on the stainless or the car for that matter. Rubber and felts are all 30 years old, but like new... it's been in storage since the late 80's early 90's.

So, I'd have to get a super sano rust free, never been wrecked '55 in trade.

Roller for roller...

Any leads?



Sam

 

Kiwi Kev! That's the Bunkers Beast I remember!

Lifting the wheels at Sacramento!

Tognotti's sponsor on the quarter panel... and a sign in the fence in the background of the pic!

Classic!

Sam

 

Bunker's car was SOO BITCHIN before they cut it up at Alstons, with a 540" Ratmotor and the slicks sticking out the fender wells !! Bunker had that 55 when it was a stocker. THANKS Chris