GASSER MUST HAVES and cant haves?

Yup.That was exactly the car I was thinking of!


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We still have a local speed shop (Radke's) that's been around since the 50's, and still the same owner! He and his wife have turned it over to their daughter, but they're still in the office almost every work day!
I'll run over there and see if they have them in stock. They don't have everything, but pretty good supply of common items.

 

That's really great to hear....the Internet has been such a great help to us for building old cars and finding rare items,but it also committed genocide on the Mom n Pop speed shops along the way too.
Glad to see these folks are doing well!


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After hanging out with Quain at the track mines going four speed. I know that long ago thing. Nothing like a 4 speed. The cars responds different with old style ladder bars. We have a 70 year old here still banging the gears at the track in an old vette after he parked it for a few years.

 

Now that is awesome....and by the time I get all my projects finished,that 70 yr old might be me...!lol


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Well I'm not 70 yet, but collecting social security, so old enough for me!

 

Great photo collection for sure. For any that haven't read it both Davis and Montgomery books are must reads, the text in the Montgomery book is really good.

 

Don;t know if I can get mine all done by then. Aways draggin a new one home. But when it's your time to go...go happy. Thats what I like about these geezer races. Just a bunch of old farts thats been there done that having fun.

 

I went with the 37' Chevy coupe cause to me that was the best looking early car.


My friend Tom ran a hydro in his 37' for some time and finally the light went on about they took too much power, then he too put in a 4 speed and went quicker


Plus back then they did not have much stall speed so your car had to have a little more mid range power, where with a stick that was not a concern just buzz her up and side step the clutch and let her rip

G Don

 

A buddy of mine has an original that he is thinking of making a gasser look a like out of and run it on the street. They did make a good looking gasser.

 

Hi Don!

It probably takes a hundred horsepower or so just to get the weight of a hydro off the line,big ol' cast iron pigs that they are!
I got one for my car when I started nosing around and saw that some of the really scary teams like SWC and Maz used to run them,but I'm already having second thoughts about it because I just plain love driving a car with a big,nasty motor and a 4-speed manual.
And that Chevy of yours was without a doubt,one of the best looking Gassers that ever ran.Very tough looking,classy yet understated and all business.

Scott


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Now that's a snarly lookin' Stude...


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Since the subject of stude gassers came up this ,this is mine. I drove it in 1966 and it was sold and tried to be restored ,then an attempt was made at being a street rod and I bought it at a swap meet and returned it to a race car not knowing it was the same car. The car was yellow in the 60s and I ever redo it I will make it back like it was.

 

Our dad hated 4spd hydro's, he said he couldn't wrap his around using a trans that

was nearly as heavy as his small block chevy engine.

 

Lmao!
He wasnt kidding man!They are SERIOUSLY heavy.I have another Toploader 4-spd on the way for a backup plan.
I'm really looking forward to seeing if that super deep first gear is all its cracked up to be or if it's just another one of those things that "gets better with age"...:S


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Nice sedan. If anyone else has sedan gasser pics lets see them.

MELTDOWN DRAGS
JULY 19-20 2014

 

Or Altered.lol I realize with that amount of engine setback it is no Gasser. Whew that was close.

MELTDOWN DRAGS
JULY 19-20 2014

 

Hi Scott

Thanks for the kind words about the Gasser, as you hit the nail right on the head

Like you say I wanted a clean understated look but when you look in the engine compartment or the interior it was meant for doing serious business, and finished the look off with the American Mags

Just looking at your profile page

Any guy who likes Gene's 554 coupe - early Fuelers and Flat Track dirt bikes cant be all bad, that's my kinda guy

Used to watch the Fuel Coupe run at the Beach all the time ' All time Cool Car '

Two of my friends had Fuelers that I helped on back in the days of push starts

My friend Terry ran the A.M.A. Pro Dirt track circuit for a few yrs, started with Trackmaster Triumphs then the XR 750 Harleys [ even got to ride his one day what a thrill ]

G Don

 

I know what you mean 4 speed and a set of 456 gears. Its all about the show the first couple hundred feet

 

There's nothing on earth like that 554 car,is there Don?

And I am green with envy...that XR750 must have been one hell of a ride!


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You almost got taken into custody by the Gasser Police...!:O


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Do Anglias and Austins count??

 

This is a friend of mines Chevy it has a blown Pontiac mill and a clutch turbo Trans




Chrome don't get ya home

 

I was just about to give a warning ticket!

 

No pictures and coffee break is almost over, but off the top of my head Junior Thompson had a Studebaker sedan, The Moose was a 37 or 38 Chevy sedan (maybe), Russo and Santo Indy winning Willys was a more door sedan (The Olcott family have restored and race it now). Bob Ida had a Willys sedan.

 

Seems several of you know the history on most of the "gasser" cars running currently. I know about Mr. Comer's car, but other than it, are there cars running in these groups today that have not been restored or modernized beyond the minimum needed to pass tech that actually ran back in the day? I'd like to know which one's really are true survivor examples, if there are any left.

I have admired Mr. Hubert Platt's Altered Falcon for years since it's pretty local, but I don't think it has made a pass in decades.

 

Thanks Larry!
That one was driving me nuts!The Russo & Santo sedan was the gold colored car I was trying to think of earlier!


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Here is nice ,old sedan gasser that was at the Orange Drag Strip Reunion.

 

Full float rear too.

MELTDOWN DRAGS
JULY 19-20 2014