Gasser & Altered fotos!!!

This is a cool thread, I see why Maddog is liking it too.

Go to www.gassermadness.com

History and classification of gassers.

Me, I like door slammers upto the late 60's.

Great link to the class breakdown for gassers, thank you.

I have to say, my favorite pic so far out of all of these is on page 11, Gastrick's post # 104. That just looks mean as all get out! Love it!

gassersgarage said:

Go to www.gassermadness.com

History and classification of gassers.

Me, I like door slammers upto the late 60's.

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tnx for the link...helped a bit

still wondering where did that raised front end look came from? rules, performance wise?
(sry if i missed it in that link you posted...)

fiki said:

tnx for the link...helped a bit

still wondering where did that raised front end look came from? rules, performance wise?
(sry if i missed it in that link you posted...)

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Although they cover the rules and evoltion thereof at gassermadness, I don't think they address the nose up stance normally associated with gassers. The reason for the nose high stance is that during the early years of drag racing, it was thought that such a stance would assist with transferring weight to the rear wheels, thus improving traction. During that time period, the cars were making more power than they could effectively put to the pavement. Eventually, tire and suspension technology caught up, rendering the theory obsolete.

I'll add that the reason that cars such as the Topolinos, and Crosleys were relegated to the Altered classes was the minimum wheelbase requirement rule imposed by the NHRA in the gas classes. Initially, the minimum wheelbase limit was 94 inches. Due to the popularity of the Anglias, NHRA eventually relaxed the rule to allow 90 inch wheelbase cars to compete. That's the reason that you saw a movement from the Willys' to the Anglias during the later years.

Reason 4 said:

I have to say, my favorite pic so far out of all of these is on page 11, Gastrick's post # 104. That just looks mean as all get out! Love it!

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#105 does it for me. Butterflys are closed, and his pants are full. Talk about stop action.

A different kind of gasser

If you look at the slicks from yesteryear, the tire technology was not conducive for traction. Getting as much weight as possible, over the rear tires was paramount. Hence the nose up and later, the altered wheelbase. I have 10" cheaters on my gasser and they don't hook up.

Checkout the Ramchargers "High and Mighty", it worked for its time.

Also, you will see a lot of corvettes with straight axles. However, because of wheelbase restrictions, these cars (including T-bird, Healys, Allard, etc...) were relegated to the modified sports car class (M/SP).

AM/SP - 4.00-7.49 pounds per cubic inch
BM/SP - 7.50-9.99
CM/SP - 10.00-16.49
D/MP - 16.50 and up

I thought I'd post some pics of some old toys and models based on gassers and altered wheel base cars....

gassersgarage said:

Also, you will see a lot of corvettes with straight axles. However, because of wheelbase restrictions, these cars (including T-bird, Healys, Allard, etc...) were relegated to the modified sports car class (M/SP).

AM/SP - 4.00-7.49 pounds per cubic inch
BM/SP - 7.50-9.99
CM/SP - 10.00-16.49
D/MP - 16.50 and up

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I think these cars met the 90" minimum wheelbase requirement. Most of them were not allowed to run in the gas classes because they didn't have a fixed roof. The sports car classes were initially devised for convertables and roadsters. The gas classes were for coupes and sedans only. Modified Production classes didn't start until 1964.

This '55 Ran a 632 fulton motor with 3 stages of nitrous and had a best time of 6.60 @ 210mph!

hotrodron said:

This '55 Ran a 632 fulton motor with 3 stages of nitrous and had a best time of 6.60 @ 210mph!

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In what year? That time would have been about 4 seconds under the record when that photo was taken.

Oh no no no Gastrick. My fault. The car wasn't running 6.60s then. I'm not sure of the year, but that was its best time ever. The car had many different engines over the years, and its last one was the fulton motor with 3 stages of nos (as of about 2001.) Not sure what it was running at the time. The car belonged to Charles Carpenter of Charlotte, NC until the late 90s. He's a ProMod racer and owner of the "World's fastest 55" Ran Super Chevy Shows and match raced and some IHRA events last I heard. Sorry for the confusion

Charles Carpenter let me sit in that car one time. He was a real nice guY. Here ya go Ron.

I know, I know, not a gasser. But it's a cool pic from the era and I thought some may enjoy it.

Wow! How cool is that. Is that what he is racing now? Or is he still racing?