I've got a question...

[Barber]

I've been reading Bob W's thread about the dragster he built... http://www.ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7539 and after I saw just how cool it turned out.... and after Bob was nice enough to give me a few measurments off of his... I've decided to build one myself....

So.. I've started gathering parts and have the major things covered.. model A front end, axle, engine and trans.... just have to gather a few more things like front wheels, grill shell & radiator, ect, and I'll be ready to start on it....

NOW.. my question... What did they call these cars back in the day... what class did they run in..... When I get to the point to, I want to put the right class letters on the car that it would have had back in the 50's to give the old school look....

 

[Flipper_1938]

A lot of the recent nostalgia cars like that are inspired by an idea hatched on the H A M B. .....modern recreations of the earliest "gas rails".

There is a whole sub-section dedicated to these cars.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=38

 

[rainman]

I'm not 100% sure but I think thats where the name rail job came about. But as far as the proper letters used I don't know.

 

[Gastrick]

"Rail Jobs"...which spawned gas rails and then gas and fuel dragsters. I think in the early years of organized drag racing (NHRA) there were only two classes, those being stock and top eliminator.

Here's the first known example, D i c k Kraft's "Bug"

 

[Barber]

Thanks guys.... I thought that they were called rail jobs... but figured NHRA might have called them something else..... and since that was just a little before my time I had to ask...