Who knows about gassers?

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/any-gasser-fans-out-there/46816/page1/

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/its-a-lark-andrew-nelsons-1960-studebaker-at-drag-week-2013/

Just a couple details...Spoked wheels, tubbed rears and extremely high cars are not gassers just because they have a straight axle. They're referred to as Street Freaks. Spoked wheels were used on Altered Class cars, not Gassers. Tubbed cars were not allowed because the inner fenders were required. There were height restrictions including the height of the crankshaft. I have copies of AHRA and NHRA rules for many years when the class was popular.

In reply to 44Dwarf:

That sounds like fun too!

wheels777 wrote: Just a couple details...Spoked wheels, tubbed rears and extremely high cars are not gassers just because they have a straight axle. They're referred to as Street Freaks. Spoked wheels were used on Altered Class cars, not Gassers. Tubbed cars were not allowed because the inner fenders were required. There were height restrictions including the height of the crankshaft. I have copies of AHRA and NHRA rules for many years when the class was popular.

Huh, I really know nothing about them, but that's certainly interesting.

Did you post that Studebaker on bangshift? I vaguely remember reading about it, and that's what sparked my initial interest about them.

NBraun wrote: In reply to 44Dwarf: That sounds like fun too!

wheels777 wrote: Just a couple details...Spoked wheels, tubbed rears and extremely high cars are not gassers just because they have a straight axle. They're referred to as Street Freaks. Spoked wheels were used on Altered Class cars, not Gassers. Tubbed cars were not allowed because the inner fenders were required. There were height restrictions including the height of the crankshaft. I have copies of AHRA and NHRA rules for many years when the class was popular.

Huh, I really know nothing about them, but that's certainly interesting. Did you post that Studebaker on bangshift? I vaguely remember reading about it, and that's what sparked my initial interest about them.

I've never posted info on BS. We have had 2 Studes in HR. And the boys Stude was in a Road Kill article about the Challenge.

BTW, I am not a Gasser police Nazi dude. I only shared because there are a bunch of them out there. The assumption that every car with a straight axle is a gasser is funny. Every old car (like our yellow coupe) is a "roadster". Every foreign car is a "ricer" bugs a lot of folks. You get the picture... just sharing.

wheels777 wrote:

NBraun wrote: In reply to 44Dwarf: That sounds like fun too!

wheels777 wrote: Just a couple details...Spoked wheels, tubbed rears and extremely high cars are not gassers just because they have a straight axle. They're referred to as Street Freaks. Spoked wheels were used on Altered Class cars, not Gassers. Tubbed cars were not allowed because the inner fenders were required. There were height restrictions including the height of the crankshaft. I have copies of AHRA and NHRA rules for many years when the class was popular.

Huh, I really know nothing about them, but that's certainly interesting. Did you post that Studebaker on bangshift? I vaguely remember reading about it, and that's what sparked my initial interest about them.

I've never posted info on BS. We have had 2 Studes in HR. And the boys Stude was in a Road Kill article about the Challenge. BTW, I am not a Gasser police Nazi dude. I only shared because there are a bunch of them out there. The assumption that every car with a straight axle is a gasser is funny. Every old car (like our yellow coupe) is a "roadster". Every foreign car is a "ricer" bugs a lot of folks. You get the picture... just sharing.

Oh I gotcha, It really is just interesting as i never would have known about the differences between classes had you not mentioned that.

Since you know what your talking about what's a realistic budget for something like the lark of yours that you linked? I certainly love the look, and it's a possibility in the future if i were to find a project cheap enough.

NBraun wrote: .......what's a realistic budget for something like the lark of yours that you linked? I certainly love the look, and it's a possibility in the future if i were to find a project cheap enough.

Depends on how much new you want. We bought a bunch new knowing we were doing Drag Week with it.

The Henry J cost about $7,500 and made 435 HP on pump gas to the tires with a 355/T400 35 spline 9" with aftermarket center section with spool and 4.10:1 gears. The front axle was a 47 Chev with 54 spindles and Speedway brakes. The steering column ran between the feet to an Econoline box and steering arm pushed/pulled the drag link parallel to the frame.

The Lark was $9,000 with 496 that makes 530 HP to the rear tires on 87 octane, T400 9" 31 spline, spool 3.50:1 gears and everything new in the fuel system and ignition system. The front axle is a 62 Econoline, 65 Corvette steering box in place of the Lark box, cross steer to home built steering arms with D&D (out of California) brakes.

Both cars were/are parallel leaf front with rear shackle. Both drive like a dream and no pump steer.

Depending on what your doing, you could easily do one for $3,500 to $4,000. A lot of the costs we incurred were to make sure they were reliable for the 12-1300 mile Drag Week runs.

The next car (another 60 Lark same color as the BBC Lark) will be a competition build. Its going to get a 296 (former Modified Eliminator class engine), Muncie M22 with aftermarket case and gear set, and a 5.14:1 geared 9". Should sound sweet at 8500. It's a real DZ 302 that was de-stroked to 2.88" with aluminum rods and 14:1 compression. We're going to over-cam it to work with the reworked fuellies and tunnel ram. It will most likely be lettered to match the 60 posted above.

In reply to wheels777:

Thanks! That definitely seems reasonable. I'll have to keep an eye out for some parts or a car to start building in the future.

SkinnyG wrote: Can someone point me to a "how to" on getting said geometry right?

I think you're mostly looking at minimizing bump steer so it lands a wheelie without trying to kill you, which is part of the point of the solid axle. Readily available info on 4x4 stuff should work.