Posted on 11/28/2020 11:18:14 AM PST by ETL
Southeast Gassers Association
7.91K subscribers
The Southeast Gassers professional Drag Racing Association heads to the hills of Knoxville Tennessee for our 6th event of the 2020 season for some true grass roots Drag Racing taking us back to the beginnings of the Gasser wars and one of the early venues the Southeast Gassers Association traveled to in the early forming years of the SEGA.
Knoxville Dragway Fans packed the house with a record crowd of spectators attending the day long event and the most of them staying til the final rounds late into the evening to see all of the exciting true wheel standing,gear jamming,drag racing action that only the Southeast Gassers Association can deliver.
Imagine seeing this ‘55 Chevy Gasser leaping off the line with the front tires hanging in midair. No wonder Gassers have remained favorites in drag racing, and why the Gasser revival has lasted longer than the ‘50s and ‘60s Gasser Wars era that inspired it. ...”
Bodies:
Gasser bodies are stripped to reduce weight. The heavy steel hood on our ‘55 could be replaced with fiberglass, or a whole ‘glass forward-tilt front. Frequently, grilles get replaced or eliminated. Rear wheelwells are radiused to fit slicks, and glass is often replaced with screw-in tinted plexiglass or Lexan. It’s rare to see a front bumper; rear bumpers are sometimes replaced with cylindrical pipe bumpers. Elaborate paintjobs are not as common as basic solid colors, but race decals (on the quarter windows) and lettering are pretty standard. Lettering on the doors would spell the team name or, as here, the car’s nickname.
Chassis:
Chassis are purpose-built for straight-line acceleration, and front leaf springs and rear ladder bars are favorite suspension parts. Our straight-axle raises the front of the car (to shift weight) and makes room for fenderwell headers. Faster Gassers might have some type of wheelie bars, but this ‘55, like many, doesn’t.
It’s a drag car, so it runs slicks in the back with front skinnies on 3- or 4-inch-wide wheels. Cragars, Americans, Ansens, and Halibrands are all popular wheels. Stick with five-spokes or kidney beans and you’ve got the look.
Interior:
The interior is drag car minimal, with rear seats removed. The factory bench seat might be replaced with upholstered ‘glass race buckets. Our blown car, and cars with many ‘glass panels, would require a rollbar to run. That rollbar provides a place to mount cushioned head pads. We’d add a column-mounted Sun tach and Stewart-Warner gauges below the dash, and replace our factory steering wheel and gas pedal with a metalflake wheel and a Moon “footprint” pedal. Either way would look correct, but our way could take a tenth off our elapsed time. That’s how we imagine it.”
—Hot Rod Magazine
#9 Southeast Gassers official Race Recap Part 1 of 2 Knoxville Dragway Knoxville Tennessee
Nov 20, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVsElcBd98w
Sent To Grandson always enjoys Your Car Posts . You have been Missed
Thank you. Glad he and you like them. :)
There are many of these videos on YouTube from the Southeast Gassers Association (SEGA). It’s old-school American muscle-style drag racing from the 60-70s.
A woman near my town is restoring her dad’s ‘57 Chevy gasser from the late 60’s. She found it in a garage not far from her dad’s house. He sold it in the mid 70’s. Still has original paint, straight axle, 15x4 American 5 spokes etc
The girls working the start line are pretty cool too.
:)
Miniskirts and Go-Go boots! What’s not to like!
‘55 Chevy Gasser 496ci “Orange Krate” 10.46@127.49mph~10.54@127.41mph at RT66
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8ElWXhbPek
Thanks for posting this!
You’re welcome.
The organization (SEGA) has lots of similar videos posted on YouTube.
All of those are OK, but NONE match up to Jungle Pam, who was with Jungle Jim.....
Great thread! Thanks!
My son and I both have vintage drag cars, a 55 & 57 Chevy. More fun than a human begin should be allowed!
Worked on one in the mid 60’s. 55 Chevy tilt front end. Albuquerque. Called the GiggleCar. Not quite a funny car but LOTS of fun. Ran in the 10’s if i remember right.
Is that Linda Vaughn’s granddaughter?
Any full bodied car running 10’s, is some real fun! We just put a 572 BBC in my son’s ‘55, this Fall. Hope to get 10’s after break-in.
Nice. Enjoy!
Miss Hurst Olds!?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
