was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

[Freiburger]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

I asked for some photos of the cowl area of your Duster 340. I remember it was either rusted or hacked or Bondo'd or something.

Post more photos of the '55!

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

To go full-on dork here, Koffel's Packard is one of the coolest drag racing cars ever.

It was a terror in the E and F Gas ranks.

"The Flintstone Flyer"
1948/49 Packard
292ci fuel injected Chevy Small Block
6.14 Pontiac rear end
4430 freaking lbs.
Ran 13.1's all day long

That was in the late 1950's and early 1960's.

In like 1962/3 he hand made a fiberglass nose for the thing to save some weight (at two tons what do you want!?). He won Indy multiple times and the porcine Packard humbled many more normal race cars.


He then went racing with a 1959 Studebaker Lark. It was not as successful as the Packard, but it was another neat piece. He now builds loads of hi-po motors out of his shop Koeffel's Place. Dude's a legend!

Brian

[Canadianzed]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

I'm an old studebaker fan also.

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

The nose on that car was also a one off fiberglass piece.

I'm a dork.

Brian

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

However, I'm pretty sure that these days, guys say "Gasser" when all they really mean is "straight-axle." Assuming that's the case, you can pretty much just toss an axle under the front of anything these days and claim it's retro cool.

I've never looked into the "Gasser" cars, stylistically it doesn't do anything for me personally, but what DF said sounds about right from my point of view. If someone were to ask me what a Gasser is I'd say the body is lifted, there is a solid front axle and a small fuel(?) tank on the front bumper. Typically made out of a car from the late 50's to mid-60's, but any car with those modifications for me would fall into the "Gasser" category to me.

[bb70duster]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

I asked for some photos of the cowl area of your Duster 340. I remember it was either rusted or hacked or Bondo'd or something.

Post more photos of the '55!

Dave, Ill try and get some pics of the 340 car tomorrow, Ive been fighting the flu for 3 days nows... Man it sucks draggin home a new project and feelin so lousy that you cant even rummage thru the trunk load of spare parts! As for the cowl, its all good, has some thick paint on it, but thats it, the inner fenderwells are hacked (it comes with spare)

As for more pics of the 55, as long as I feel better tomorrow Ill have a bunch of pics posted... ;D

[HEMI]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

Well heres my reason for asking...

Id like to find an actual car that was raced to copy...

Gee I love those '55-'56 Plymouths.Saw one in a model magazine about 10 yrs.ago.It had a straight axle front end no hood,426 crossram Hemi,Torq thrust wheels,and painted red.
If I didn't have the Hemi Model A,I'd get a Plymouth and put my Hemi in it anddo like we did in the'60's gasser look.

[bb70duster]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

Well heres my reason for asking...

Id like to find an actual car that was raced to copy...

Gee I love those '55-'56 Plymouths.Saw one in a model magazine about 10 yrs.ago.It had a straight axle front end no hood,426 crossram Hemi,Torq thrust wheels,and painted red.
If I didn't have the Hemi Model A,I'd get a Plymouth and put my Hemi in it anddo like we did in the'60's gasser look.

looks like those wheels I got from you found a home!

[Groucho]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

Radius wells are NOT a requirement

its a 55, its really straight and solid, bought it from a old man... I was thinking a straight axle, hemi, slotted mags, I havent commited to the radiused wheelwells yet, although I know its a requirement to complete the "look" ...
never got your email???

[HEMI]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

Well heres my reason for asking...

Id like to find an actual car that was raced to copy...

Gee I love those '55-'56 Plymouths.Saw one in a model magazine about 10 yrs.ago.It had a straight axle front end no hood,426 crossram Hemi,Torq thrust wheels,and painted red.
If I didn't have the Hemi Model A,I'd get a Plymouth and put my Hemi in it anddo like we did in the'60's gasser look.

looks like those wheels I got from you found a home!

Mike,you need to put a MOON tank in the grille,like on Cadzilla.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

And cut up that beautiful bumper? Never.

[HEMI]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

Grille,NOT bumper.

[bb70duster]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

The thought crossed my mind, I have a moon tank out in the garage... All the front end chrome is really cherry though... :-\

[DanStokes]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

The '55 2 door really brings back memories. A friend in HS had one that he got from an old maid school teacher in town. It had the V8 (I forget the displacement) and a 3 on the tree. Two tone green - '57 Plymouth hubcaps. He kept it in PERFECT condition. I was like 14, and sometimes I'd get to ride to school in it. Though I was BAD, riding in that fine ride.

Dan

[RacerRick]

Re: was there any 50s Mopar gassers?

I have been looking for a 55-56 plymouth for a while and ended up buying my 57' Poncho because I couldn't find one. Nice score!

Whatever you do, don't break the glass in that car. The front and rear glass is made of unobtainium.

Also, the front suspension kind of sucks, but I understand that the front setup from a M-body fits well (same track width and easy to make fit). A guy I know called Animal from Colorodo has a 56' PLymouth gasser called War Pony that just rocks and is radiused and runs a M body front suspension.

Here are some links for your enjoyment:

http://www.geocities.com/animaltrikes/56projectpage1.html

http://forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=13584&start=1