Some videos aren’t cool because of trick camera work, killer sound, or zooty stuff like that. Take this one for example. It shows drag racing legend Jim Oddy firing up the very Austin gasser he raced all over the country in the 1960s. The car has been painstakingly restored by New York resident John Cassiol who hunted the car for ages before finally buying it and starting down this road more than five years ago.

The car is powered by a blown, gas burning, 392 style Chrysler Hemi, has a great chop, and has been painted to perfectly match the light blue hue and lettering Oddy decorated it with back in the days of the Gasser Wars. John has been truly dedicated to this restoration right down to details like finding the proper Fiat seats to use, using the same Sapphire Mist paint, and consulting Oddy the whole way. As good as it was for Jim to see his car roar to life, it had to be a great moment for Oddy as well. Jim has had success in just about every category he has competed, he operated one of the most highly regarded race engine businesses in the country for decades, and has several world championships under his belt. It is bitchin’ to us that he was involved from the gasser wars right up through the ultimate iteration of door slammer drag racing, Pro Mod. The famously named, “Black Mariah” (Bret Kepner named) Corvette, which pre-dated Pro Mod that Oddy built and Freddy Hahn drove was running 6.60s in 1989!

John Cassiol has done an awesome job over the long haul of restoring this car. He’s a regular dude, on a regular budget that never gave up and worked closely with the original owner of this car. What’s better than that? Oh, we know. Seeing it run!

Press play to see Jim Oddy fire up the gasser he kicked ass in 40+ years ago!