Hemi-Powered Gasser: 1940 Ford Deluxe
A gasser is generally defined as a lightweight, high-powered hot rod that was used for drag racing from the late 1950s through the early 1970s. In order to reduce the racing weight, the cars often used fiberglass body parts, stripped interiors, and Lexan windows. Stock engines were swapped out in favor of supercharged and/or fuel-injected units. Front suspensions were raised using a variety of methods, helping with weight transfer and distribution during acceleration down the track. With the gasser classes eventually being phased out and replaced with new concepts such as Pro Stock, many former racers were taken out of service and stashed garages and barns around the country. Recently, there has been a resurgence of racing nostalgia, and gassers have started to make a comeback. Our feature car is the real deal, a former drag car that was raced in Colorado in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Currently located in Lompoc, CA, and found here on eBay, the car has a current bid of $10,200 with the reserve not yet met.
The engine is a 1957 Chrysler FirePower 392ci Hemi, originally rated at 325 horsepower in stock form. It has been upgraded with a tunnel ram intake, said to be 1 of 6 fabricated by a drag racer in Colorado at the time. The fender well headers were custom-built as well and are an important part of the gasser image. The seller states that the engine lost a cam in 1973, which caused it to be parked. As such, it will need to be gone through, but it does turn over. Backing up the Hemi is a Muncie four-speed with a Hurst shifter, and out back is a 1957 Chevy rear end with a Posi.
The interior looks rough, but at least everything that needs to be redone is still there and appears to be in solid condition. The seller states that the car features an aluminum fabricated firewall and sheet metal front floor section. The rear floor section and tail pan are in poor condition and will need to be repaired.
The best thing about this car is that it has remained untouched since it was last raced. Because of this, we can look at it and envision what it must have been like back in the day. With bright yellow paint, a high-nosed stance, and a wicked-looking Hemi, it definitely had a presence and no doubt received a lot of attention at the track. With most of its parts still in place, but much of it needing to be restored, it could prove to be a rewarding project. Would you make it restore it back to its racing trim, turn it into a driver, or somewhere in between?
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Comments
Low miles, I bet, 1/2 mile at a time. Gassers are my favorite, but the author didn’t say why they are called “Gassers”. Kind of elementary, they ran on pump gas, instead of alcohol or nitro. Gassers like this typically run in the mid 9’s, some make it into the 8’s( 8.99) and are wildly unpredictable. Not sure about a “resurgence”, race tracks all over the country are closing, and with even the most modest form of drag racing today costs millions, and diminished fans, air pollution laws, NIMBY’s,, drag racing will be history in our lifetimes. From a more simple time, an old Ford, ( dime a dozen) an old hemi ( dime for TWO dozen) the tires were probably your biggest investment, the tunnel ram and carbs bought at a flea market for $50 bucks,,yeah,,,eat your hearts out, punks,,,
LIfelong gasser fan here.
While there is much truth in your observations, I have to disagree about the future of drag racing. It continues to evolve.
We have seen members of NEDRA eclipse 200 mph. Drag racing in general has taken a hit for numerous reasons (mainly coporate driven )but whether we like it or not efforts such as Big Daddys prove that racing with emerging technology will become the norm. Never thought I would ever see it in my lifetime, but the Strombecker and Cox slot cars of my youth are now life sized 1/4 mile drag cars.
Thanks for the reply, Mark, I hope so. I’m not so optimistic, obviously. Drag racing may continue, but only for the very rich. I’ve totally lost interest in the “professional” circuit, in the 15 years I’ve followed top fuel, while still exciting to watch in person, has become stale and sponsors leaving, these “mega” teams are fading out in favor of a smaller teams. I guess I’m from a time, what I consider drag racings heyday, when a car like this was what most of us could afford, and was just a good old time, not a multi million dollar endeavor, like today. It was more universal back then, that’s what I miss the most. I apologize for the word “punks”, referring to a modern young person, I was joking, but in a more serious manner, I don’t see a lot of young people even care about drag racing anymore, a walk through the pits today of a modern drag race, looks more like a flea market, with the latest sunglasses, or whatever. Most those “pit patrons” never watch the actual race itself.
Far as Big Daddy’s exploits with electric race cars,,,, I think it’s just a hobby for him, he’s literally done everything else, but I’m sorry, nothing will replace the gut rumbling feeling when a top fuel dragster takes off. The hum of an electric motor takes the last zing out of it. It will never fly like top fuel.
It amazes me that they get 10,000hp out of a blown Hemi today.
I mostly agree with you Howard the professional classes are just boring cookie cutter car look all the same except for paint and decals so i quit watching NHRA racing awhile ago i personally think the future of drag racing is the run what you bring classes STREET OUTLAWS., LIGHTS OUT, etc as well as Drag Week that’s become my favorite type of racing there are such a variety of cars really reminds me of back in the day just turned 76 and i still go to GLD and run my car just for fun although i will admit not as much as i used to or would like to mainly because it’s now an expensive hobby
Get it running. Add some period aircraft lap belts for style… not safety and drive it till the doors fall off
The guy who raced this must’ve had long arms to reach that shift lever, especially with that bench seat in front of it. Speaking of, I wonder why it wasn’t replaced with a bucket seat, you’d think just for the weight savings if nothing else.
Real long arms to reach the radio on the rear deck.
Several 60’s gasser builds were refugees on the streets in my town. In particular a very beat……1955 Chevy still surviving in the early 1980’s. My friend ended up buying it. We were still in school. He got it for $650. I was envious because I thought it was cool.
It was flat black Bel Air HT with a 396 and Muncie. The body was solid. Tilt front end. Giant hood scoop. It had a straight axle and Cragars that must have been 10″ wide on the rear and skinnies up front. The rear wheel openings were cut out. The car sat high in the front like it should. Buckets out of a 60’s GM. To me looked like the two Lane Blacktop Chevy.
It was a bear to drive. The mini red metallic steering wheel smaller than a 45 rpm record and no power steering meant you drove straight and parked it so your group would pull over and hang out. I drove it and the rear cog was tall and you were shifting all the time. The clutch pedal was stiff and a few passes in town was all we wanted.
After about three weeks he sold it and was on to something else. Later I heard about the car it was going through a restoration because in the 1980’s everything had to have billet wheels and pastel paint. A shame because much later the primer would have been in vogue.
Sadly it was never meant to be. It was never finished. I remember running into the body fifteen years later in a scrap yard. The floor and trunk had been cut out. Most of the parts were hauled in that went to it and dropped off with it. Seems who ever started on it quit and called it a day. These are cool to look at. That’s about it.
Great story! And my first thought as you began the description was about James Taylor’s “Two Lane Blacktop” car, even before I got to your saying so.
The good old days really were just that.
Thanks for sharing!
I think it’s a neat car, and I’d love to own it. But that’s not gonna happen. It would just be a money pit for me.
I can see spending another $30,000 to get it back on the road. Engine, clutch, and transmission repairs by shops would probably absorb half of that. Then you’ve got the brakes, tires, wheels, interior, suspension, steering, electrical, rear end, driveshaft, cooling, windows, and structural rust repairs that you would have to complete yourself. Afterwards, the first time you dump the clutch that Hemi would spread the ’57 Chevy differential all over the road.
I think I’ll just watch this auction from afar and daydream about owning such a project. That’s much more practical than bringing this car back to life.
I too pity the poor rear axle. If it’s an original Chevy posi with a P cast into the 3rd member, the center section is worth some bucks to the restorers. While in high school I stumbled (literally) across a P case posi with 4.11 gears while on a farm buying a ’50 Dodge pickup to harvest it’s flathead 6. I bought the the center section for $20.00 and put it in my ’55 Chevy Delray, replacing the original 4.11s (factory overdrive car). A fellow classmate HAD to have my old 4.11s to put in his family’s ’64 Impala 4 door hardtop, factory 340 hp 409. Those were the good old days of cheap fun – circa ’73-74.
Spend money on brakes, steering, ties, interior and drive the snot out of it.
It amazes me that they get 10,000hp out of a blown Hemi today.
I spent a lot of time at Continental Divide Raceway (CDR) near Castle Rock in those years., and I don’t recall ever seeing this car. Maybe it was a Western Slope car?
Love the intake! Throw some money at it and have a fun car.
Depending on what you want to end up with will determine the cost to use this car for your purposes. This one is a blank canvas with your imagination and bank roll being the restrictions. Old hemis are very pricey to build, but I hope whoever gets it leaves it in. I drive a 39 Ford coupe that was a 60s / 70s street brawler in the So cal area. It also ran the area 1/4 mile drag strips and dry lakes. I tamed it down a little to be safe and reliable, but it still has attitude. To me this body style is among the best looking ever and to have the background it has makes it cool.
Very cool
Very cool
I remember back in the 60’s when I was maybe 10 are what were running on the drag strip. Awesome fun back then and often wondered what happen to ask these old drag cars
Most serious gassers were running 9.3 Pontiac Old rear ends! Made lockers and aftermarket axels for them back in the day!
Cool ride.
If I read it correctly, the car sold through at $15K.
Fun in the future for someone, with a wide-open list of ways to go with it.