Yeah thats it. LOL I can't imagine my long legs in that Austin. The *****'s looks somewhat bigger.

 

I don't get the whole gasser thing. Is there a link or something on the history of them. I guess I am to young or just lived in the wrong area.

Why do they sit so high in front?
Why do people put straight axles under the front?

I like the looks of yours and have been very interested in your build, just done get the history of them.

 

I'm plenty old enough to have grown up in the era, and my first race car was a 1955 Chev 2dr sedan gasser that I ran in D/G locally. That was right at the end of the Gas classes, so not long after I finished it NHRA ended the Gas classes, and the cars were forced to run in other classes like Modified Production, or even A/FX classes. Most didn't do well as built, and were rebuilt, or retired. Mine got stolen, and I went in the military after that. When I came home the A/FX and Funny Car classes were the rage. Bought my '71 Camaro, and went back racing it, but always wanted to build another gasser, just to have fun on the street, but it took 40 yrs. to get aeround to it!
Not sure of a link to any history, but I can answer the questions.
They sat high in front to help transfer weight to the rearend. The NHRA rule allowed for a 24" center from ground to the crankshaft, as people pushed the limit in an effort to get a better plant at launch. Many guys had their engines hanging out the bottom of the chassis to stay within the 24" limit.
The straight axle was the best way to get the frontend up, and not have steering or geometry issues. Additionally you have to remember this was the '50's and '60's, so technology wasn't what it is today, so they had no Mustang II front suspensions, or rack and pinion steering. The most commonly used straight axles were from old Anglias, or trucks, and they were used in a majority of straight axle cars. The big money gasser cars had custom built axles, but the average car had whatever was light and cheap.
Gassers were the average guy's car when it started. Rules required full interior, std. wheelbase, all the lights, etc. Basically a street legal car with a weight to cubic inch restriction for each class within the Gas classes. A/G was 5lb-8.99lb per cubic inch, B/G was 9lb-11lb (going from memory here) and on down the classes to I believe G or H class.
Early on gassers rarely had straight axles, unless the car came with one like the Anglia or ******, and late in the 60's saw a trend back to non-straight axle cars as perople figured out how to get weight transfer with suspension. But the height of the gasser wars was lots of axle cars, and nose high stance.
There's a really great book out by Larry Davis, "Gasser Wars" that details the rise and end of the Gas class. It's out of print now, and become so collectable that prices are insane. The whole gasser theme has become so big today that it's driven prices up on anything related to this genre of car or parts, literature, etc. It's really biggest in the midwest where it got it's start around Ohio, but I see more of them popping up here lately too.
A lot of the gasser clones that are strictly street cars are much higher than anything that ran back in the '60's. We refer to those that look like 4WD vehicles as "street freaks", as they're just not built in a way that would have ever met NHRA rules. But some people like to push the limit, or don't care if their car is a true copy of the old gassers.
I wanted mine to try and maintain a look that if people saw it going down the street they would think it was right out of the 60's, not freshly built today.
Hope this helps a bit to answer the questions. Sorry about the long winded reply!

 

PS-Just did a search for "gasser history" and this came up. Might explain a few things I missed.
Gasser History

 

The ****** is a lot bigger overall, and interior is huge compared to my narrow Austin. My left shoulder is against the inner door and my long legs don't fit great. My knees clear well, except when I go for the brake and my knee rubs the steering wheel slightly. I'm just over 6' tall, but long legs with a 32" inseam. I'd never take the Austin on a long trip!

 

there was a reason the gassers were never really used long trips but man do they look kool. i love them. more than likley of i didnt have my 68 camaro id have a 55 chevy gasser. they are just kool to see at shows and see them still running a the drag strip. going out to the track today and hoping to find some more hidden treasures and some better deals on the last day.

 

hey val, i was there Saturday, so many great deals and i got a shopping list of stuff i needed for the 83 camaro knocked off my list

Carter mechanical fuel pump new in box (with original gasket- 3$

Summit racing torque converter 1900~2100RPM stall New in box - 75$ (need for the new cam)

B&M Flex Plate Brand new with rated bolts and torque converter bolts 50$ -35$

The guy bundled both for 110$

Oil Pressure gauge 5$

HEI SBC distributer Non computer 5$

Gear puller and heavy duty impact sets 15$ (dads buy)

i think thats all i brought home but all of those things new would have sucked, i figure i saved about 130~150$ that day, and helped put some money in some other folks pockets, definitely worth it.

BTW good buys val very good.

 

Have you ever seen two lane blacktop?
i love that 55 chevy,

 

Thanks for the history lesson. It wasnt long winded since I actually want to know. I keep hearing the term on spike tv and new it had something to do with the high front end.

 

Or American Graffiti? Same '55 Chevy in both movies, but it got dolled up and painted gloss black for American Graffiti!
I loved it in both movies, but in AG it looked a lot like my old '55 gasser!