
A gasser is a type of
hot rod originally used for
drag racing
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...
. This type of car originated in
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in the late 1950s and continued until the early 1970s.
In the days before
Pro Stock, the A/Gas cars were the fastest stock-appearing racers around.
History
Gassers are based on closed-body production models from the 1930s to mid-1960s, which have been stripped of extraneous weight and jacked up using a
beam axle
A beam axle, rigid axle, or solid axle is a suspension (vehicle), dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but hist ...
or tubular axle to provide better weight distribution on acceleration (beam axles are also lighter than an independent front suspension), though a raised stock front suspension is common as well. Common weight reduction techniques include fiberglass body panels, stripped interiors, and
Lexan
Polycarbonates (PC) are a group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily wor ...
windows (sometimes color tinted).
The 1933–36
Willys
Willys (pronounced , "Willis")
was a brand, brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John Willys, John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II–era Willys MB, ...
coupés and
pickups were very popular gassers,
in particular the 1933
Willys 77.
While neither cheap nor plentiful, it was a competitive and lightweight choice satisfying the rules of the era (which required a
ladder frame). At least one gasser incorporated a Willys frame under a Ford body to placate their sponsor while keeping it race legal.
Keith Ferrell's ''Dogcatcher'', for instance, was a 1936
delivery with a
fuel injected
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All co ...
small-block Chevrolet, built for the class; in 1967, Ferrell deliberately left something off to run it in B/Altered (later, with a
supercharger
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement (engine), displacement. It is a form of forced induction that is mechanically ...
, in BB/A).

After the company revived, the 1937-42 coupés, sedans, and pickups were again popular with hot rodders and gasser teams, and again, comparatively low production leaves unexplained why they gained so much attention.
Ollie Olsen's 1940 coupé ''Wil-A-Meaner'' (driven by Bob "Rapid" Dwyer) won the 1961 Nationals' A/G title.
Between 1962 and 1964, the Hassel & Vogelsong 1940 coupé "was the scourge of B/Gas", winning the
1963
Events January
* January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
and
1964 Nationals and setting a 1964 national record at 11.34. In 1967, the Hrudka Brothers' 1933 panel delivery was a popular wheelstander.
Postwar Willyses were also used (such as the
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, Kitsap County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 43,505 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and an estimated 44,122 in 2021, making it the largest city ...
-based ''Speed Sport Specialties'' 1954 Willys in B/Gas), but, despite being a better chassis than the 1955-7 Chevrolet, were never as popular as the prewar cars.
Combinations could be unusual. ''Fujimo, Too!'' was a B/G 1950
Plymouth
Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
business coupé (run by Adler and Trout) with an injected
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile (formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors) was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produc ...
and
Hydro-Motive transmission.
NHRA first licensed women drivers in gas classes in 1963, when
Roberta Leighton, member of the
Dust Devils Car Club and driver of an injected
El Camino, was first admitted.
Throughout the 1960s, the Stickle and Riffle
Anglia, based out of the Rod Shop and driven by
Bob Riffle, were frequent winners. Their only national titles, however, were B/G at the
1967 Nationals and C/G at the
1968 Nationals. Riffle's best pass in B/Gas was 10.54 seconds at .
At the
1965 Nationals, held at
Indianapolis Raceway Park in
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...
, 1941 Willyses driven by
Dick Bourgeous (owned by
"Big John" Mazmanian, sponsored by
Engle Cams) and
Doug "Cookie" Cook (the Stone-Woods-Cook gasser, sponsored by
Isky Cams) faced off in A/GS. (Cook took the win with a pass of 14.20 seconds at .)
Stone-Woods-Cook abandoned A/GS for
Top Fuel
Top Fuel is a type of drag racing whose dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of and finishing the runs in 3.641 second ...
Funny Car by the start of the 1967 season.
Late model cars were first allowed in the Gas classes in 1967.
Mazmanian would quit the gas classes for fuel funny car in 1968.
Gas classes were eliminated by NHRA in 1972.
[Taylor, "Duel of the Duals" in ''Hot Rod'', April 2017, p.11.] However, the NHRA still categorises gassers in sportsman categories, and vehicles can run gasoline or alcohol fuel (the latter safer in case of fire). The term "Super Gas" in NHRA refers to the rules that prohibit dragsters and mandate full-bodied cars in that category today.
Engine
Because they were primarily built for racing, these cars typically had the
engine swapped to a larger or more powerful one, or the existing stock engine modified (often heavily). It was very common to fit a
Roots supercharger modified from original use on General Motors two-cycle diesel truck engines and mechanical
fuel injection
Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines.
All c ...
, manufactured by
Algon,
Hilborn, or
Crower.
Suspension

With form being dictated by function, their appearance is often very top heavy and ungainly, largely due to front ends being raised higher than stock, to assist in the weight transfer during rapid acceleration (racing).
Having their exhaust pipes exit through the front fender well is a common characteristic of gassers, as is having bodies painted in flamboyant metalflakes, pearls, and candy finishes complemented by lettering in wild fonts. Most gassers also had
ladder bars.
Name
The name arose because they competed in a
gasoline
Gasoline ( North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When for ...
-fueled
drag racing
Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, mos ...
class, rather than one using
methanol
Methanol (also called methyl alcohol and wood spirit, amongst other names) is an organic chemical compound and the simplest aliphatic Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with the chemical formula (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often ab ...
or
nitromethane
Nitromethane, sometimes shortened to simply "nitro", is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in ...
.
Named cars
There were a number of cars run under names.
NHRA National Champions
Source
1955, Great Bend, Kansas
1956, Kansas City, Missouri
1957, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1958, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
, Wilson & Croy
, Ford
, Spee
, 19.92
,
, -
, Little Eliminator
,
Robert "Junior" Johnson
, B/G 1941
Studebaker
Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Man ...
1959, Detroit Dragway
1960, Detroit Dragway
1961, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1962, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1963, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1964, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1965, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1966, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
1967, NHRA Nationals, Indianapolis Raceway Park
Notes
References
Further reading
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{{Kustom Kulture
Drag racing cars
Kustom Kulture