CPTV FEATURE: THE ART OF BUILDING PERIOD CORRECT GASSERS

Past IHRA Pro Modified champion Quain Stott has found a new calling in life. The rags to somewhat riches drag racing story now has a new chapter. Stott is building, racing and organizing period correct Gasser events before packed houses in the Carolinas. This is his story and the art of building these unique hot rods.

[@larrynorsworthy8582]

I like this type of racing. More down to earth.

[@Baker504]

Quain Is the man!👍🏻😎 Love the SouthEast Gasser Association

[@twagner6155]

I looked through some old Hot Rod mags and did not find a 4 link rear end, 1970-71, though I seem to remember some in the '60's. There were timing score boards because the sport was turning professional, of course it varied with the track. I've been a fan of drag racing since '68 but read old mags from before that. I'm 65.

[@alphaone101]

I agree with everything said in this video except for the E.T. and MPH not being shown on the scoreboard when the gassers made a run. I started going to drags every weekend when I was 9 years old, which would have been 1961! I was fortunate enough to have an older brother who raced a 56 Corvette and was willing to let me tag along! I do remember races without the Christmas tree and a flagger instead and then there was no times or mph given; just whoever got there first won. If memory serves me correctly the drag strip we went to (which was big enough and modern enough to hold national events) it was around '64 or 65 when that strip got it's Christmas tree and finish line lights that determined the winner and also gave the E.T. but I'm not certain about whether it gave MPH or not because I learned early that MPH didn't really count for much and that a car with a slower E.T. could beat a car with a faster E.T. since driver reaction time contributed to who got to the finish first! What I do know for certain is that in 1969 when I started racing my E/gas 57 Chevy Sedan Delivery we did have a Christmas Tree and chrondek timing system at all of the 3 local drag strips I raced at and winner light along with E.T. and Mph. for both lanes at the finish line and we stopped at the timing tower on our way back to pick up our time slip for each race, win or lose! We did not get a driver reaction time, and the time to various points of the track, like 60 foot time and etc. By the time stats came along drag racing was becoming bracket racing and in my opinion, real drag racing was dying! I had no interest in seeing how consistent I could make my car or figure when to hit the brakes to keep from going to fast and losing! I know of no other kind of racing where you can lose for going to quick, I always thought that was the goal. We constantly tinkered with the car trying to find something, anything to make it go quicker, consistency was NOT something I wanted........I wanted quicker every time if possible! To me bracket racing and automatic transmissions are about as exciting as watching header paint dry! I think the SEG is doing a great thing in bringing real and exciting drag racing back for the younger generations to see what they' are missing!

[@user-ge2qn6gp4o]

When I was younger I built a car for king street class because it was heads up and had to be real cars. I was out of racing for 15+ years and went to an event a couple years ago. I was excited when that class came up, then they took off at 1/8 throttle, went about 400 feet then hit the gas. That's when I learned that they were now running delay boxes and some other dumb stuff. I was like WTF did these idiots do to drag racing?!. My next project may be building a gasser so I can enjoy racing the way it is supposed to be.

[@danielsmith-ze3wy]

Awesome thank you my friend

[@thesquirrelchroniclesakare7808]

Great video. I love to see the gassers run

[@JimWilsonTexas]

Very good Mr. Stott.

[@craigtittsworth9440]

Love the gassers! ... Great interview!

[@MichiganQuadTrailsTales]

great video!

[@Germanfan31]

This is what drag racing was all about in the early days. Just wish that there were cars like this running on the west coast so that I could attend.

[@charlesprice7897]

How can I get a copy of the build rules? I'm building a '51 Stude bullet nose with a SB chevy, Charlie Price @ Vintage Speed

[@weskjar1505]

pretty cool, but they didnt put 60-65 k into a gasser back in the day. yes they put money in to me but they used truck a leaf springs and straight axles. its still fun to watch gassers even if they dont conform to your specific rules.

[@erica8664]

one dollar in 1967 is equal to 7.34 now. www.saving.org/inflation/inflation.php?amount=1&year=1967

[@ronwest7930]

My dad built his Willys in an army tent. I just am big on jacked up front ends.My dad said his was as high as he could legally run it.

[@MrBluoct]

🤘

[@HammerHeadGarage]

If your real particular about period correct, put 60,s type engines in them. No brodix or aftermarket heads, 60,s style cams, rockers etc. D/gas is now way faster than c/gas ever was. Also use 60,s style bias ply tires.

[@barath4545]

Bias ply would be a safety concern iirc. About the engine parts, can you even get those cams, heads and so on anymore? ... And if not, they gotta go billet versions of the same parts just to be same spec as back then, you would go from 40 cars to about 5-6 because of the costs. Head wise, they still ported the shit out of the heads back then, did they not? .. So is it so much different than a Brodix? Just asking, not hating, would love to hear how racers could mitigate those rule changes without going broke. I gotta say to Quain's rules though, I don't like the wheel rule if it makes it very expensive to get those. I've seen the wheelstands ruin a pair of wheels in 2 runs and if they gotta keep making billet reproductions all the time, then that gets $$$ fast.

[@Guccihotwheels]

Hey man. I'm relatively new to the vintage scene. could you explain D/gas C/gas etc. Thanks

[@HammerHeadGarage]

@@Guccihotwheels google it

[@HammerHeadGarage]

@@barath4545 Aluminum ported heads make a huge difference even over ported iron heads.

[@tonymorse7178]

I understand wanting to keep authenticity, but it does add costs and it does restrict racers in a way racers were not restricted in the "glory days". To the naysayers of this car not being a "real" gasser or not -be thankful that person is still building a race car or hot Rod. As a 65 year old drag racer, I don't care for all the drama of reality shows like pinks, street outlaws etc, but I am thrilled with the resurgence of drag racing's popularity they bring to our beloved sport. I fixed enough driveline parts thru the years that I'll never race anything but an automatic..sorry 😞

[@voncramp5365]

I am building one myself. A '57 Chevy 210 post car. I will not be doing a straight axle conversion because not all gassers had straight axles. Plus, I don't want the nose high altitude on my car. However, I am only using vintage parts on my car. Real fiberglass fenders from the 60's and a '57 Olds rear. Having trouble locating a vintage blower though. Also running a vintage sag 4-speed, until it breaks.

[@marksallee6742]

Von Cramp the southeast gassers rules are posted on the web. Most of them run a Hightower transmission which will run you about 6000.00 bucks, only nodular iron center on a 9 in. Rearend Car must have the stance of the old gassers . Very strict rules with them. Quain has a great thing going and the car count is getting bigger every year. If you want to run with them you should call Quain and get some insight on your build. That Saginaw trans won't last one pass. Should explode on the line.

[@thxman1968]

@Jim Piver or a 210 post car.

[@thxman1968]

So a 150 and 210 are the same then since they are both "sedans"? 210s are referred to as "post cars" Its common language, why mince the OP's words?

[@thxman1968]

@Jim Piver You're out of your league here, stick to imports millennial.

[@thxman1968]

@Jim Piver Oh, you're that guy that walks around at the church car shows thinking they know everything? Lol, that explains it. But it's still a post car.

[@NeilLB7]

I watched their show near Linton IN on July 8, 2017. Believe me....these cars are violently powerful and loud. They are period correct....big horsepower and all.

[@RotorMedic7]

THESE "Gassers" in my opinion, are the ULTIMATE Drag Cars! Nothing seems more fun to look at, watch or RUN! Glad to see more out there.

[@bwayco]

Hello and thanks for the video. I am starting a gasser project (1963 Ford Falcon) and would like to know all of the details. Is there a list you could provide?I have just a quick question: Did all/most gassers have the rear tires sticking out of the quarter panel or were there versions where the tires were tucked in? Thanks, Brad

[@Honeybutternutshorts]

Quain stott said "it's either gonna go or imma sling the guts out of it one" it is THE most hard core hot rod thing I've ever heard.

[@jasoncardoza6375]

I understand where he comes from, but he doesn’t understand that younger kids don’t have a stockpile of traditional parts on their shelves like he has collected over many years. It’s not locating the parts that’s expensive, it’s the machine work also that racks up the money. It’s not really a matter of being “mislead” it’s a matter of not being able to afford 70k+.

[@tombrewsaugh1399]

I think the point being made here is actually showing the younger guys what gassers were. I don't think he is expecting a bunch of young racers to start building these cars. Although it would be fun to see a gasser 2.0 class where some of the newer parts are used but no nitrous, no air shifters, no traction control. Good old heads up racing.

[@jasoncardoza6375]

@@tombrewsaugh1399 double edged sword… he’s literally stuck in the traditional way. He’s going as far as to knit picking low back bucket seats,wheels and traction bars for Christ sake. They don’t allow high back but you can build a headrest to put on your low back seat? Oh but they are NOW allowing super close replica wheels because the real ones are nearly impossible to get. For example if I use just plain steel wheels that are spares from a mini van up front you know, the narrow skinny ones that will not give me ANY advantage and 100% disadvantage he wouldn’t let me run them ,Etc…. His argument is with technology giving the advantage. Again, people aren’t mislead they simply can’t afford the period correct parts that guys like himself have hoarded up. Aside from that I can tell what kind of guy just by his demeanor in the video is and by that I mean he’s probably an asshole that talks down on kids that build cars outside of his formula. Because my car isn’t a 100% period correct car, it’s still a gasser. And I’m absolutely positive most people would agree. It’s the few anal assholes like himself that doesn’t want to come to the realization that things evolve.

[@andrewnelson3733]

Nothing sadder then seeing spoked wheels on a car and the owner claiming it's a Gasser.

[@davidslocowb8717]

Absolutely with you on that one brother ! Those are a complete downer - I call those 'circus wagon' wheels. Instant status changer from what would be some real nice '60s Gassers builds to more of a '90s amateur bolt together. ET wheels didn't help with their 'Gasser' misnomer label on those 10 spokes.

[@nathanmcbride1177]

So period correct that his car is allowed to have full fiberglass bodies but no 67 camaros allowed. Stroked out small blocks over 400 cubic inches when they didn't exist in that time.

[@DerekCastleSr.]

They had both in 1967

[@joe-hp4nk]

It wasn't correct back then. Today they build them better.

[@deerking4848]

am i the only one that watches south east gassers

[@CompetitionPlusTV]

deerking 48 - not at all

[@CompetitionPlusTV]

@@tonytymoszek4049 - guess you won't be watching then, because that was a longstanding rule created on day one. Almost a decade later they haven't wavered.

[@user-ge2qn6gp4o]

Yes your the only one. No one else in the world watches them. Not one person. Not anywhere.

[@lieugebo805]

And they don't just let everyone into the class either, very selective on who they let in

[@joe-hp4nk]

That's dumb, Back then if they could build it better they would.

[@thewolf3889]

When you want to see the Real Gasser's - Southeast Gasser's is the ONLY place to watch ! All the rest are imitators.

[@hotrodtrucker88]

thats right

[@gsxerwhite]

They look stupid with the front ends jacked up