Spent this afternoon digging for parts. I found most in an old project I just can't get into anymore. I'm not 100% set on drive train but more than likely it will be out of Revell's 64 Ford Thunderbolt. That's the best kit for 60's Ford drag racing parts I think. The wheels are from the Revell Willys Gasser Coupe (an AWESOME kit by the way) and Revell's 32 Ford 3 Window Coupe. I might not use the stock radiator that comes in the kit, so I'll probably stealing parts from Revell's Model Tudor Sedan kit then. I know I'm going to scratching some parts for this, like fire wall, floor, frame brackets and there will be more. I'm not sure what seats will be used yet.
Yeah I'm going A/G Gasser. I will be making it to the NHRA Gasser class rules of the 1960's. Gasser classes were for street cars. The classes were broke down by cubic inch to vehicle weight. If the engine had a "power" add such a supercharger the car is put into the next class up. "A" was the top (later AA) and it goes down by letter. Lowest I have seen is X class. There really is no rules other than safety and the "big rules." Pretty simple.
The big rules are;
Enclosed production body (Coupes, Sedans and enclosed Pickups)
Must be able to drive on streets (lights,registration, etc)
Must have seats (passenger too, the reason why the seats don't match a little jump seat was okay)
Must have stock fenders
Must have stock exhaust or muffled exhaust
Must be stock wheel base
No more than 10% engine set back (any early body car, like Model A that's a lost cause)
As I understand it, any of the above not followed your car would be labeled an Altered and could not be in a Gasser class. To confuse us looking at pictures of the era some people would run different Gasser classes with the same car at different tracks. Then to confuse us some more they would things like remove the front sheet metal and or fenders then run an altered class. To add to this you'll see altered cars with card board fenders or body modifications running Gasser classes. As that was allowed sometimes for one race only.
Now from what I've read also talking to people who ran and/or drove cars in these classes. The big rules were broken a lot and depended on the inspector(s) at a track.
Believe it or not the Gasser class rule are the basic NHRA rules used today. As for open cars, Roadsters and sport cars. Same rules only change is for "open" and "sport." Open cars ran in Street Roadster and sports cars in sport car. Sport car classes would mix some years and not other years.
Gassers/Street Roadster generally sat higher in front for weight transfer. A lot of shoe box (50's) cars would run straight axles for weight saving. The look is called "Gasser" today. Which many cars called Gasser today can't meet the rules of the Gasser era.
It will kind of have this look
Pile of parts
The start of vision