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Sophie
It is our belief and focus that all the vehicles competing directly resembles as closely as reasonably possible the "gas class" vehicles of the mid 60's - the so called "Gasser Wars" relived.
Geezers & Their Rides
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Chuck Lipka and Marcella Lipka - An all steel '40 Willys coupe built over a 2 year period in Chuck's garage by Chuck & 4 friends, from a basket case dragged out of a Canadian National Forest. This car was the poster child for the 2006 NHRA Hot Rod Reunion held at Bowling Green, Ky Chuck along with his wife Marcella are the guiding lights of the Geezer Gassers. They are the promoters and the ones that somehow mange to keep this bunch in some sort of order. Without their leadership this group probably wouldn't exist. |
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Owner: Marcella Lipka - Missouri An all glass '40 Willys coupe purpose built "Nostalgia Gasser" |
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Randy Addington, Dunkirk, IN |
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Randy Addington, Dunkirk, IN |
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Dave & Paulette Bowen Butler, Pa
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Gene Brigance |
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Greg Burge, Petal, MS The truck was ran out of Indy in the 60s |
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Joe, Cynthia, Cassidi, and Dakota Bush |
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Big Al Chernik, Freeland, MI Al located this stock 4 cylinder Willys in Northern California in 1965. After a 2 year commitment with the army, and a "scenic" tour of Vietnam, work began on the "hot rod". By 1969 the car was on the street with a 327 Corvette motor and a 4 speed. It remained that was until May 1992. The 90's brought about a renewed interest in hot rodding across the nation. This Willys needed a complete rebuild. The car was totally dismantled. The frame was boxed and reinforced, a new front and rear suspension was put in place, along with a glass tilt front end to make access to the blown Hemi motor easier. Topping off all these mechanical improvements was a fresh coat of candy apple paint. The Willys was modeled after "Big John Mazmanian's" '41 coupe from the 60's.
Al & Judy who live in Freeland Michigan have been married for 35 years and have 2 children. The family cheers on Al at the drag races, with son, Ryan, helping with the chores in the pits.
The car has campaigned through the Midwest in the last 10 years and is gaining a reputation. Improvements are always being made to make it more competitive. It has proven itself to be a real crowd pleaser. Even though it draws attention, while sanding still, Al takes pride in the Willys gasser heritage."Car show are great, but give me a quarter mile, green light and I'll give you a show!" |
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Skip Coverdale |
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John Gray I dont have any documented previous history on the car other than what I was told. I purchased the car in Evansville In. from Don Brughman who was selling the car for the estate of the late Robert Weir. The car is a 1948 Austin A-40 2dr sedan. The cars body is steel with fiberglass components from Anderson industries to include doors, trunk,rear fenders and front end. The engine is a 355 cubic inch Chevy with a Holley carb. World Products cast iron heads. The transmission is a Craighead built powerglide with a 3500 stahl converter. The rearend is a 9 inch Ford with 4:56 gears and Moser axles. The car now runs in C/Gas on a 11:50 index. |
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Gregg Grubel |
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Ken Holmes and Mike McLaughlin |
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Jerald "Jesse" James, Wisconsin 1940 Willys glass body from Willys Works. It started life as a gasser style street rod, but after the roll cage was installed, it was ”off to the strip”. The ”Gun Slinger” is powered by a 440 cu.in. Chrysler. It has a Max wedge intake'with opposed 2 - 4’s' a 4 speed trans.' and a 9 inch Ford rear end. Best ET to date is 11⁚91. I have been going to Indy for the last 10 years or so and was smitten by your group the first time I saw them. I had always wanted a 40 Willys. One day my wife had a weak moment and asked me if there was anything I wanted while we still had our health and were still both working. It took me about 5 minutes to call and order the Willys. Had to do it before she came to her senses. My 40 Willys is a glass body that I got from Willys Works about 7 years ago. My wife and I drove out to the Willys Works shop, in Liberty, New York to pick it up after a year and a half's wait. We got to spend some time with Vinnie and see his latest and greatest. After a non stop trip back home, it took us 5 years to get it on the road. It is powered by a Chrysler 440 with a Max wedge intake, with opposed 2 - 4's. It has a 4 speed trans. with a 9 inch Ford rear end. The car came as a roller with a triangulated 4 link rear suspension. We ran the car a few times at Greatlakes Dragaway and had major issues with traction. After a few attempts to remedy our problems, we have decided to change to the tried and true ladder bar system. Once the strip opens this Spring, we will give it a try again. So, as far as speed and time, it ran in the middle 12's on street tires, through the mufflers. We hope to be somewhere in the 11's when we get things sorted out. |
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Charlie Long , Akron, Ohio Engine: 383ci Small block Chevy This car was removed from a barn in central Ohio in 2008. We purchased it the fall of that year and my dad ( Dennis Atkinson ), my son Jordan Long and I began the build in our garage. After the body was blasted we realized that the bottom 6 inches of the car remained on the blasting booth floor. That winter we enlisted the help of ace body man Dave Owen, and together we rebuilt the body , modified the frame and made the tilt front end. The car is all steel and continues to be a work in progress. I must thank the Love of my Life, Donna for her patients and understanding during the whole project and for her continuing help as my crew chief. Also all the friends and family that make Charlies Speed Shop happen. We all have a big inspiration from my son SSGT. Charles M. (Shorty ) Long 5/30/77 to 9/3/07 he has watched and guided each and every nut, bolt and weld. Thanks Shorty, we miss ya |
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 Philip Pofahl, Kenosha, WI'46 Ford Coupe '52 Olds387.5 c.i.d. '51 Merc rearend narrowed 4:56 (homemade spool) Turbo 400 Transmission Paid $75 for car in 1958 Painted in 1962 Glade Green Best ET: 11.77-111.00 MPH
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Gary Raber, Royal Palm Beech, FL |
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Bill Sworm, Rockford, IL At the age of 16 I first saw a Willys straight axle gasser in 1963 at Cordova, Illinois which was Quad CIty Dragway at the time and it was love at first sight. I swore I would some day race such a car but by the time I ran across Willy he and I were long since obsolete (1996) Things didn't go well with he and I for the first couple years* as two tacky survivors of the 60s we had considerable difficulty making our program work. He was unnamed until the day at Byron Dragway when my friend was driving him in a gambler race. It was October* the track was cold and largely unsprayed yet Willy chose to do a 6 foot circus act wheelstand. My friend did an excellent job of driving him out of it without panicking and just chopping the throttle which would have caused much damage. That's when I decided he thought he was PT Barnum so he became PT Willy with PT Barnum's words to live by "e;There's a sucker born every minute"e; lettered on the doors with his new name PT Willy. He never did such a wheelstand before or after that one day. I finally found the first guys that raced him through lucky internet research done by a friend of mine.. He was originally raced under the name of Busse and Fout as an A/G car with supercharged 392 Chrysler. His racing career began in 1964 when I was just finishing my high school career and was mostly raced in the UDRA circuit. Ron Fout came and visited him after we made the connection and had some slides and photos of him that were priceless. I copied a couple of them to put in my trailer with the photos of him taken during our association. One at Oswego, Ill and one at BEAUTIFUL US 30 DRAGWAY* for those of us from the midwest that recall the SUNDAY ads played endessly on WLS Radio in Chicago. Both tracks that have long since disappeared except in the memories of fossils like Willy and I. We have run across 3 of his former owners at various events we raced with Geezer Gassers. Including myself* I can account for 6 owners* but who knows how many more there may have been* if only he could talk. I have resisted the urge to repaint and restore him* as the tackiness shows his seniority and credentials in drag racing. He and I photograph ok 20 feet away* but close inspection reveals us both to be old and tacky which is why it now says "e;taking names and kicking asses since 1964" on his hood to explain the tackiness. A brief list of his parts is:
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John Swick - Dayton, IN |
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Dan Tackett, Saucier, MS I have been in around racing since my early street racing as a teen that landed me a job with the Ms. Highway Patrol. They figured if they couldn't catch me they would hire me. I retired in 1996 after 25 years. I build a lot of hot rods but have always enjoyed the old gassers. I purchased a '39 Ford coupe that had been in storage for 20 yrs. The car was purchased for the original owners son. I have been working on the car for about 2 months. Frame is done,, tubs are in, blown 392 hemi and glide installed. Doing body work now and expect to have it in primer soon. |
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Dennis Taylor |
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Robert Yust, Cincinnati, OH |