Gasser Madness ~ Photos by Mike Ditty

Here's some really great photos by Mike Ditty. While they may be all pit shots, you're going to see some of the best, clearest photos of some well-known (and not-so-well-known) cars that I've seen thus far. Comments are from Bill Dukes [marked with a (BD)] and myself. Thanks to Mike for these great photos and to Bill for the additional commentary. Byron Photos will open in a new window. Just close it to return to this page.
	The red Austin P/U is the ex C&O rig of Gene Conway/Ciambella. Vern Hicks bought it and ran it for the 68 season. Gene Modelin drove it. It was later sold to Paul Weislcman who ran it as the "Captain Crunch" Super/Gasser for years. (BD)
	Ambition is owned the Zellar Bros, employees of Keith Black. They later ran a blown roadster of the same ilk as Gary Burgin, et al. Zellars concluded their racing with the "Midnight Skulker" Cuda. (BD) The car is now owned by Gas-FX member "Speedy Bob" Nevins and campaigned with an injected BBC in VRA events around the West Coast.



	No information on the "American Dream" Willys
	...or the "Bad Trip" Anglia.
	...or the "Bad Trip" Anglia.
	Ron Bizio's chopped 33 Willys pickup. Very strong in 1968. Later restored by Tom Willford and Marty Strode and campaigned on the Nostalgia circuit, it was then sold and run as a bracket car for a number of years before being sold in 2003 to Jeff Cryan and Jerry Gasiorowski, debuting at Thompson Dragway in Ohio for the Gasser Reunion. The car seems to be in good hands!


	Another injected Anglia, "The Blue Fox".
	No specific information on this Corvette, but it sure looks like it was probably Mike Mitchell's car after he sold it? If so, the car was completely restored just prior to Mike's death in 2000 and is now in the NHRA Museum.
	Brad Anderson's Dart came from no where to beat everyone. He only ran the car for maybe 4-5 months before selling it to Nor-Cal racer Keith Bush who ran it as the Bushwhacker. (BD)
	The pink Thames of Larry Buchanan debuted in the late seventies and ran with carbureted BB Chevy, but first with blown BB Chevy. A bit long in the tooth when it ran in 76-80. (BD)
	The Burgin Brothers ran a Willys and later, a bad-assed roadster that was a strong competitor in AA/GS in 1971-1972.


	The "Classical Gas" Anglia was well-named!
	Not sure about this car. Looks very much like it might also have been the C&O Austin pickup, but I'm unsure of the timeline and that doesn't seem to fit with Bill Duke's summary of the "Agitator", above.
	Here's a rare photo of Gary Densham's 33 Willys...yes, it's the same Gary Densham that drives on John Force's FC team today...he didn't always drive Funny Cars. The man definitely paid his dues! The roadster that followed the Willys was no slacker either!

	Originally the Bones, Dubach & Pisano 33 Willys, it looks like Gary(?) Dubach was the last owner after the departure of Bones and Pisano.

	This was one of the fastest AA/GS on the coast, and it was a legal AA/GS to boot! It got runner up to Ohio George in class at the 69 Nationals. Car ran 8.50's at 166 plus! The car was later run with a Corvette shell and matched race back east as a blown gas funny with SWC logo in the side. Back in 85, I conversed with a friend of Steve Korney who then claimed that Korney still has the car in his garage. The Anglia shell hung from the rafters, while the Vette shell was still mounted on the re-fabricated chassis. Korney still would fire the car up on occasion during family get-togethers. He later developed a keen interest in flying and gave up on cars. (BD)



	Not really a gasser, this 55 Chevy ran 8's with the funnycars. I don't care...it was very cool and looked the part!
	After parking their Anglia, Manuel Herrera & Sons showed up with a very fast flip-top Austin.

	Fred Hurst's immaculate Barracuda A/Gasser. Currently owned by Gas-FX member Ron Malmsten.
	Nice B/Gasser owned by Walt and Jim Marshall.
	Jr. Thompson's potent Austin with a blown Chrysler.
	Jim Kirby's chopped "Challenger" Willys, currently restored and owned by Gas-FX member Phil Quinto.
	The Kohler Bros. "King Kong" Anglia. Now owned and being restored by Gas-FX members Carlos and Mary Cedeno.

	After buying the car from "Big John" Mazmanian, KS Pittman successfully match-raced the "Football" Austin. It was later given a "Molly" paint job.
	"Big John" Mazmanian's "Football" Austin was later declared illegal to compete in AA/GS but was match-raced and competed at NHRA events as a BB/A.
	Originally powered by a twin-turbocharged Chrysler, Gary & (Gas-FX member) Jerry Mallicoat's Barracuda was too fast and the turbo's were declared illegal by NHRA. Switching to a conventional GMC supercharger didn't seem to slow them down much! The updated Cuda is currently being campaigned in the Goodguy's VRA circuit as a AA/Super car running deep into the 6's.

	Myer and Cluff's blue Austin P/U was from Arizona. A decent runner that ended being raced in So-Cal bracket wars 71-73. (BD)
	Before the controversial Corvette roadster, Mike "The World's Fastest Hippie" Mitchell ran this A/GS '33 Willys. The car is now in England and owned by Gas-FX member Paul Kennedy.
	"Ohio George" Montgomery's Cammer Mustang. Not too much else to say here! If you know gassers, you know this car.

	The "Mr. Gasket" Camaro.
	The "Mr. Pickett" Corvette.
	Although "The Myth" came along too late for the real "Gasser Wars", it certainly lived up to the spirit!
	Flower Power belonged to African American racer Ernie Nicholson. The car was used in lots of Racer Brown cam ads because at the time, Nicholson owned the track records at the three major So-Cal venues. Tony Nancy built the motors. (BD)

	No information on the "Nightmare" Anglia
	The Nunez & Dillon Willys pickup was a strong competitor in Northern California.
	The Pittman Bros. B/GS Willys.
	Skip Hess' "Revell Kit" Mustang with blown Cammer. This was a car I crewed on in the early 70's.

	Ron Rinuro Willys had a Chrysler. His previous car was the super charged Blown Hell 55 Chevy. (BD)
	After splitting the partnership, Jim "Fireball" Shores chopped the Shores & Hess "Critter" before selling it to the Pittman Bros and building a "flip-top" Anglia for the east coast "Nitro Gasser" Circuit.
	Sherm Gunn's cool "Silencer" Chevy.
	Sherm Gunn's cool "Silencer" Chevy.
	"Stone, Woods & Bones" A/GS Mustang was powered by a blown Chrysler.
	The Thomas Bros. Falcon was another Chrysler-powered Ford.
	No information on the TSC Willys.
	As I remember, "The Ultimate" Willys was a Don Long project that was featured in Hot Rod Magazine in a 3 or 4 issue "buildup" article. Cool looking, but it was never really a competitive car.
	Thanks to John Proust, I can now ID this car. The car was campaigned by Jon Adderton, a NorCal engine builder.
	Warren Bros and Nunes Corvette was a fast car. Ended up in the hands of Fred Shiver who lost the car in an traffic accident. (BD) Wayne Franks writes: Nunes & Warren Bros corvette was later owned by Fred Schirmer not Shriver. Thanks Wayne.