~ Byron's Gasser Madness! ~

~ Photos by... ~

~ Brian Beattie ~

 
 
Brian sent me a number of shots of Eastern Gassers.  Very nice shots.  If you'd like to buy copies of any of these, you can do so from Brian at topfuel5@ptd.net

Hopefully you already know the drill:  Click on the little picture to get a big picture.  When you want to come back to this page, just close the picture.
The Reinford Brothers' "Moose" at Englishtown
Nice 33 Willy Pickup street rod from 1984.
Island Dragway, 1964.  Looks like Eddie Sanzo, Jack Merkel & KS Pittman.
From 1964.  Looks like Jack Merkel to me.
From 1965.  I don't know who they are, but this is a pretty classical "coupe vs. roadster" matchup.  Looks like they just launched.  Notice the daylight under the Willys' front tires.
Eastern Automotive Willys at Englishtown in 1968.
Merkel Automotive at Island in 1965.
Looks like the "Little Hoodlum" was a pretty stout D/Gas car for 1968.  D/Gassers weren't usually known for pulling the front wheels off the ground!
7 Oct 2002.  Received some info on the above car from Dennis Pateras.  I thought everybody would enjoy this.  Nice knowing that John Goll is still around and still a "Car Guy!".  Thank you Dennis.  Byron
 Hi Byron,
                      Thought I would send some additional information about one of the Willys on your site in case you wanted to add it in. It's in the "Brian Beattie" collection. The car is a blue 38 Willys sedan, named "The Little Hoodlum". Photo taken at Englishtown N.J. in the 60's.
Car also raced at Connecticut Dragway. The car was owned by John Goll from Stratford, Connecticut. He told me he bought the car in Connecticut. It had been in a garage for so long, it still had the gas rationing sticker on it from Word War II, and the headlights had been painted black so they wouldn't be spotted in an air raid!!
                        If you look at the photo you will see a crease in the top of the roof. John told me this was caused during a race. He was around the 100 m.p.h. range when the hood flew open, came back and dented the roof !! He safely stopped the car!!  John is still around today. He's in his 80's, still lives in Stratford, CN and said the car was still in town up until a couple of years ago!! He still likes to go to car shows ("brings out the kid in you", he says). Take care...................Dennis Pateras
Nice looking Willys pickup.  I don't know whether "P. Chimento" was the owner, driver, sponsor, or all 3.
Eddie Sanzo vs. Jack Merkel in 1964.
The Pittman Bros, at Englishtown in 1968.
K.S. Pittman vs., The Mallicoat Bros in 1964.
"Coney Island Ralph" Landolfi in 1965.
Russo & Allen in 1965.  This record-holding gasser has been restored by Gas-FX member, Jack Olcott, and will be seen racing at "East Coast Gasser" Events.
Eddie Sanzo in the Sanzo, Pellicane & Sedecki A/GS Willys pickup in 1964.
1962.  The Wilson Brothers.