When people usually think about the first-generation Corvette, rarely do they picture it looking like a tiny vintage monster truck. Yet, that’s one way to describe these so-called “Gassers”, which used to be rather popular back in the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s.
What you’re looking at here isn’t necessarily a “real” Gasser, but rather a Gasser-style restomod. It clearly would look more at peace on display or at a car meet, rather than at the drag strip.
The term ‘Gasser’ was used to describe a type of drag racing vehicle that ran on regular gasoline as opposed to race fuel. Certain classes featured a type of suspension that produced this wacky stance you see here, where the front end sits much higher than the rear – this was meant to distribute weight transfer to the rear wheels for additional traction.
Apart from their straight front axle designs, Gassers also usually came with thin front wheels, a front bumper delete, and front exit exhaust systems. Usually, most of these cars were based on Willys coupes, Austin sedans, Ford T-Birds and Chevy Tri-Five models, but every once in a while, you would have seen an early first-generation Corvette.
Now, this particular C1 Vette is a late first-gen model, built as a Gasser drag racer during a two-and-a-half-year refurbishment that reportedly concluded in 2018. It’s up for grabs to the highest bidder and with a single day left in the auction, the highest bid currently sits at $54,650 – basically what it would cost you to buy a new 2024 Toyota GR Supra with the 3.0-liter inline-six unit.
Visual highlights include the polished bumpers and trim, removable hardtop (soft-top delete), exhaust outlets behind the front wheels (like on any self-respecting Gasser), and a set of 15” Cragar SS wheels rocking Auburn Deluxe radials at the front and Towel City Tires Pie Crust Cheater Slicks at the rear. You also have a solid axle suspension at the front with raised leaf springs, plus aftermarket shocks at all four corners.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
Inside, you’ll find replacement seat covers, door panels, and headliner, a Hurst shifter, lap belts, a passenger grab handle, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an aftermarket tachometer mounted on the dash.
As for the engine, it’s a 383 ci stroker V8 that’s been fitted with a Hilborn fuel injection system, polished cast aluminum valve covers, Hooker exhaust headers, and an aluminum radiator with dual electric fans. Meanwhile, power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual gearbox linked to a Ford 9” rear end.
It’s a nice setup if you ask me. This thing should have plenty of “get up and go”, although it looks so nice, you’d almost feel sorry to have it spend a lot of time at the drag strip.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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