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Historic Ford Anglia Gasser Discovered After 50 Years in Hiding, Still in One Piece

An iconic car on British soil, the Ford Anglia arrived in the U.S. in 1948. Not surprisingly, the tiny vehicle failed to make an impression in a country obsessed with powerful full-size automobiles. But its compact size and lightweight construction made the Anglia a popular choice among drag racers in the 1960s.
Ford Anglia gasser 8 photos
Photo: Hot Rod Hoarder/YouTube
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The gasser craze saw all sorts of heavy, full-size automobiles morph into dragsters. But when the NHRA changed the rules to allow short-wheelbase cars in the series, enthusiasts quickly turned their attention to the Willys Americar and some opted to go with the Ford Anglia.

The tiny British family cool looked funky and its tall center of gravity made it unstable and unpredictable, but the Anglia had two important advantages. It was light and it was easy to work on. More importantly, it became an impressively quick quarter-mile weapon with an American V8 under the hood.

While not as popular as the Willys, quite a few Anglias roamed the drag strips back in the 1960s. Most of them were wrecked and never got to tell their stories. Others have survived but spent decades in storage, hidden from the public eye. "Instigator II" is one of those Anglia gassers that soldiered on into the 21st century away from public attention

Documented by YouTube's "Hot Rod Hoarder," this gasser showed up on camera for the first time in more than 50 years. And boy what a great discovery it is!

As you'd expect from a vehicle that spent more than five decades in retirement, the Anglia is no longer the shiny dragster that used to burn rubber at the strip in the 1960s. Its burgundy paint has faded away and some of its original components are gone. But it still sports the glorious pinstriping and hand-painted lettering that make 1960s gassers cool.

The pinstriped devil face on the trunk is the main highlight here, while the small text below says "1964," a valuable hint as to when this gasser was completed and raced. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of info on this car, but the guy who filmed it promises a proper investigation that will unearth some of the car's past.

But the really good news is that the current owner plans to put it back together and get it running again. He already dropped a supercharged small-block Chevy V8 under the hood and wrapped the magnesium wheels in new tires.

The gasser still needs a lot of work, new floors, and seats (just to name a few items), but there's a good chance it won't be long until it can rev its engine and do burnouts again. Until that happens, check it out sitting pretty in a garage in the video below.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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