'55 Nomad Street Gasser

[Steve H.]

Here's the latest on my bench... A '55 Nomad street Gasser, circa 1968-69. This is kind of a nostalgia build for me. I was 8 or 9 yrs old when these were on the streets in NorCal and I was pretty impressed! I've since come to realize how impractical (and dangerous) they were, but there's still that first impression on a young mind!

A friend coined the phrase last night... "Dinosaur Donk"...

Evergreen square tube for the mounts, Strip styrene to build the leafs, brass pins to hold it all together. The front axle is from a glue bomb 53 Chevy panel gasser (as was the rear, but I had problems with the old plastic!) It'll have tunnel ram SBC from a glue bomb 57 nomad kit. Wheels and tires are some oddball diecast I had in the parts box. I still need to scratch some axle to leaf shackles and shocks and figure out some ladder bars.

Here's what I'm claiming as inspiration...

[Jairus]

Pop Hot Rod cover car circa 1973!

[Dag]

That is so cool, big fan of Gassers myself. First model I ever built was the Revell 53 Panel Gasser

[crispy]

I love this! I've been collecting a few old built-ups of some 55's to try my hand at one of these gasser monsters. They intrigue me.

I look forward to seeing this one transform!

[gonzo64nova]

Here's a 55 Gasser I started a while ago and just getting back to finishing

[novadose71]

Always liked this look. There was a 66 or 67 Chevy II, out of Texas I think, candy red, that was seriously high like yours that left a big impression on me. It was in my dad's National Nostalgic Nova club magazine sometime in the 80's. tried to dig up the pics a few years ago but I couldn't find them. I (think) remember the guy bought it new (L-79?) took it home and raised it up. I would love to find pics and model it. Then we could race.

[flatheadgary]

i don't mean to hijack this post but this is my everyday car. love the models. gary atkinson

[Steve H.]

i don't mean to hijack this post but this is my everyday car. love the models. gary atkinson

You can interrupt my post anytime with a cool daily cruiser like that! 8)

[Modelmartin]

Steve,

I saw a car very similar to the one you pictured at the Street Machine Nationals in Des Moines in 1975. It had a blown big block and something like 5.88 gears and he drove it from California! He actually pulled the front end off the ground in front of the hotel. I still shake my head thinking of driving 4000 miles in that thing. It did make a big impression on my 18 year old brain. I lowered my car!

Love your Nomad by the way. Very cool! 8)

[flatheadgary]

hi steve. i used to see those jacked up cars in my teens too. i have built quite a few of them as 1-1 and a few as models. i never built them as high as that '55 though. a strange thing about people in that time and i guess now too, they want to build what was on the strip but some of the stuff is way overboard. in actuality, it is not that much different than a 4 wheel drive jeep or truck or suv. as we all know they roll over too. my "j" drives quite well with no adverse lean and i have drove it on off ramps quite abit over the posted limit. it has a straight axle but i have it set up low so it handles ok. it will spank you if you don't pay attention though. for shear outragesness that '55 is crazy. i haven't built a model of my car yet but i use it to tow my altered to the races and am in the process of getting all the parts to build them both. if you don't mind i'll show you what that looks like with another picture. let me know if you want it deleted.

[Steve H.]

Gary, No problem with your pics... You have the coolest garage on the forum! 8)

Back when the street gassers were popular, there was a lot of one-up-manship going on in the SF Bay Area. Every year they got higher. At one time, there was a Nomad that had its rocker panels about 7' off the ground. Now thats outrageous! :shock:

The other car that I remember really well was from the show car circuit... Cherry red 55, everything chromed, flip front end, Hilborn injecton, white fenderwell headers... just a beautiful peice of automotive excess!

My build is probably a bit higher than would have been typical, but hey, its just a model... It'll have "Table Presence" at shows! 8)

[Nick F40]

That red one looks kind of fake, maybe it's the angle, but, I know its real! The blue one is sweet to! :wink:

I like the way your Henry J sits though Gary! 8)

[RyanSilva]

Cool build, il be following. I like the suspension you made, though way to high to be called accurately a ''gasser'', i would call it a street freak though, those things were awesome.

[carlos D.]

Steven H.

This my gasser 57' MPC. A project assambled in tree days, with pieces of other models. Bumpers and blower chromed with aclcad and black paint is for Harris paint flat. They hope like.

[Modellpularn]

I was also inspired by that jacked up red '55, but I think it was more like July '75 when it was on the cover of Pop Rod. Here's mine, finished in '77.

[RyanSilva]

I believe someone on the japopy journal owns that 55 still. Il do a search some time.

[Nick F40]

See, now that one I like, that is nice! 8)

[Reliable Resin]

Steven H.

This my gasser 57' MPC. A project assambled in tree days, with pieces of other models. Bumpers and blower chromed with aclcad and black paint is for Harris paint flat. They hope like.

Nice work there

What Headers Did You Use .... they're awesome !!!!!!

We have One in the Bull Pen

Still have a few minor Touches to add

Totaly Re Worked the Inter. Tub ....so that one can use the AMT reissue 57 chassis & Clear Front Head Lights

Coming Very SOON

[carlos D.]

Hello Don.

This headers is for Pro Stock Olsmobile by Revell and repaire panel bee original is of a friend. That they look like much Don :twisted: :idea: :idea: :wink: 8)

[41CHEVY]

Rod and Custom had a high boy of the month contest in the late 60's for those style street freaks, I recall you got a years subscription and a 50 dollar bill for the tallest from ground to center of head lights. Here is one of my gassers 292 6 cylinder powered!! Paul

[JAFFA]

WAY COOL! love gassers!