Straight Axle
| When I was a kid growing up in Southern California, I raced some kind of Ford and Mercury's (ok some Chevys, Olds too), at most of the drag strips that are no longer open. Most of the cars of the time were not real fast cars, most were stock appearing and had some mods. But back when I took the test for my first drivers license in Bakersfield, CA I was already street racing cars since street racing was booming with Ford and Chevy producing V8's in the same kind of car, the 2 door hardtop. We used to take parts ( carbs, trans, gears )off other engines or cars and use them on our cars, engines too( Olds engines/Buick nail head engines, Mercury 430 cubic inch engines. ). Paint with spray cans, pop the rear springs to make them high in the back. Famosa was not fenced then, we used to go out there and race when the track was not open, 4 to 8 cars wide across the the strip.  One of the things I liked then was the cars were more or less stock appearing and did not have all the high dollar options available today. Not that is a bad thing but it was fun when a fast car was 13's and had 6 carbs on a log manifold and a 3 speed trans.One of the looks of the cars I liked was the gassers, cut out wheel wheels, no front bumper/grill, fenderwell headers, I am sure some of you remember this kind of car.  Mid 50's Fords, Chevys and other makes had one distinguishing look that I am going to add to my mid 50's race car and that happens to be a "STRAIGHT AXLE".I know that a lot of racers, car builders think that this is a terrible way to go because of a handling issue. I know that lots of people today drive a car that handles very good, almost any car built in the 80's-90's is a great driving, stopping and turning car. Now I know that there are thousands of vans, trucks and other vehicles with a factory straight axle and they survived the terrors of driving. Also lots of the AFX cars in the 60's went very fast and are going even faster today with the same straight axle installed under the front. Look at gasser cars, many had a straight axle and performed just fine at very high speeds. Of course I know that my drag car is never going around a corner much over 10 miles an hour at any drag strip and will only be going in a straight line at any speed above that. I have rode in many old cars that have had straight axles at speed on highways and city streets and yes compared to a Camaro or Mustang they do not handle that good but handling around corners is not what we are looking for here. We are hunting for that elusive look that gassers of the old days had and we do not care if it does not handle like a Honda, BMW or Mustang Cobra.  Show me where it says that this is "BAD HANDLING" for me!!! Notice straight axle, 10. on windshield, wheels up and this car is running today!! After all, if Active Power Inc. can build a new "41 Willys" as in a kit structure and sell it with a straight axle as the old cars had then how can it be that bad? Check the links for brand new 41 Willys gasser.  This page is going to be an informational page about straight axles and where to get them, cars that have used them and companies that sell them. If you have any info about straight axles that you would like to share with other car guys you can email, send links, pictures and I will add this to the list of sources for anyone to use to get their car back to the gasser look. |
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| Picture courtesy of Kultulz |
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From Denis Diaz in France Hello Bob, I'm gasser fan and I live in France, I do one for street and strip! It is a 1962 Mercury Comet |
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and for the straight axle, I do with one of....Peugeot 203 !(colombo car family !) Salutation ! |
to : Straight Axle Sources
Page of pictures of a installed straight axle.Pics of the progress of building and installing a straight axle in a 56 Chevy.Pics of the progress of building and installing a straight axle in a 55 Chevy.Rod & Custom article on straight axles
Vega race car with a straight axle.
"NEW" 41 Willys Retro Gasser in kit form.
Speedway Motors Straight axle kits.