HISTORIC 55 Chevy Gasser FOUND in an old Warehouse
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- The coolest part? It still has some of my Pawpaw's hand-painted lettering on it and that's what helped us positively identify that the bones of this old Tri-Five Chevy were once a high-winding D/Gas 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air owned and driven by Tommy Clayton. This historic drag car came from my hometown of Dayton, Tennessee and raced at Harriman Dragstrip in the late 1960's and early 1970's, before being retired. It sat in a cow pasture for a while, and then went to live in Denny George's woods, until a young car guy by the name of Paul Ault showed interest in the beat up old race car. Denny gave him the car in the 1980's, and Paul has kept it ever since. He's picked away at the project off and on, but it has been on the back burner for a while.
The good news is that the car is in the dry, and Paul has a plan (and plenty of parts) to get going on this project. I'm just thankful that this car still survives and that little piece of my Pawpaw's lettering is still intact. Unfortunately, Tommy Clayton is no longer with us, so I had to get my information from local guys who were around back then. Tommy Dillard was my main source of information, but my dad also helped tie together some loose ends. Although it's rough and rusty, "The Phantom" 1955 Chevy lives on.
#hotrodhoarders #trifive #dragcar
The Denny George Collection: • Denny George and His 5...
I love how you get the stories and history on these cars. Not many old timers left to pass them down any more. Awesome video.
Great job chronicling the Phantom, Tommy! And flat tow they did! Several times I rode with Little Tommy in the car as "Big" Tommy and Freddy Best towed us to Harriman. My job was to steer the old bird safely to a stop in case the hitch came loose (LOL). I worked in and hung around Cox Motor Co. garage with Tommy and Freddy when they put that hi revving 301 together. It was there that I first saw Tommy use a P&G valve gapper.....first time I saw a cam degree wheel, and roller rockers. I was with them when the other 55 suffered the catastrophic flywheel failure (I believe it was a Schieffer). Unbelievably Tommy bailed out of the car at the end of the track and body rolled through a barbed wire fence. I still remember the look of the front fenders pulled toward each other when the core support contacted a tree. And, I still remember the look of concern on Little Tommy's face when he realized something had gone wrong. I had a lot of fun hanging around the Clayton household. Lifetime memories. Thanks, Tommy Lee.
I was a regular at Harriman Drag Strip during mid 60's thru mid 70's. The Gas Class was extremely popular and competitive. The track had a bad bump just beyond the 1/4 mile line and the race got exciting when the "Straight Axle" Gassers hit that bump at max speed. The Caney Fork River ran parallel to the shut down area which added to the danger and excitement. Thanks for bringing back memories of the "Phantom"
Thank you for your sharing! I wish I could've been around back then...sure looked like a lot of fun. If you happen to have any pictures from back then, I'd love to see them, or hear any stories you may have about Harriman. My email is byrdrods@yahoo.com.
Reminds me of the 55 in Two Lane Blacktop / American Graffitti.
Cool cool cool
Car
My first car was an old used up D gas 55 210 post car
It had been beaten thrashed and chopped up since the early 1960’s traveled from the west coast to Boston then to Kentucky where I bought it.
I ran a 427 BBC with a tunnel ram fender well headers an olds locker rearend and an old used up powerglide
After years of almost wins I traded it to a local guy who
Still races it to this day
Another great gasser story. growing up in ohio a guy down the alley had a 55 gasser and when he was in the army he would drive home from ft knox in another 55 get the motor and 4-spd out of his driver put in race car and race on sunday do back home and swicth motors and drive back to base late sunday night. motor change took a hour with help of friends. race car was gold and named Mad Medic with crazy looking nurse on door. he was a medic in vietnam. i have pic if interested.
Oh wow, how cool is that! Car guys sure were ambitious back in the day!
Dang. That would have been fun to watch. Thanks for the story, Frederick.
I have a blue 57 Chevy race car from back in the day. It has evidence of a roll bar that was cut out but the tow tabs are still there. It also has a fiberglass hood scoop and traction bars. It was from the Berlin Penn area and had a rather extensive race history. The title last name was Hetrick. I would love to find more information from it.
Who cares if it's been 20 years and it's not done yet. The guy was young when he got it and those years of his life are the ones spent getting new jobs and settling into a career, starting a family, buying a house, etc. Not everyone can do a full restoration on a car in less than 2 years. At least he's still working on it here and there and I bet one day he's going to have the opportunity to jump on it and see it to completion.
One day she will be beautiful again and bless a track old legends die hard true legends come back she is obviously loved or wouldn't have been held onto I try to bring back the ones I find love your classics drive your daily
Thanks for the history.
Another amazing story. I can always hit the like button before I even watch the video.
Thank you for the continued support Darrin, it means a lot!
Thanks for the history. 😊
I've had some projects that hibernated for years and then woke up. My 55 ex-gasser breathed fire for the first time in 35 years last summer. My 40 Stude sat since 1965ish but is coming back together.
There's a really cool place here in Bristol IN. He's got a shop full of willys, building a willys pick up gasser using only parts with racing history. There's an econoline wheel stander in there, original go cart body MOLDS. It's amazing.
Wow, I feel like I need to see that place!
I remember back in the 70s with my oldest sister married my brother-in-law he built a 55 Chevy with a fiberglass front end he built a 283 and boarded out to a 301 and raced it down the track when he married my sister he had to put a two barrels on it and regular tires back on it so she could drive it in the ground
Oh man, that's cool.
Awesome Video. I've owned a 55 for more than Forty years. Hold on to it. Thanks
Great story. My brother, cousin and I ran a d gas 55 that was originally the oleynyk 55 run in the 60's at Detroit area tracks. I bought a 55 to recreate this car but can't seem to get back on it. Trying to get my 67 chevelle that was called the hustler from the Detroit area first. It's been difficult to say the least. I love seeing these story's and appreciate your doing them.
Thank you for watching!
@@HotRodHoarder please keep them coming ,I need the motivation
Reminiscing with your old days growing up with the hot rods reminds me of myself and we are explaining and showing all the old hot rods and the cars it's like I'm right there right there with you reliving it
I'm so blessed to have grown up around this stuff. My kids will be around it all of their lives too haha.
Great story on the ole 55
She's got a lot of history.
Hopefully he will get her going again she sure does deserve it She's been around this long just waiting
To make anther hit.
Long live the gassers
Thanks for sharing👍
For sure, this thing deserves some attention. Too bad that it was neglected during the '70s and '80s, but glad to know that it's at least in the dry these days.
Not sure what year blow proof bellhousings came out but, you only need one to come apart to buy one. I was very lucky, had a couple pieces go through the roof.
Please more of the old drag cars and gassers!!
I love your stories! Back in the late '60's early '70's we use to go to US 30 Drag Strip on Sundays (about 45 minutes away) & had an absolute blast! I miss those days.
Nice! US 30 was an amazing place!
Awesome to see the preservation of our automotive and racing history. 👍 Thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! IT IS GREAT TO SEE VINTAGE GASSERS BEING RESTORED AGAIN!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING.
That is sooo awesome! I think it would be killer to put it back like it was in its old Phantom days and keep it alive.. if that makes any sense..
Hey Tommy, another great old race car story, but what is kinda sad, is what the car's were back then & what they are now, alot of them are unfinished redo's or updates that were never completed...be safe...God Bless!!!!
Excellent story on a Super Cool race car thanks Tom
Love old school race cars., I saw those bad ass cars running when I was a kid back in the 60s, the word “Boss” was cool. Really love what you do with your hot rod hoarder presentations, maybe you can find my 1971 340 duster, my first car,
Wow - nice video of a very cool car. Thanks for sharing 😀
Wow, great find. With a little work you could probably turn that back into a nice little driver for somebody.
Thank you sharing you have a way of telling a great story and getting to the facts looking forward to shacking your hand someday 👍👍
All my best wishes to you and your family! I look forward to seeing your video's, they give me a boost of energy or a welled up eye. I would appreciate any tips on how to find cars from my youth, brothers a/mp '67 Malibu and other brother's '64 Polara street wedge/4spd. DMV did not seem cooperative on running plate #'s. Any help would be great. Thank you, Dave
Great story thanks for sharing with us all
Another great video
Thank you Tim!
Enjoy your channel I have a 55 210 2 Door and few other antiques your doing a great job
I love 55 gassers
Me too! I like this style, where it isn't jacked up super high...just a mean looking race car.
VERY AWESOME!! I WANNA SEE THIS ONE RUN AGAIN!
Thier still out there....amazing....🙂👍
The 55 is my favorite Tri five. I happen to have a few 55s and 56s in my collection.
My Number 1 Favorite place to live Dayton .
I love these stories. Keep them coming
Hell I thought you stopped posting. I haven’t seen or found your channel in MONTHS.
Good to know that’s not the case.
Ahh man! Sorry you've been missing my videos...been posting every week, but CZcams seems to dictate who sees my stuff. Thanks for tuning in!
Great old 55. We used tow hubs back in the late 60’s early 70’s
I love them ol 283s! I'm building one right now for my Camaro just to show these young punks what mighty mouse can do! Do ya feel lucky punk?
Awesome car and story I wish I could track down my uncle's 55 Chevy drag car here in Virginia
I love the video. Thanks man. I just subscribed.
Thank you for watching and subscribing!
Very cool!!!!!!!
This is our history and for it to still be around not rotten bring this beauty back I hope to one day see it hit the strip again she deserves it save our heritage our government wont
I mean to say, hell yeah!!
Thanks for watching Chris!
Good job buddy! Love the history!
Now.....I gotta go watch "Two Lane Blacktop" & "American Graffiti".....
Thanks , great piece of history.
Thank you for the video.
What is the black and blue chevrolet behind you? That is my favorite color combo for a muscle car... black over blue guts is beautiful!
That's a 1964 Chevelle four door. It's our family friendly cruiser. 283, Powerglide...just a great old reliable car.
Yeah, so cool to hear this story. Thanks. 👍🇦🇺
You need to come out to California, and I will take you to see everything Stone Woods & Cook. I sell some of their old racing stuff online. I sell the SW&C t-shirts on eBay.
Sign me up for that!!!
I’m crazy about old 55-6 Pontiac’s. If you ever find one that was a drag car please do a piece on one? Thanks so much. Tj!
For sure!
That’ll be good to see
Get it up and driving...in whatever condition!
Awesome story, I hope it makes it back to the street. Ron
Sleeperdude gave you a shout out so glad he did really enjoy your content so I subscribe to catch more!!!
Thank you Jerry! Me and Sleeperdude have been buddies for a long time. Glad to see his channel performing so well.
Cool bro,🤘👍
Good job thanks
They make every single part for a 55, there is no point in just using a tri-5 Chevy for parts.
Awesome story 🙂
Hell yeah my brother
55 Chevy's were known as the King of the drag strips...
My 1st car was a 55 Chevy Bel-air 2 door post...
..one of my brothers had a 56 Chevy with a 301 3 speed gasser...he traded a customized 50 Mercury for it...straight across...within a week of their trade my brother blew up the engine and the other guy drove the Merc into a strip pit of water it took a scuba diver and a crane to recover the Merc...our Dad rebuilt the engine in the 56...
Wow, what an adventure that must've been to recover that Mercury!
@@HotRodHoarder yeah that was...pays to have a rich Dad...but it didn't end with just a recovery...rich Dad and son tore that Merc down and completely restored it...when my brother had it...the exterior was a beautiful dark blue...but the interior was a ratty tattered mess...I was in jr.high working on a Pepsi Cola route for the route driver one of our stops was Kruse auto salvage sitting in a building where the office was located...I seen what looked to me like a complete roll and pleated interior for a 50 Merc..it was.. I asked the owner if it was for sale..he said yes it is...I bought it right then for the princely sum of 65 dollars..after work my Dad took me back to Kruse salvage where we loaded up that beautiful dark blue interior both seats kick panels door panels rear panels a piece made for the rear window area and when we went to pick it up they had the headliner sitting there...my brother was ecstatic he didn't hesitate paying me for that interior...I was really fortunate to have a gear head for a Dad...he built hot rods then sold them to build another one.. his favorite thing was putting a Hemi in whatever he built...
👍 awesome.
Nice history. Sure would be cool to see her come back to life! I'm glad I got the chance to get another 55 to duplicate my first one only better 😎👍
Just sad it's sitting there looks sickly
I have an old race car. 1948 austin..
Just ship it down to DD speed shop for repairs
Ride on blue Phantom ride on
Have him check out DD speed shop on CZcams, he can do a floor in a day in his garage… Danny is re skinning a 55 nomad rt now.
Looks like it has a one piece or California frame
Salut my friend super car super video subscribe subscribe ..
I will take if he doesnt do it and I will make it a gasser in 1 year
Time for an electric conversion am I right????
lol
🐱👤👍😎
I'm not from Tennessee so I don't understand why this is a historic . I don't remember seeing in any national meets . This thousands if not tens of thousands of old dancers everywhere . I don't see the value in this video if it wasn't some total world beater
This car is definitely more of a hometown hero than a total world beater. It never went to any national meets but made an impact on the local drag racing scene here in East TN.