Been having idea's rolling through my head about making a CJ5 jeep into a gasser, straight front axel, fiberglass tub and front end, light weight under 1800 lbs. With a stroked 318 in the 400 CI area and run Drag week with it. I figuered most jeeps have roll cages so it wouldnt look out of place. Throw an 8/3/4 rear in it and run some 275 Drag radials and a set of 135/15's up front on some Rocket launcher fronts and Injector rears. I found a project a guy lost intest on. So now the bug has bitten me again to build another Bad ride on the cheap. What are your thoughs?.....Phill

We're gunna need about 20 lbs of chicken

it would be different...actually as a gasser it would look AWESOME...I say...go for it as long as its on the cheap....now Im sounding like a Dad...LOL

Here is one Dave Edwards raced back in the 80's in SG.

This one would have to have the stance of a Gasser with the front being higher then the rear. Heres a pic of the tub.

Here's a couple from the 70's @ OCIR..


Chris..

Another..

One more..


Chris..

I saw one like you are talking about on Pass Time and he rolled it.
He got out of shape and couldn't correct it soon enough and over he went.
They are very tipsy vehicles, short wheelbase, etc.
I wouldn't do it but I am a little on the tame side doing things.
David

I had thought about doing the same thing with the 408 while the valiant is in limbo....LOL Here's an idea, but I was thinking of moving the front suspension out in front of the radiator for more wheelbase



Rickster

TOOOO short of wheelbase .... as mentioned ESPECIALLY with a straight axle ...tooo top heavy ....

Want to be diff ? ......join the building a Grand Caravan crowd

I started to build one about 4 years ago with a cj5. I had a c-body 8 3/4, 80's cherokee front straight axle and a rebuilt 440. Looked pretty cool but I sold it before it was finished. A local guy bought it for mud drags lol. My thoughts were light, cheap, and could be built with spare parts

I owned and drove an old Gasser AWB on the street for years. Fine for around town and point and squirt, there is no way I'd follow the tracks of what was shared HERE about last year's drag week.
It's just not a combo that is long haul comfortable. A gasser has a high polar moment of intertia, a high center of gravity, a short wheelbase and different tire sizes at each end.
As an example, A T-bucket would be better due to the first 2 being more realistic. Notice how many of the drag jeeps pictured are lower and longer WB?

You might want to think over the frontend being higher than the rear for the shortness of wheelbase of a CJ? Novel concept but might be a handful to drive at Super Gas speeds?

I'd prefer that you live to a ripe old age, so as a Gasser, no; as more of a Funny Car (albeit slower), sure. A longer WB and a low nose don't really fit the Gasser image, but the thing would be less hairy at speed and take less power to force it through the air. IIRC, there's an earlier version of Holy Toledo that's less "Funny" and more Jeep-like; pretty sure I remember seeing it at Lions.

Rick, Thats just what I want to build. I was also thinking of moving the front axel forward a bit. Is this a model you built, Its kick azz. Now I have a picture in my head, I even like to paint. ..Phill

Do IT ! then come play with the GRS www.gasserracingseries.com
I'm just starting a Willys Wagon gasser project.