By Dean Larson

Photos: Sellers, Craigslist and eBay

Gassers are red-hot right now, but unless you’ve been living under a rock or eschew all things related to drag racing, you’re probably well aware. Beyond the dramatic stance, gassers were thrilling and down right violet to watch, pushing aging sedan chassis to the ragged edge. Organizations like the Southeast Gassers Association are getting these old cars back on the track and inspiring a whole new generation of gearheads to keep the flame alive.

But before you go chopping up your minty ’55 Fairlane, or putting in a bid on one of those half-assed sky-high “gassers” on eBay, you should know that there are legit drag cars out there for sale if you know where to look. We assembled this mixed list of legit gassers for sale on the web right now.

It’s only after a whole lot of soul searching that I give up the goods on this one, because this crusty Chevrolet 210 is located just 45 minutes from our home office and has been tempting me on Craigslist for six months or so. The ’55 Chev is one of the most quintessential gassers, and this one’s right from the fiberglass front clip, to the radius-cut wheel wells and chrome straight axle up front. Typical firewall mods of the day have likely been tackled to relocate the engine rearwards, and the sheetmetal dash and doghouse are all standard fare for an old strip teaser. There’s also an Oldsmobile axle out back, and the car’s bones are said to be rust free.

Don’t count on the old school death-by-waterpipe roll cage to pass tech these days, but otherwise the interior just needs a new bucket and some safety equipment. Hell, there’s even a vintage Moon gas pedal and fuel tank included. The seller also has taillights, trim and sidemarkers that go with the car.

Sitting pretty for a cool $6,800, I’m all about this ’55 Chev. But since my garage is approaching critical mass, I need you to go buy this thing so I can stop seeing it. But if you do, definitely send me an email.

See the Chevrolet 210 here on Green Bay Craigslist.

Ya gotta love the Henry J. The diminutive Kaiser-Frazer product was a small economy car sold through the early 1950s with small four and six-cylinder engines. Essentially throw-away cars, hot rodders found the Henry J to be affordable and plentiful, and able to be transformed into a serious threat on the drag strip given their relative lightweight compared to American sedans of the day. Stuff a track-prepped small or big-block under the hood of the tiny Henry J and you had one of the most radical combinations of power and weight on the track, provided you could hold it in a straight line.

I promised you only legit gassers, and it's a bit unclear whether this car is a recent build or an original gasser, but I think they hit the nail on the head and built a car that nails more than just the look. The proof of that is in the driveline, starting with a hot Chevrolet 383 stroker that’s recessed far back into the firewall. The Turbo-350 automatic is fine enough, but no one’s asking questions when you reveal the Ford 9-inch with 4.11 gears and a Detroit Locker out back.

The frame is the original Henry J chassis, but it’s been fully boxed and sports a Speedway Motors straight axle up front. A line lock, real ET Mags, a driveshaft safety loop and real Nicky ladder bars all scream vintage speed. The exterior has just been fully refinished with new paint, glass and graphics and radiuses wheel arches.

The current high bid sits at $28,600, but the reserve hasn’t been met, suggesting this one asks all the money. Find the Henry J here on eBay.

**The auction for the Henry J concluded with a no sale at $28,600. Interested parties can contact the seller through the auction link to make an offer.**

It doesn’t get much better than this — a 1956 Chevrolet 210 sedan with the right look and legitimate drag history. While there’s no blower sticking though the hood or tall leaf springs and straight axle up front, this Chevrolet is an authentic representation of a competitive drag car from the 1960s. It’s in pretty decent condition all around for a car that’s 64 years old, and many of the period modifications are still present today.

The big-ticket mods on this car start with the radiused rear wheel arches and the fiberglass front clip setup in a tilting arrangement. Beyond that, the interior has been stripped with just a pair of van seats bolted in and a Hurst shifter sticking out of the floor to row the Saginaw four-speed. A couple auxiliary gauges are installed to monitor the 350 small-block Chevrolet’s performance. Period decals adorn the passenger rear glass, a testament to the car’s success back in its glory days.

This 210 won’t be winning any car show trophies for presentation as is, but the roughed in paint and practical modifications make it more than an authentic representation of what an aging street car turned racer would have looked like in the 1960s. The seller is asking a healthy $12,500 for the car, which might be a little high, but this one has a lot of potential.

See the 210 here on Cleveland Craigslist.