K.S. Pittman's '33 Willys Gasser

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In the early to mid ‘60s, Gassers were all the rage in drag racing. The “Gasser Wars” was a long series of match races fueled by clever, taunting advertising by sponsors such as Eskimo Cams, B&M Transmission, and Isky Cams, as well as racers such as K.S. Pitman and Stone Woods & Cook.

In their day, Gassers were at the cutting edge of drag racing technology. Using bulbous old sedan and truck bodies, with supercharged engines, these upright and loud machinges were a site to behold. Because of their short wheelbases, most of the cars were difficuly to drive and wanted to go every way but straight. Wheelies and lane crossing was quite common.

Gassers were such a hot draw, many of the teams became full-time professional racers. In 1966, racers like Pittman and Stone Woods & Cook were getting as much as $750 for a 3-run match race.

In May of ‘66, Pittman’s ‘33 Willy crashed and the team had to scramble to build another car. A month later the team was back in business with a ‘41 Willys using a blown 392 Chrysler Hemi.

In the early ‘90s replicas of K.S. Pittman’s 41 Willys and the Stone woods & Cook Willys were built and toured appearing in match races and exhibition races. K.S. Pitman was recently honored for lifetime achievement at the California Hot Rod Reunion.

Here’s a strange drag racing story for you. Just like rust never sleeps, progress marches on even for Gassers. In the never ending search for the edge, some Gasser racers went from their bulbous, barn-door-like Willys and Austin bodies to a fiberglass replica of the German-built Opel GT. Sold in America through Buick dealers as a poor-man’s Corvette, the Opel GT saw only modest success as a production car. But Gasser racers jumped on the micro-Corvette because of its slick lines. It wasn’t hard to better the upright traditional Gasser bodies.
K.S. Pittman had raced an Austin bodied car in ‘68 and ‘69. In 1970, Pittman replaced the Austin body with a Contemporary Fiberglass Opel GT body. At that time, many Gasser racers were beginning to use one-piece fiberglass bodies that were hinged at the rear of the chassis, like a Funny Car. Pitman’s car was NHRA legal with two opening doors, two seats, and no flip-top body.

Pitman’s Opel GT (using his old Austin chassis) went on to set the NHRA National Record in 1970 with an 8.54-second ET. By 1970, speeds were up to 170 mph. Pittman toured the Opel GT from ‘70 to ‘72. Sadly, match racing Gassers were being crowed out by the Funny Cars and Pro Stockers, So in ‘72 Pittman sold his car.

Now here’s the strange part. Drag racer Frank Harris bought K.S. Pitman’s Opel GT in ‘72, repainted it blue, and ran the car as the Stone Woods & Cook car in BB/Funny Car match races in ‘72! “BB/Funny Car” were the inexpensive funny cars that many of the smaller tracks would book because they couldn’t afford the nitro-burning funny cars.

K.S. Pittman was one of the most respected and feared drivers in the Gasser ranks. Over the years, K.S. had several Willys cars and was one of the first Gasser racers to switch over to the slick little Opel GT.

King Kong Gasser

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