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.