"THE GASSERS OF THE S&S RACING TEAM”

The S & S Racing Team 2003

In the mid 60’s the S&S Racing Team out of Falls Church, Virginia produced some of the most feared gassers in the nation. The line-up included K.S Pittman in A/GS, Gene Altizer in A/G, Fred Bear in B/G, Charlie Hill and Pork Zartman (Filthy Forty) in C/G, and Dave Hales in D/G. All five of these racers were National Record Holders and three were National Champions. In 1964 they held the Eastern Drag News records in all 5 classes. At a time when National events were few and far between, S&S racers appeared in 10 class and eliminator final rounds, winning 7 of them.

The S&S Racing Team with the creation of Chuck Stolze, owner of the S&S Parts Co. in Falls Church. This high performance parts business was formed in 1959 and was owned and operated by Chuck Stolze until 1972 when it was sold. Aggressive advertising and sponsoring high caliber racers was an integral part of the business plan.

Gene Altizer. Gene was the first racer to be sponsored by the S&S Parts Co. His involvement dates back to 1961. Always the innovator, Gene produced one of the first A/G Anglia’s in existence immediately upon NHRA approving them for Gas class competition. His first creation instantly became the NHRA National Record Holder in the spring of 1963 and won the NHRA Nationals in A/G at Fall. He was also runner-up to George Montgomery in Middle Eliminator that year. His second Anglia was equally as successful as the first. It was a chopped top version with many Altizer innovations. It held the NHRA and NASCAR National Records as well as Eastern Drag News records in 1964 and 1965. He won the NASCAR Springnationals, and had low E.T and Top Speed in A/G at the NHRA Nationals in 1965. Gene moved on from Gas Coupe and Sedan class racing Alcohol Funny cars in the late 60’s. He raced both unblown and blown alcohol cars until 1982 when he retired from racing.

Fred Bear. Fred was the master fabricator in the group. His involvement with the S&S Team began in 1962 while he was competing with a 1955 Chevrolet Modified Production racer. This car would become famous very quickly in the Fall of 1962 when Fred decided that a straight front axle was in order. Rather than follow the standard practice of installing an Econoline axle, Fred took a different route. He cut the frame of his 55 Chevy in half and installed the complete front half of a Willys frame including steering, suspension, axle, and brakes. He also built a one piece fiberglass front end that was removable and set the engine back 10% at the same time. The car then ran in the lower Gas classes. He would go on to build a 1940 Willys coupe for B/G competition that was equally as interesting. Both cars held NHRA National Records in the mid 60’s and the Willys held the B/G Eastern Drag News record in 1964. A little known fact about Fred is that he was the original owner and builder of the 1933 Willys A/GS car that went on to be briefly owned by Joe Hrudka (Mr. Gasket) and is now the Hill Bros. Nostalgia Gasser that has been so beautifully restored by Ken Kull. The nearly completed car was sold to Hrudka, finished by Chuck Finders, and campaigned by the Hill Bros for many years. In the late 60’s Fred moved from Drag Racing to NASCAR Winston Cup racing where he ran for several years as an independent.

K.S Pittman. Chuck Stolze and K.S. Pittman joined forces to field some of the most ecized A/GS race cars in history. In 1964, the first of two 1933 Willys coupes hit the strips and became just possibly the most successful A/GS entry ever. It held both ends of every National Record that existed in 1964 (NHRA, AHRA, 1320 Drag News) as well as both ends of the Eastern Drag News Record. In the fall of 1964 the S&S Team was selected to represent the country at the British Drag Racing Festival in England. Chuck and K.S. attended with the S&S 1933 Willys. In 1965 this remarkable car won the AHRA Winternationals in Phoenix in January and then won the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona in February. In 1967 the duo produced an all fiberglass, chopped top 1933 Willys AA/GS racer and later a more aerodynamic Opel GT. K.S. Pittman won the NHRA Nationals in 1961 and 1969. This long enduring partnership ended in the early 70’s. A racing legend, K.S Pittman went on to race Drag Boats for several years and won the points championship in his rookie season.

Charlie Hill-Pork Zartman.Charlie Hill’s Filthy Forty may be the most famous unblown gasser in history. Charlie Hill was the owner, Pork Zartman was the driver, and Larry Roberts was the crew chief. C/G was the class of choice and the S&S Parts Co. was the sponsor. A combination of superior performance, remarkably ugly and dirty appearance, and the constant presence of numerous characters in the large group, made this car legendary. The car was NHRA National Record Holder in 1962, 1963, and 1964 as well as Eastern Drag News record holder in 1964. It was the holder of Low E.T and Top Speed for C/G in 1962 and 1963 at the NHRA Nationals. Pork Zartman drove the Willys to the C/G win at the NHRA Nationals in 1963 after a devastating loss in 1962 due to a radiator cap falling off and flooding the engine. The car was sold to some racers from Wisconsin in 1965. Charlie Hill went on to race several more race cars in later years the most notable being the Chrysler powered Bad Habit blown fuel altered Fiat that was the first of the breed to run over 200 mph. After the sale of the Filthy Forty Pork and Larry moved on to other endeavors outside of drag racing.

Dave Hales. Dave became involved with Chuck Stolze and the S&S Racing Team in 1962. At the time he was running a 1955 Chevrolet D/Gasser. Fred Bear and Dave Hales shared the same garage and became team members at the same time. After the 55 was totaled in a towing accident in the Fall of 1962, Dave built a Willys coupe for D/G competition. This car, powered by a 268 Chevy engine, was the D/G runner-up at the 1963 NHRA Nationals. It was Eastern Drag News D/G record holder in 1964 and C/G National Record Holder in 1965. After the sale of the Filthy Forty in 1965, Dave had moved to fill the vacancy in C/G. By 1966, the weight breaks had changed and the car was moved back to D/G. During the 1967 season, the car set both E.T and Speed National Records in D/G. The car was sold late in the 1967 season.

Of all the S&S gassers from the mid sixties, this car is the only one left in existence. The two A/GS 1933 Willys of K.S. Pittman, the two A/G Anglias of Gene Altizer, Fred Bears B/G Willys, and Charlie Hills Filthy Forty Willys were all destroyed in race related incidents. The Hales Willys was found in Michigan in the Fall of 2000 and repurchased. It has been retired, completely restored, and is exactly as it was in 1965. It serves as a tribute to all the great gasser racers of the S&S Racing Team.

In addition to the Gassers, other racers sponsored by the S&S Parts Co. over the years included John Fetty (AGas Dragster), Malcolm Durham (Durham-Smythe A/FX Chevrolets),Ed Cave (CM/SP Corvair), Henry Knauff (S/S Ford), and Collins & Albright ( dirt track sprint car).

THE SURVIVOR (DAVE HALES WILLYS GASSER)

The 1937 Willys coupe owned, built, wrenched and driven by Dave Hales from 1963-1967 is the last S&S Gasser in existence from the period.

The restoration has been painstakingly performed by Dave Hales utilizing all period correct components . The original steel body shell, steel rear fenders and steel deck lid were still on the car as well as the original frame with the single hoop roll bar. The Hill-Zartman fiberglass components used in the 1962-1963 original construction were all still on the car and in salvageable condition (front fenders, hood, grille section, doors, and seats).The interior upholstery installed in 1963 was in poor condition but was all intact and still in the car. All was refurbished and used in the restoration. It even has the actual original Stewart-Warner oil pressure and water temperature gauges that were in it in the 60s!

The engine used is a 301 1957 Chevrolet block (no side motor mounts) that was actually built in the early 60s.Components include Forgetrue pistons, Crankshaft Co. crank, Jocko cylinder heads, Crane cam and valve train components, Hilborn Injectors, Vertex Magneto, Packard 440 plug wires and Rajah wire ends. A 12 volt Jabsco water puppy is used to circulate the coolant Exhaust is a 40 year old set of home-made headers.

The running gear includes a cast steel Ansen bell housing (NHRA approved 1965), Borg-Warner T-10 4 speed, early Hurst shifter, and a rare Halibrand Championship Quickchange rearend with early Ford side housings and full floating Ford truck hubs and axles (pre 1948). Gear ratios available include 6.32, 6.48, and 6.58. Wheels are American Lemans Magnesium fronts and homemade wide 5 steel rears with M&H 10.00x16 tires exactly as the car had in the sixties! Disc brakes (front and rear), long ladder bars, and a drilled front axle with chrome 90/10 front shocks round out the suspension components.

The car was painted S&S Red by Les Pomeroy (owner of Quality Auto Body in Fairfax, Va.) who happens to be the same person who painted the car originally in 1963!! Now that is really being authentic!!!

A former National Record Holder, Eastern Drag News Record Holder, and NHRA Nationals runner-up.....the car is a perfect example of the homemade gassers of the sixties. It has not been upgraded in any way. Thousands of individuals participated in the sport during the golden years with cars of this type. It was not a show car before and it is not one now!! The car has been retired from any further competition and is now serving as a tribute to the great racers and race cars of the S&S Racing Team as well as all the people who raced gassers in the Gasser Wars. Check it out..... this is what they were really like!!!!

CLICK HERE to View Photo Album of the Restoration

Photos and Story Courtesy of Dave Hales

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