While walking around the pits at the famous March Meet in Bakersfield, California we happened upon Tod Barker and Trammel Rushing with their stunning big-block Chevy-powered 1948 Ford Anglia gasser. Tod, owner and operator of Attitude Rods by Tod in Marlow, Oklahoma is no stranger to gnarly custom and nostalgic hot rods. Competing in a Nostalgia Blown A/Altered a 7.90 Index class with his father, and racing other vehicles in his younger years makes Tod a veteran at the track.

When asked about the Anglia he went into great detail on how he acquired the car. “I ran into Trammel Rushing at a swap meet in Duncan, Oklahoma in 2001 where he had a Vertex Magneto that I was interested in,” stated Tod. “We got to talking and found out we liked the same kind of cars. Later that day, Trammel came by my shop and asked me to come by his house in El Reno, Oklahoma.”

Trammel was interested in trading a ’32 Ford Tudor sedan for some work on ’32 ford roadster that he wanted to build, but once Tod laid his eyes on the Anglia, he knew he had to have it. Trammel originally bought the car wrecked and took the time to restore it to working order by installing 350ci small-block. After being in Trammel’s possession for 22 years the car traded hands and work began to turn it into a full-blown competitive nostalgic gasser, under the stipulation that Trammel would crew for Tod at the throwback racing events he planed to attended with the Anglia.

Over the next few years,  the car received a multitude of engine swaps from an fuel-injected motor to a 6-71 blown 350ci small-block that powered the car for around two years. The ’48 was also outfitted with a four-link suspension and 9-inch rear end fitted with 3:90 gears, and period correct straight axle with springs and torsion bar in the front. It also received an upgraded Powerglide transmission built by Freak Show Performance out of Abilene, Texas.

Upon receiving a 427ci small-block in the final months of 2015, Tod took this low 9-second car to a personal best of  8.68 seconds at 156 mph. However, the added power also brought other problems with it. Leaving the line under full throttle was not easily managed with the ’48s short wheelbase, that  caused the car to dart in different directions at the drop of the tree, making racing difficult at times.

“We won the H.A.M.B. Drags in Mokan, Oklahoma in 2015 and set low e.t. and top speed in Competition Coupe/Sedan with a 8.74 at 156 mph,” stated Tod. “The car was black, and had Rushing and Barker painted on the door during this time, and the name of the car was ‘Lil’ Bit’. Over this past winter I decided to paint the all Candy Red, White, and Blue paint job with an appropriate the ‘America’s Lil’ Bit’ hand-painted on the side.”

Leonard Wren, a good friend of Tod, was tasked with bringing the nostalgic flare to the paint scheme. He masterfully painted all of the lettering and hand-turned gold leaf into the doors. “I wanted it to be period correct and Leonard painted the first signs at the Tulsa dragstrip when it opened, so no better person to do it,” vocalized Tod.

While it was in the shop this winter they decided to pull out the small-block and drop in a 427ci big-block Chevy. It was topped with a ’60s Ed Pink Racing 6.71 supercharger to help counteract the nose wandering with the added weight of the big-block. This change calmed the car down during the launch and allowed this hot rod to qualify in B/Gas at the Bakersfield March Meet event. Sadly, Tod and Trammel’s weekend was cut short when difficulties found them between round one and two of eliminations.

“We lined up against a red ’69 Camaro during the first round, I was late but he went red by -.009s. When I shifted to high gear the trans let go and it coasted off  the track,” proclaimed Tod. “We replaced the transmission with a spare between rounds. After we thrashed to prepare for round two, we discovered that the piston on cylinder seven tagged the valve during the pass, ending our chances for the weekend. But we had a killer time our first time out to the March Meet, we’re planning on coming back again, and possibly making the step-up into A/Gas a 7.60 Index class.”

Tod and Tremmel are excited to see what this little Ford Anglia will do against the USA’s best nostalgia racers in the future. We’re looking forward to seeing this awesome gasser wheels-up at upcoming events. Tell us what you think of this diamond of a hot rod in the comments below.