History The Markley Bros BELLY TANK: A Pictorial History

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... and a couple of postcards:

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Love the shot with the timing light. No computers on that race car!

 

Bob, Dean & Rich -

Charlie e-mailed me today ... Here's his response regarding the swing axle:

 

Hi Dean

I agree 100% that the tank should be put back to the way the Bros ran it

I was there in 63' and as I recall he went 289 to qualify, one thing I do remember that when he stuck it in high she spun the rears wow that was ' Priceless '

Will never forget seeing & hearing that run as it is one of the most impressive things I have seen in 55 yrs of being in motorsports of all types

G Don

 

Am I wrong? Doesn't Varni have the second tank? I believe the first P38 tank is at Ernie Peria's with a GMC in it and being readied to run again.

 

@RichFox -

Dennis Varni's #909 C/GL is indeed the Markley's first tank (i.e., the P-38 belly tank that is the subject of this thread) ... albeit significantly modified (lengthened, brought up to current safety standards, etc., etc.) from its Markley Bros. #360 Lakester and Ernie Pereira #543 Lakester configurations.

The Markley Bros. second tank was built from a T-33 Tip Tank:

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... and set fast time of the meet in 1968:

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NOTE: The second tank was later campaigned by Tony Baron ... and last Charlie heard, was owned by John Swanson.

 

Maybe. i thought this was the first one that Ernie has now.

 

Rich -

Here's an excerpt from an e-mail Charlie sent me earlier today:

I'm not sure where Ernie got the P-38 belly tank lakester he currently preparing to run again ... ???

 

airplane rims and tires? reason I ask is that I just powdered a set from a vintage plane, they look very similar , one thing to note, they are damned strong and damned heavy.

 

Looks good enough for me

 

Here's a couple more vintage pics culled from the Internet ...

1962:

The Summers Bros. #111 "Pollywog" FWD 'liner (foreground)
The Markley Bros. #360D Belly Tank Lakester (background)​

1963:

image from the Julian Doty Collection​

 

No tank in this picture. But it is a nice picture of Charlie and Harry Hoffman last July. Also the Dalton-Jackson-Mayer group and their car.

 

Thought for sure that I had already posted this artwork ... but I guess not ...

"1962 Markley Bros Belly Tank"
by Stefan Marjoram ©2010​

 

Here's better (higher resolution) copies of previously posted images:

September 1963 photos by Eric Rickman

If you’re after the land speed record in a Hemi-powered P-38 belly tank, you can't count on commodious
accommodations. Charles Markley is neatly folded into the driver's compartment with just the necessities,
mag kill switch at right thumb, fuel shutoff at left shoulder, brake handle, pedals, gauges, and steering wheel.

The Markley Brothers & Nieri streamliner hit it out of the park at Bonneville by reaching a speed
of 280 mph. Bob Markley and his brother did much of the mechanical reworking and engine tweaks.​

 

Yet another B&W photograph of the #128C "MARKLEY BROS. ~ FLYNN" DeSoto-powered belly tank lakester:

August 31, 1959 photo by Bob D'Olivo​

 

Eric Rickman`s pic of Charlie in the Drivers Seat says it all. Imagine going 270 plus, just crammed into that seat, little or no safety gear, minimal `cage`.....I don`t know if I have huge respect for Charlie or a terminal case of the Oh-My-Goodness-He-Has-No-Fear-At-All......

 

The 2nd iteration of Varni's #909 C/Gas Lakester at Bonneville in 2004:

image by Peter Hendrickson​

 

The tank after Ernie bought it.

 

Rich -

Thanks for bumping the thread!

NOTE: This pic (that I assume you found on facebook?) actually came from this thread ... see post #7.

 

i thought it was probably a repost. And yes i took it from Bob Dalton's facebook post. But i liked it and so went ahead and posted it anyway.

 

Yet another pic culled from the Internet ...

The Ceccato & Jones #1030 D/GC Studebaker ... with Louis Bonesio's #222 Orange Crate 'liner and the Markley Bros #360 belly tank engine cover in foreground:

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The Markley Bros first outing not 1960 but 1959 as Markley Bros and Flynn with Dick Flynn unblown DeSoto. The car was in black primer. Dick was from Spokane, WA I have home movies Dick shot converted to DVD.

 

@papa29 -

You are correct! ... For the belly tank's maiden voyage on the salt, the brothers borrowed the DeSoto out of the Thrifty Auto Supply dragster:

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There are several (26 to be exact) pics of the #128C "MARKLEY BROS. ~ FLYNN" belly tank already posted in this thread ... BUT definitely not any video.

It would be fantastic if you could upload Dick Flynn's 1959 Bonneville home movies to YouTube or Vimeo ... and then share them in this thread.

 

I have the December '62 issue in a pile of magizines I bought myself for Christmas I was disappointed it didn't have any coverage of the tank guess i'll have to search the swap meets for the December '63 issue.

 

At 22 seconds in it has some shots of the tank at bonneville.

 

Just in time for Easter! ...

"Markley Bros. #360C Belly Tank Lakester" Easter Egg
by Ron Christensen​

 

Oh how i dream of making a belly tank lakester.

Absolutly no place to use it france.