Hot Rods Who Built Belly/Drop Tank Racers

Carl Lafong, spearville ks.

 

I am guilty as well

 

Hales-Moll twin engine tank.

 

Frank started with parts from 4 tanks, no one really wanted them back in the late 70's. He starred building with bud Matthews(sp?) and ran into John Hesford, who had a paint and body shop and loved all old cars. Together they became the Oddo-Hesford team. My wife and I crewed for them in the 90's and had a great time.

 

I found this one online today. It purple with a #4 so I'm assuming it's Bill Burke.

 

You keep dropping morsels of your racing history all the time.

 

The red tank in this picture belonged too the team of Birner and Baldwin.

 

Dave Holder

 

Ed "Axle" Stewart and Howe in '51 with a class A lakester
clocking 136.363 with a v8 60

 

Wow!

 

Nicholson Bros. speed shop in '53 with their "D" class lakester ran 195.65

 

Ernie Pereira in '69 X class running a 292 GMC 6 @ 170.13 M.P.H.

GMC 6 302 on nitro with a 188.102 two way average in '71

 

Those are some mighty big pipes for a V8 60...... Maybe they are just a fancy air outlet.

 

I thought those were exhaust pipes for the rocket engines.

 

Brean and Haller 1949, with Frank Brean's mother standing next to the car she sponsored

 

Same car now owned by Kay Kimes

 

Unknown tank paint makes me think So Cal speed shop.

 

Ray Brown - Mal Hooper class "C" Lakester ran 197 in '52 with a Hilborn injected Hemi.

 

Here's one owned by @Ed Godshalk currently being restored by @Marty Strode . Hopefully in the future Ed will fill us in on the details of who built/raced it.

 

Man that's a gorgeous Tank with its blood red licks...​

 

Why wear a helmut? Couldn't do much without a roll bar.

 

I found this one online, don't know who drove it or how fast it went.

 

Ended up going over 200 and getting the 200 mph club @201 in the mid 70’s Ernie was the first Stock head GMC in the 2 Club. A hero to all of us GMC guys.

 

I need to go thru some old photos and find Mel Hoy’s yellow tank; he ran a blown Fuel Chrysler and it had a swing axle quick change. He past away while building a new fuel roadster that was sold to Juri Mindenburg who lived in the Northwest and ran really fast Corvettes in the 70-80’. I don’t know where the Hoy tank went..

 

Chuck and Gene Hersom