Belly Tank Project

Link below to photos of my Belly Tank Lakester Project.
I wanted to build one of these since I was a kid and missed buying a tank about 12 years ago at Carlisle. I bought this tank last year but had to wait for good weather for the drive to upstate NY to pick it up. A few weeks ago monday, early AM I headed out on the run to Carlisle PA car shows. It took 15 1/2 hours for the 1000 miles including the time to drop off a motorcycle in SC. Got a little sleep that night and headed out the next morning to pick up the Belly Tank in NY state. It was 600+ miles total and with the small twisty roads and a lot of mountains it took 16 hours. It was all mountain roads and one sign said it was the highest point east of the Mississippi at 2250 feet. Almost the whole trip was secondary roads or through little towns, burned out factory towns and scenes out of "Deliverence". I finally made it to the guys farm around 1:45 and got the tank loaded and strapped down. The tank is almost 14' long so it is pretty close to the same size as the S10. Loaded on the rack it looks evil. If I had a nickle for every slack-jawed big-eyed gawker wondering what it was I could pay for the tank and the truck. Had several "Hey Buddy... What is that thing" comments on the road and almost every place I stopped and truckers slowing down to try and figure it out. Handling is not bad unless you are behind a semi or in the mountains at 65mph with gusting wind. By the time I made it back to York PA I had done nearly 1700 miles and 31 1/2 hours on the road in 2 days.
Wednesday at Carlisle I found a Ford V8-60 Flathead for the tank thanks to help from Larry of "Jalopy Showdown" fame. My dad is a old hot rodder and had a transmission. The rest of the week was spent at Carlisle looking at cars and parts. There was a very scarey looking pontoon boat made from 2 tanks and a rusted lump V8-60 that sold for $1000. early wednesday.
Monday 2;30 am I headed home with the tank on top and the V8 and trans in the truck bed. I got through Washington DC without government or military questions about the tank and got back to Daytona in about 15 hours. I definately cast the most interesting shadow on I-95 in the morning sun.
The V8 and tank are now unloaded and I started work on stripping the tank. It took me almost all day to get the cast wing mount pieces removed with 48 bolts, and 10 screws holding the center piece and another 60 screws that had to be drilled out for the side pieces. Then another 50+ bolts on the covers under that and all were locktighted. Next is to split the tank at the centerline. I found a Edlebrock 2 carb V8-60 intake too but still need 2 Stromberg 81 carbs. I have a "T" frame but need a tube style front axle and quick change. Still a long way to go but things are under way.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/staringblankly/my_photos

 

Very cool. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us. Keep us posted on the progress.

Spike

 

Looking good, Byron. What is the diameter of the tank? Wayno

 

Hey Byron, glad you made it through DC without the black helicopters stoping you! See you at the Showdown?

 

This is,at least,the 4th Belly Tank Lakester under construction on the HAMB.

We will look forward to your progress.

 

Congrats.........just be careful mounting your flathead on the engine hoist like that. I have heard that it will crack the housing. Just an FYI........

Chris Nelson
Kansas

 

That's sounds like quite an adventure, I'm glad you got it back home, and it sounds like it'll make a great project, can't wait to see some progess shots!

Outback

 

glad you got it home

can you take any better pictures or give me any advice on getting that big hunk out of the middle...my tanks are the same but all i did was take out the big bolts...never really fooled with it much since...it would be nice to split one of mine and get it on axles

good luck with it
zach

[email protected] is my e-mail if you have more pics

 

I found one in Fresno, CA. Just waiting for the time and money to go get it. Good luck on the tank, maybe we'll see each other on the lake someday. Godspeed.

 

by the way...i remember the same looks when mine came home

 

Thanks for the comments. Progress will go slow until I scare up a few more parts.

The Diameter is about 32" at the widest point.

Sodbuster; I was wondering about the strength of the case when I mounted it. I have it supported in the front so it doesnt hang only from the rear studs. I was planning to make a rolling cradle that uses the engine mounts. Is there a preferred method for mounting this motor on a work stand?

Larry;
I am still planning to make a run for the Showdown. I just had my Ducati Monster hit while parked yesterday. I need to sort out the repair quotes before the guy who hit it gets too far away. If I get it all done this week I will be there to help.

 

I have been told to mount it on an exhaust manifold plate. IE:homemade

 

Zach;

I will shoot better photos tomorrow and send them.

The 24 large side bolts and 10 straight head screws hold in the center section. It is much heavier than you would think and is tough to lift out since the tollerances are so close. The 2 thin rails on each side are held in by the 60 straight head screws with nylock nuts on the inside. They were installed before the halves were welded together. It might be possible to reach inside to remove the nuts once the center section is out but you better have circus geek flexibility. I drilled the heads off each screw and the nuts dropped inside and let me lift off the rails. That lets you get to the 2 access covers under the center piece and see the baffles and plumbing inside. Look at the photos of the other tank under construction on the earlier post and you can see the baffle layout. The center ones bolt together at midpoint but are welded to the tank halves. At least you have two tanks so you dont have to save or create a second flange on the centerline.

Byron

 

no rush on the pics...whenever you get a chance

thanks alot
zach

 

Byron,


looking good, and good to see you posting on here....saw the pic's of the Monster damage, that sucks...

Talk to you soon,

Dave

 

yea, but you had TWO of em sittin on top of a squashed VW rabbit

LOL

 

hello everyone, my name is jason and i also am building a belly tank mine is from a p-51 any tips in the tube part?? i have a t frame also but i plan on zing mine for rear suspention

 

Awesome Byron...I am working on one as well, only I got ahold of 2 tanks that were cut, so I have to use both to make one good one.

Chassis wise I have an 11 foot long early rear engine funny car chassis, that we are mating it to.

I will try to get some pics soon

 

Scanned this some time ago, maybe it can be of some help.

 

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/bvillecar/bvillecarindexpage.html

here's a good start. see how much a little bit of politeness gets you.

 

Byron,
You are where I was 3 years ago... It's a lot of work, but well worth it in the end.
Here's a link to my newly started blog. It has some pics.

http://www.bellytank.blogspot.com/

 

thankyou

 

Thanks, That's really cool.