OK, I can see your point. I was interested in discussing the whole thing to hammer out stuff like this. I do/did wonder how nice looking a street belly tanker could be.... The purpose for building a street belly tanker? Something out of the ordinary you don't see everyday that could be cool and yet is still sort of "traditional". I have had in mind building one for years and have some time for designing one these days and needed ideas. I like what people have posted, even if they don't fit the vision I have in my mind. regards, DJ
I always wanted to tag an indy car. just give it a little more ground clearance and some mirrors. I'm still a kid at heart.
A friend of mine just finished building a flathead powered indy car that's street legal. I asked him to stop by next time he's in the neighborhood so I can get some pix. I'll post them up when I get em.
How in the name of stupidity do you get in that thing? Looks to me like the roof's filled, and I ain't going through no window, fool.
i like it but I would move the rear wheel back some and do a back door to get in it. I even have the driver's side rear window sheetmetal for an A sedan like this one.... Hmmmmm.....
"It's not a matter of practicality, it's a matter of aesthetics and purpose." Bullshit. I've been a designer and graphic artist all my life. Don't talk to me about aesthetics. Purpose? As in, "I'm doing it just because I can"? That's no purpose at all. I dig the old airplanes (especially the warbirds from WWII) as much, or more, than I do hot rods. Also, silly and impractical aren't the same thing. Check your dictionary. Nor am I saying you shouldn't do it if you want to. More power to ya', and have fun! Still, I stick by my original statement. Its a silly idea. Nuf' said. I'm headed for the HAMB drags. Come by the silent auction site and we can argue about it over a couple beers. (-:
I'm not sure that practicality has much bearing in the world of hot rods. Otherwise a lot of people wouldn't be driving cars with drum/drum brakes, when disc/drum works so much better. I could go on, but..... Back on topic, though, I was wondering if you guys knew a source for belly tanks. I've been doing some thinking, and I think I may want to try my hand at this.
Theres some outside a war surplus site outside of Salt Lake... Smith & Edwards, I believe is the name. My machinist has several.. I think he wants 800.00 ea, which seems a bit steep to me. If I remember correctly mine was 200.00
You're fucking the wrong duck... I'm on your side. I think it's silly, impractical, and goes against the whole TRADITIONAL purpose of the belly tank as far as Hot Rodding is concerned. And most importantly to me anyway, I think it's aesthetically UN-appealing.
Not necessarily....... this car was built in the late 40's and is flathead powered. I have seen pics of it at El Mirage... not as a race car, but as a spectators car. So there is some bit of hot rod history there...... however small.
NOW WE'RE TALKING!! I really NEED one of those driving around Vegas! Asshole drivers here would have second thoughts about cutting me off if I was driving something like that!! Sorry to get off the subject at hand, but is that really street legal? If you can get that thing street legal you could probably get about ANYTHING street legal!
There is the problem with the windscreen on the Belly Tank racer, on most Belly Tank racer they look ugly, homebuild bodge and not airodymamic at all. The Williams 1948 special 2X Esterllita bubble canopy would be the solution in design and function and whithin period correct. Mr. Bushby bought 1959 the rights and build those sports plane. This company is still exhisting and build this midget Mustang sports plane up to now. They eaven sell kits to build you own plaine in about 1000 houers.... when i start to build a belly tank racer, i will incorporate one of these bubble canopy. Just my two cents... http://www.mustangaero.com/Midget Mustang/Midget Mustang.html
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