To those interested in Bonneville and four bangers

Bobby,

You might be on to something, it would be nice to have a Vintage Lakester class. It is tough to run a short wheel base Belly Tank against 22ft long dragster Chassis and "Cars of the Future" . Any help we can be here in San Diego let us know....

But if you think we have it bad now, Freddie Lobello had to run his Riley against Jimmy 6's in the 70's and 80's !!

 

Bobby, Your suggested changes might be more true-to-form if applied to roadster class(es) only as that was mostly what was run back in the day. Too late for this year, maybe next time?

 

Thanks for the interest and support guys ! I love seeing all the new tanks show up every year at Bonneville and ElMo. This year alone there were 4 new bellytanks that were V8 flathead and 4 banger powered.

Elfuler, You pretty much got it right ! That's a great start to the description, I'll probably add a minimum body width at it's widest point, the small steel P-38 tanks like the one that Bill Burke first built were 28" wide so that will be the starting point, the the big P-38 tanks were 32" wide. Also, there will be a minimum / maximum on tread widths and wheel base.

 

Hey Bobby good to see you've got a goal to shoot for.
Does this restrict the repop/fiberglass tanks?
Or is it just a limit to the measurements of vintage tanks?
TP

 

This is a great idea. Would like to see this come to be. It does make sense to "add" the tankers to the vintage engine classes, hopefully the rules commitie sees it that way in a few years.

Good job Bobby

 

Hey Zibo, Fiberglass or reproduction tanks are fine as long as they are the same dimensions. It's hard enough to find the old tanks so a fiberglass copy is a good alternative. I have a P-38 tank that my buddy Wayno makes hanging from the ceiling of my shop for $1500. Not bad for a whole body, if you do all the labor yourself, a bellytank can be cheaper to build than a model A or T.

 

so, here is a related but separate question ...

This upcoming year (2013), the ECTA will be allowing 'new iron' flathead V8 blocks to be used- due to the costs involved with finding and testing an original block that will be good enough to build to race specs.
Will they be allowing the same thing in the V4 classes? And if so, where will the line be drawn with the new Burtz's engine blocks? They are new iron, which is awesome, but they are also 5-main bearing blocks (which is also awesome!).

 

Bobby, I agree. Body width, track width and wheelbase are probably essential limitations to a vintage lakester class. I'd love to see the class take off. With enough interest in it, there'd probably be enough impetus to do a re-pop P 38 tank in aluminum. All you'd need is a half-mold in concrete and you could explosive-mold two sheet aluminum halves. Imagine that! Ha ha.

Regarding the engines themselves: Wow! an iron five main brand new banger block. That's fantastic. I want one!...except I imagine it'd be dang expensive. Maybe the way to a budget historic V4F engine class is to make it that the mains have to be original spec. ie (No girdles and babbit where babbit was originally utilised). I'd guess that cranks would start to be the limiting factor, and then, as far as a budget class goes, the destruction of cranks and blocks would add up in cost. Those with most access to cranks and blocks would have the advantage and a lot of sad vintage carnage would be another unfortunate side-effect.

I suppose, in any case, the notion of limiting engine development in the name of nostalgia and historic authenticity are almost an anathema to the pursuit of speed as it was sought by the pioneers of the sport. The ultimate development of a vintage fourbanger, I guess, ends up being an original set of cylinder casings with everything else hand machined: essentially, a hand built four cylinder motor. Let's face it, its what the likes of Miller and Goosens were up to from day one.

So maybe another way for someone like me to enjoy a historic V4F and keep it to a budget is to look at speed and engine development from the other way around. The Hop-Up 100MPH club is a beautiful idea. Imagine the goal being to get the most unmodifed and streetable vintage engine to attain 100mph, 100mph being a real benchmark goal back in the prewar dry lakes era. To see an unblown flathead 4 with three mains, no oil pressure and a historic, non-electronic ignition squeeze out 100mph would still tickle me pink.

 

Well that has happened several times. Except for the no oil pressure. The first 100 club shirt went to a 32 Plymouth powered car. Plymouth came with full pressure.

 

So-Cal wrote, " i still think they need a separate class for the V8-60's because it's not even close to fair that they compete against the regular flatheads."

X2! I was really dismayed to learn that a "flathead is a flathead" when I went to B-ville for the first time in 2011. Given that the iconic S-Cal belly tank initially had a V-8 60, I thought for sure there would be a separate class for the little V-8's.

(Background: I got a tank first, had a friend donate a V-8 60 to me, then bought the die-cast So-Cal belly tank model for inspiration to build a modern full sized version.)

 

There is a separate class for V-8 60's! It's VOT- vintage oval track.

 

There is a class for V-8 60's. It's Vintage Oval Track

 

Hmmmmmmm. I don't remember seeing any belly tanks on the oval tracks.

Hmmmmmmm. I don't remember seeing any belly tanks on the oval tracks.

 

Yeah, RichFox, You don't have to sell me on the benefits of plymouths and dodges. I've been hanging out with those Montana Dodge Boys. Close to 220 cubes, five mains and pressure oil in a 1928 block sure is handy in V4F. I've seen your work here on the HAMB too. Very nice.

 

Bobby, Have tank and 2 fours! Working on it slowly! I'll ask a few questions to get rolling> John Thompson. roadster1932@mindspring
.com. Thnks!!