Landracing Forum
Bonneville Salt Flats Discussion => Build Diaries => Topic started by: jk hotrods on October 19, 2009, 02:25:51 PM
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Hallo my name is Jan kåre and this is my project :roll:
This is a tank i found on a farm in Norway They used it as a water tank :-o
On the side of the tank it stands Fletcher aviation corp. Pasadina California. MFRF serial no 7632.It is 200 us gal.
Anyone knows what air plane this com from????
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Google Fletcher Aviation co.
There is a lot of information and should be able to help you in the search. Looks like a nice build, keep us updated.
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Nice style, what kind of power plant will you use?
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Seems like there's a lot of interest outside the USA in bellytanks. Will you be bringing it over to compete? Good luck on the build. :cheers:
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This is the parts I have: I got a new Winters champion Quik change axel, Finned buick brake drums, mas strait tube axel a new unisteer steering rack from pete and jakes.
I also got a 1967 pontiac ohc-6 engine, but this is open for discussion :wink: Or maybe an early hemi.
My plan and dream is to take it to Bonneville :roll: I dont have to break any records, i will be happy only to get to bonneville :-
Particularly since I newer even been in the USA. :-o
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Hey Jan,
Go with the Pontiac cammer & hang a hair dryer on it. Hemi's are like but holes, seems like everybody has one now. It's hard to be different, the cammer will do it. I dont recall seeing one of those in anything, including an original Pontiac.
I have a 2 seat street legal tank here in the states with a turbo'd 401 AMC in the back, it's hard to be different.
Look at lots of pictures before you place the front & rear axles, It can make or break the look of the car.
Sid.
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JK,
I agree with Sid, go with the Pontiac cammer, I haven't seen one of those in years! Also, as Sid said, watch the wheel placement you are going to find that space is going to be really hard to find, especially if you go to the long six cylinder. I would avoid adding length to the tank as it screws up the aero. One thought is to mount the front axle ahead of the tank, which gives you lots of room for your feet and lets you get the driver forward. Look at the BMR roadster, that's how their axle is mounted also this doesn't screw up the aero as much with lots of holes in the tank for the axle and suspension to go thru.
Love the shape of your tank, what is its max diameter? length?
Rex
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I'm a bit of a bellytank conesuer(spelling?), just a touch of nose ahead of the front wheel is the traditional look & thats the way I like them, but keep in mind this is YOUR tank so build it the way YOU want it. I have a picture on my wall that I dug out of the basement of the Salt Flats Grill in Wendover in the late 80's of a tank with the axle in front of the nose. The name on the car is Silver Eagle, it's a P38 tank turned around backwards with the driver down inside looking out through the nose, not traditional by any means but a good looking tank.
Anyone got any Info on that car????
The thing that really kills the look of a tank to me is the driver sitting straight up with a big-ass roll cage hanging around him the size of an office building, now that's just wrong!
You'll become a master in putting 10kg's of crap in a 5kg bag, it's easy to build a car & put a skin over it. It's a whole different deal to build a ship in a bottle, you'll have a whole new respect for those who have gone before you.
You might want to look into hanging a transaxle on the back of the engine, that would be a big space saver 4 you. Definately more of that stuff available in Europe than the US, ZF, Hughland (spelling?) Didn't the Saab 900 have a transaxle in the front?? Should be a mile of those in you neck of the woods.
My street legal tank is a 28" dia F101 Voodoo tank, plus I have one other Voodoo tank, one 26" F105 tank & four bran-new F4 tanks that I just unpacked out of their original 1965 container a few weeks ago. I also have my eye on a pair of F86 tanks. Tanks anyone? Sid.
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Thanks for the inputs. I got a picture that Bo Zolland made and he like the idea that we bring it to life. :wink:
I realy like the style of this one. I wil post the picture tomorrow. I will start on the frame soon and I got a good friend Egil Wahlstrøm whit me.
He is an expert on hot rod frames and he will be a big help. I will post som pics when we start.
:cheers:
Jan.
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Jan, great looking tank project.
My vote however is to loose the Pontiac motor. I know many of the "old schoolers" think they are great and there is a certain cool factor to them but for the same money you can build a Toyota 2JZ-GTE motor (or even the Nissan RB25DET) [both motors are inline 6] that will reliably build 3X+ the horsepower.
There is a number of the Toyota 2JZ motors making well into 2000 whp (with 3.2l).
I know you mentioned that it was not your primary intent to break a record but with a good engine choice you could go very fast and take a few records home to boot.
~JH
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Here is the look for my tank. The length is 150", and the diameter is 26".
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Forgot the picture :roll:
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"OH YEAH". I hope you're a short guy!
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Here is some new pictures. :wink:
Jan
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More pictures. :-)
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Jan,
Cool tank project. I too like the cool factor of the Pontiac cammer, but agree the Toyota will make a bunch more HP... Either choice it looks like a cool project.
Good luck
Charles
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What ever you put in it for power it is going to be TIGHT!!! That is a pretty small package to get all of the required "parts" and a driver into. Your build is going to be fun to watch. Keep us posted!!!!
Rex
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I would check that MAS axel out. Mine had to have considerable straightening. However was a 6"dropped
one. King pin inclination was not the same side to side and one side was 1/2" adhead of the other.
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if you put a new axel in a car before the car and parts are painted or powder coated the car should be taken to a front end alignment shop and have the axel tweeked until every thing is right then disassemble for paint -----------------------------willie buchta
sometimes its better to go to a truck alignment shop they are more familiar with solid axels
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Looking good there Jan, nice fab work. Did you make an engine decision yet?? Sid.
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Yes I have a GMC 302. I will start with this, and I will take it from there.
Jan.
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My Mas axel neded straightening to.
It was over 1degre different from side to side :? :?
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Jan, what's the car in your avatar? Looks like a late-40's Pontiac "fastback". I'd like a full-size photo of it -- since a '48 Pontiac was the first car I spent lots of time working on, driving, even learning how to build a straight-8 engine. Have you a good photo? Thanks.
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It is my 1948 chevy. :-)
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Well, I was close -- Chevy and Pontiac were very close back then. Thanks for the big photo -- I'm going to send it to my dad as a reminder of the cars we used to have. No flame jobs on ours, though. . .
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cool project, nice '48 i'm restoring one right now great cars
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Hey Jan, good on you mate for going with the Jimmy engine. Don't need no stinkin jap junk engine in a nostalgia tank, I don't give a rats hinie how fast they are!
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That car looks familiar. Then I remember that my mother had one when I was a little child. It was light green without the flames. Those cars have a lot of room inside. Its nice to see one on the road and looking good.
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Build update :roll:
Here are a couple shots of the rollcage.
And a 1946 ford coupe I am building :wink:
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Here is the Ford :lol:
Jan
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Nice projects. Nice shop. I'm envious. :mrgreen:
Mike
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Sid
The Silver_Eagle is covered on this web site:
http://www.speedace.info/silver_eagle.htm
pretty car but tank body is on backwards
harv
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Harv.
Thank you for your observation.
I got a new tank now, and I will not put it on backwards :wink:
Jan.
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Thanks for the heads up Harv, It's nice to see the details that go to my wall hanger. Backwards or not it's still a good looking tank.
Hows your tank comming Jan?
Sid.
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Here is the new tank.
it is the same as the old one, just better.
Sid the tank is comming along but ting takes time :|
Buy the way I am tired of the snow we have had the 3 last months :x
The 12 mai I am going to California, I can`t wait :cheers:
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Looks a little bit like salt . . .
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I know what you mean about the "BAD" white stuff Jan. I live in Idaho @ 5800ft & we had a deep winter this yr. It looks like spring has come a little earlier than usual & I've built some 10ft piles of the stuff with my loader looking for hard ground.
Your new tank looks like a real clean piece, Lots of work but they just don't seem to build them selves do they!
I'm building a 4WD, 2 engine streamliner right now, it just takes sacrifice. Three weeks ago I had a pile of steel on the floor, today I have the rear axle mounted, both engines & trans mounted & I'm working on water tank & fuel tank. It doesn't make any difference where in the world we live, we are just dedicated crazy people.
Keep the progress coming. Sid.
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Wow 5 year since last post. The tank build is going really slow. But I havent given up. 2 kids a new job and some custom cars the last 5 years. The plans have changed many times over the last 5 years. Got a New and bigger tank, tank number 3 :-) So I had to build a New frame again. Now we are going to start with a Chevy 383. cheap and easy hp. Here is some pictures of the tank. Hope it will not be 5 years to the next post..
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Some more Pictures.
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More.
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Jan your belly tank is coming along nicely.
One thing I know about tanks there's going to be a lot of items placed inside that small space. If you decide to one day run the car your going to need two fire bottles a large water tank for cooling the motor. Also a good sized battery to power everything a transmission cooler if you run more than a mile the list will get longer as your build continues. Next you will find when you add your safety gear the fire suit, helmet and support, fire gloves, five point belts and shoes the shifter for the transmission gas and brake pedals the drivers position will become very tight. My lakester wheel base of 136 inches allowed me to fit all the above plus more the drop tank body I used was 13 feet 6 inches long and 31 inches at its widest point everything was tight in that space. :cheers:
Ron
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It looks great Jan. :cheers:
Like Ronnie said, packaging!. :evil:
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That is a cute little pusher in that on-the-road photo.
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Nice pictures! Nice car!
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Good to see your dream is not lost & now you have a helper too.
What's are your plans, to race it or street it?
Sid.
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Thanks for the nice Words. Ron I know it is going to be tight, thats one of the reason why it take so long time, always have to think 5 steps ahead. But I think we will get everyting in that small tank eventually. but it will be a pain in the ass all the way to the end :-P Sid the plan is to run it in Sweden on the ice a couple of years and then take it over to race it at Bonneville and El Mirage. But with this speed it will take some time :-o
Jan.
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Some more pictures. The little helper is never far away :-D
Jan.
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Hope you dont get bored of all the Pictures.
Jan.
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Awesome job of building Jan. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
You may find that you'll require a larger, more efficient system of air cleaning if you start running it seriously but for now that one certainly fills the appearance requirement.
Around here we can never get enough pictures. :-D :-D :-D
Pete
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Thanks for the nice Words. Ron I know it is going to be tight, thats one of the reason why it take so long time, always have to think 5 steps ahead. But I think we will get everyting in that small tank eventually. but it will be a pain in the Acura all the way to the end :-P Sid the plan is to run it in Sweden on the ice a couple of years and then take it over to race it at Bonneville and El Mirage. But with this speed it will take some time :-o
Jan.
It's a long journey to the destination Jan, sacrifice & perseverance are a virtue. You have come a long way.
I figured you might run Ice Week.
Sid.
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The picture of you and your son is awesome.
Way to go man. :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
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Nice design and great craftsmanship! The "lip" at the top of the bottom body half appears to be a solid piece of aluminum, fairly thick- is it?
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Good to see you're still at Jan. :cheers: :cheers:
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Thank you for all your pictures. They are very helpful. Nice work.
My odd project is here: http://www.landracing.com/forum/index.php/topic,14881.0.html