Australian Belly Tank

[Elmo Rodge]

Very cool Doc.  Wayno

[maj]

It was great to see all your work come to that one point in time of your first run, you were like a cat on a hot tin roof Doc .

You have had a lot of good advise and used it well, there was only going to be one outcome  Congrats 

[Stainless1]

Well guys it sounds like you had a great time, made a couple of fast runs and the car did what it was built to do.... go fast.  Sometimes you have to adjust your head to be in a spot that the vibration does not "uncage" your eyeballs in a tight compartment.  You guys did great, I didn't use the back side of my seat through the entire read.  Sorry the weather didn't cooperate but that is typical of LSR, weather is always an issue. 
We are all happy for ya, glad you were safe, fast and had fun, that's what it is all about 

[wolcottjl]

Congrats!

[SPARKY]

Guys----isn't it a GREAT feeling  when the car does what YOU built it to do!!!!!!!  Congratulations of a GREAT LOOKING fun car!!!!!!!!!!

[4-barrel Mike]

Well done!  Congrats!

Now save your money and bring it to Bonneville 

Mike

[Freud]

Googles, do u have an shirts that don't have a skid mark on the tail?

Good job, Mate.

FREUD

[Reverend Hedgash]

yes! Woohoo!

Unbelievable. You just don't know how it will run until it runs and it does seem that all the work on steering geometry etc has paid off in spades; it ran as straight as a die, and correction was simple as we drove.

One more run would have been the absolute cherry on the top, but as we were using the stock computer for the motor it may not have gone much faster as there is an engine cutout at around 5500rpm. The Colonel built an overide for the fuel cutout at 5200rpm so there was still some legs in her.

For next year we need to:

• Make the seat more comfortable; there is a cross bar which bruised Dr G's bum so amendments required there.
  Up the fire extinguishers for the 200mph requirement level
  Improve the hatch hinge which proved a little fragile.
  Get all the switches properly mounted on the steering wheel
  Make puke tanks for the diff breather and petrol breather
  Install a ball valve to protect fuel spill in a roll-over
  Install a better speedo, our tacho looked great but was not accurate. We resorted to using the Colonels GPS which worked a treat. May simply put a bicycle speedo on the front wheel.
  Improve the parachute release mechanism, it is prone to not locking properly (!)
  Get rready the Megasquirt engine management system so we can overide the old computer and improve high end mix
  Finish and improve the trim around the front canopy
  improve bodywork joins, fixings etc
  New paint job

So much to do so little time!!!
The plan for next year is to take her on the 175mph licence run for each of us and parachute run and then go for 200mph.

The car ( and us ) really felt capable of going faster this year if we had the time at the track. The club did well to get as much time as we did on track wih a huge turnout and both wind and rain.

Below are some people shots to give the mood as well as some fave shots of the tank.

rev. H+

[Reverend Hedgash]

This is the drivers meeting, the chap in in the previous photo set with the hula hula hands is the club pres, Rob Carrol

[Reverend Hedgash]

The Jarman-Stewart Bellytank.

Australian Landspeed record holder:

E/GL 160mph 256kph
E/FL 152mph 243kph

and counting!

[Reverend Hedgash]

Stewie off and away on the first run. It's a V6 and it sounds very purposeful...
Gee it really does look like my avatar...

[Reverend Hedgash]

Al Fountain, creator of the Fountain Bellytank which is a magnificent piece of engineering.

[Reverend Hedgash]

Lucky Kaiser's streamliner motorcycle made out of 18inch steel pipe.

Pete Quick's (PJQ) troopy and our (and others) support car for this year.

Pete has been incredibly generous in not only lending us his race trailer to transport the Spirit of Sunshine but he also drove it to the Lake and back. Thanks Pete, you are worth your wait in gold! Petrol money on its way!

Also whilst on thankyous a huge thankyou to Steve Barnett and Andy who came to our rescue with parts on the way home when we lost our second set of wheel studs on the trailer on the road (don't ask), you guys rock.

Also of course to Graham and Stewie whose endless commitment to the project over the period of five years, to Stewie for suggesting the idea in the first place, for both your friendship and support in all matters; thanks.

And to all the adviser on Landracing, pleasse keep the good info coming. The car would not have been the beast it is without your input.

Finally, what set of Lake Gairdner photos would be complete without animal? This piccy is him stopping the bus on the way home to help out Steve who had busted an engine holding thingy on the way out. Thank you animal for being, well, yourself.

Reverend Hedgash
E/FL 152mph

[SPARKY]

 Has a nice ring to it doesn't it---RECORD HOLDER!!!!  Well done guys!!!!!!!! 

[Rchop]

Congrats on the records and the successful trip