The "belly-tank" race car is the epitome of American technological ingenuity at the turn of the century. It shares the same qualities as Indian motorcycles, hot rods from the post-war era, and Gee Bee planes. Belly tank racers, also known as "Lakesters", took advantage of surplus material from the military after WWII. These fuel tanks were used to build their cars. These tanks were teardrop-shaped, like those used in fighter planes. Their aerodynamic profile, dimensions, and structural integrity made them ideal for scratch-built racers.
The name "belly", which was coined in the 1940s and refers to emergency drop tanks that were fitted to fighter planes' bellies, has nothing to with their plump profile. The tanks were designed to increase the range of aircraft and were removed and thrown away when they were empty.
The teardrop-shaped tanks were surplus items, just like canteens,Panerai Luminor Replica Watches uniforms, clothing, watches and belts, messengers bags, and any other leftovers. I spent many hours at my Uncle Bob's Surplus Store and Cousin Hudi's Surplus Store, in Portland, Maine. There, I marvelled at unused, new and lightly-worn items, much loved by hippies of the 1960s.
The car enthusiasts on the other side also did. Bill Burke, the hot-rodding icon of the So-Cal Speed Shop, built the first "Lakester", a tank from an aircraft drop, in the late 1940s.Omega Replica This was to honor the racing on flat, dry, perfectly level lakes. Burke, according to legend, was inspired to use a fuel-tank as a car body after seeing some on Guadalcanal. He measured it and then did the maths. Knowing the dimensions of the Ford engine block and the rear end, the idea of a streamlined car body with exposed four wheels was born. Aerodynamics was already addressed.
Panerai Luminor Replica Watches, the first Lakester ever made, was made from a surplus 168-gallon belly tank from an old P-51 Mustang. These tanks were available for less than $50 per piece. The design eventually evolved to include the 315-gallon P-38 Lightning tank. Builders preferred to use only two bottom halves because the upper halves had holes for fuel and hardware to attach to the aircraft.