Ron SanGiovanni's Belly Tank racer. This is an authentic, hand-built recreation of a very popular type of race car that became a familiar fixture of land speed record events after WW2- the most well known example probably being the So-Cal Speed Shop car. The reason this very cool-looking type of racer became so popular was the large surplus of all kinds of parts that became available after the war.
Fighter planes that were slated for long distance runs- such as those that would defend our bombers over Nazi Germany- would be equipped with a 'belly' tank- or more accurately- a drop tank. The fuel in these tanks would be used first on the long journey into enemy territory, and when the Messerschmidts or Focke-Wulfes would pounce, these tanks were dropped to instantly give more life-saving airspeed- thus the term 'drop tank'. It was their position that earned them the other tag of 'belly tank'. Hot rodders were quick to see these as an excellent platform from which to build their personal assault vehicle for different classes of landspeed records, such as those run at Bonneville and El Mirage.
Ron actually built his car from scratch with a NOS belly tank and outfitted it as close as possible to the racers that had captured his imagination for so many years (along with a zillion other worshippers of hot roddding's roots- when ingenuity and determination were at least on equal footing with cubic dollars).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The engine is a 258 cubic inch 1950 Flathead Ford V8, with a 671 Super Charger, coupled with a shortened C-4 Automatic. "In the standing mile we were able to go 133.494 mph, using Dynamic's TCT Converter and DYNAMIC Performance Fluid in the trans". This established a new record at the East Coast Timing Association for this class.

"Upon installing my new TCT Converter and DYNAMIC Performance Fluid, I used my Wonder Wheeel, which determines MPH per RPM. I actually picked up even more speed than the calculations said I would get. I went an addditional 4.3 MPH and set three new land speed records at the East Coast Timing Accociations track located in Maxton, North Carolina. I highly reccomend your products and will continue to use them........",

Ron SanGiovanni.