Excellent work on your tank. Looks great! I was planning on doing single pipe headers very similar to that. Looks so cool exiting the tank. Does the water tank like that limit drivetime as opposed to a radiator?
One way to do rear suspension with a proper amount of travel on a tank is to turn the engine and gearbox backwards, fit a 4x4 transfer box, and run a driveshaft back alongside to an offset rearend. The suspension itself could be exactly as on an early Ford. The seat is high because the driveline runs under it. If the driveline could be got to run under the driver's elbow it could be built a lot lower. Lay an inliner over at an angle? In both cases the rearend pumpkin would probably end up outside the tank envelope. That might even be something to work with, design-wise: imagine a quickchange hugging the side of the tank?
For a Belly Tank to be road worthy with suspension along with the ability to clear driveway crests and judder bars i can see it starting to look like a four wheel drive vehicle or what i see as Joe 90's car ! JW
Interested in doing an open driveshaft conversion between the trans and a rear end instead of a torque tube setup. From my research for the stock Ford 3 speed trans I have I'll need a 16 spline slip yoke Part # 21C-4841. I saw that part number might be able to be replaced and is the same as needed for the 16 spline gm powerglide (The splines are the same???). Can anyone confirm? I can't find that particular part number for the ford 3 speed, but I might be able to source the 16 spline GM powerglide slip yoke if it is indeed confirmed the same. IF it is confirmed the same then I have my roadmap to get the driveline put together. I'll order the powerglide slip yoke, get a custom shorty driveshaft made and mate that to a ford 9 inch rear.
You're off to a good start. I am surprised at the metal thickness of the tank - I would have thought thinner. Maybe because the A-10 is for close-in ground support it had to be impervious to small arms fire? At any rate it looks like a real chore to bisect one, especially if it was made of a high strength alloy. Will you be reattachingthe top with a flange around its perimeter? Maybe with Dzus fasteners?? I like the idea of an inline six to fit inside.
I burned through six 4" cutting wheels to get through the tank. More than i thought. It hasn't been the easiest to bisect at all but the sawzall has made it easier lol. I won't be using a flange. I'll be riveting small profile aluminum sheeting on the inside of the bottom half and using either flush or winged camlocs to secure the top to the bottom. Winged camlocs if i decide i don't want to have to use a tool to separate the two halves. Flush camlocs if i would rather have a completely smooth profile. The inside aluminum sheet that i'll be riveting on will also help to further keep the tanks shape while using next to no space as well as a very quick way to separate the two halves. I'll be hinging the halves so they can flip up as well.
This one being a race car, the water tank is the way to go. In your case, a radiator would be best, but with a flathead, you need lots of water and air supply to it, and hot air exit.
All of the belly tanks I have seen including mine had full or partial tubing hoops to give stiffness to upper tank half with Dzus fittings securing the top in place. My flathead powered belly tank had a large watertank behind engine. m\Must have held 15 gal.
I'm thinking that that the Ford slip yoke was the same from 49 to somewhere in the early 60's. That is already an open drive transmission. The tail shaft may be too long for your plans though. You are going to loose several inches of valuable space with that long tail shaft but I don't know of a Ford side shift trans with that bolt pattern that is all that much shorter.
This similar to what Bill Burk did right after WWII. I believe he was the first one on the dry lakes to do it.
Okay, I'll do it! First, let me say that I'm awe struck, @Marty Strode. Were you and your friends bored and this the result of a beer and cocktail napkin planning session? Some friends and I built a complete nuclear powerhouse one afternoon using that same method. Do you mind telling us what this creation achieved?
F100 pickups had a side shift with a short bearing retainer, mainly just the gearbox. 3 speed, '53-'56 (at least, maybe more)
In regard to your transmission; why not change over to an F1 trans? You would need the Mercury bell housing conversion for 8BA to 59AB and the trans would be shorter with an open drive. Your driveshaft shop will have the Powerglide slip yoke. You'll have to shorten the slip yoke 1 and 5/8" to keep from running into the speedometer drive gear. I called Mac VanPelt to get the dimension. Mercury bell housing F1 top loader open drive 1952-61 3 speed
I have posted these pictures before on another thread that deals with "lakesters". So this particular cool machine, isn't a true belly tanker, whether its a tank from a P-38 or the kick ass A-10 Warthog. But you have to admit, its styling and engineering is way beyond cool! But that being said, this is just some pure inspiration, for @Superlite as to how it was done back in the day. His results may vary! These shots were from the "GAS-UP" at Jack Mendenhall's family, private compound in Buellton California a number of years ago. Enjoy from Dennis.
It was from the mind of Lonnie Gilbertson,I just did the cage and interior tin work. Lonnie won the AMBR twice in the 70's.
Thanks for this suggestion and pointing me in this direction. I just picked up this completely overhauled beauty... 1942-1952 F1... Should arrive to the house in a week or so. Since this will be a driver, this completely re-done trans will give me a lot of peace of mind. I hate being stranded lol. Also, no oil leaks to deal with as there are with the current 3 speed trans sitting in the shop. I like how there isn't that long tail shaft in this one. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction Alan
Excellent share! It might not be a true belly tanker but I'll definitely admit that this is awesome. Very unique and great engineering overall
For many years people have called me crazy, but man, I bow and realize I just didn't have the vision. jack vines
Picked up this Bellhousing adapter for the 8BA Flathead which is what I have. Everything should mate right up(hopefully lol)
There are two different starter plates, one for standard trans and one for automatic. The one for the automatic tilts the starter slightly and you don't want that one. Mac VanPelt at VanPelt Sales is a gold mine of information and has an incredible inventory of flathead parts. If you don't have a Ford Green Book, buy one. Another source is All Documents Indexed Parts Diagrams Ford_Green_Book_01.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_02.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_03.pdf Details Ford_Green_Book_04.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_05.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_06.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_07.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_08.pdf DownloadDetails Ford_Green_Book_Index.pdf DownloadDetails Display Num Powered by Phoca Download Details Ford_Green_Book_02 File Size: 7.13 MB Date: 21 April 2015
Cool project. Looks like a lot of fun and plenty of engineering challenges to navigate and conquer! I recognize the Torq-Set, Hi-Lok and Huck fasteners from when I worked in aerospace many decades ago. I'd retain them as a nod to the post war, military surplus tanks. I think a banjo (especially a quick change) would look right at home with the flatty. Consider placing some sort of shock absorbing suspension under the seat to reduce jarring and improve drivability. Big rigs and heavy equipment use air. Early motorcycles used coil springs... What are you going to register it as in Maryland to get away with no fenders, bumpers, etc?
The hardtail motorcycle I built has springs under the seat. Considering doing the same here, along with airing down the rear tires a bit. Keeping it simple. Not sure about registration yet lol i'll work on that when I get there.
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