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1952 Burbank Streamliner

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by maccustom, Jul 26, 2013.

  1. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Hello Everyone

    My company has been commissioned to build the body for the Hill/Davis City of Burbank streamliner - land speed record holder 1952-56 and first American car to exceed 200mph. One of the original builders is here in Indianapolis and has been involved in building this reproduction. Build process has been very similar to the way it was done in '52 - the major difference is we carved the body from high dense foam then coated it with plaster before laying it up with 'glass and resin.

    This car also differs from the original in that it has all the gear to pass tech at Speed Week - with luck we will see it run.

    For those of you that will be at Bonneville in August, come by and see it in person. For everyone else check out the stop motion video on our facebook page. Car is going into paint tomorrow - will update with some photos as we finish.

    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Indianapolis-Fabrications/185258424817710
     

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    Outback likes this.
  2. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,809

    aircap
    Member

  3. OneRustedDodge
    Joined: Jan 28, 2007
    Posts: 184

    OneRustedDodge
    Member

    Looking forward to seeing this at Bonneville. Thanks for posting!
     
  4. X-Farmboy
    Joined: Aug 17, 2009
    Posts: 128

    X-Farmboy
    Member

    Awesome car, will be great to see it on the salt again! See ya in a couple weeks.
     
  5. Doc.
    Joined: Jul 16, 2005
    Posts: 3,558

    Doc.
    Member Emeritus

    That's some beautiful work.
     
  6. Awesome! Cool project!
     
  7. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  8. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Got the streamliner parts painted - client is busy getting motor in and final assembly done. Should be mating the chassis and body together later this week. I have 2 booths - lights make color look different in the photos, but it is the same. We are putting vinyls on the car for now so that it looks as it did in '52 - I recreated the hand painted lettering from photos of the car. Photos as we get it together
     

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  9. fastroadster
    Joined: Sep 20, 2005
    Posts: 112

    fastroadster
    Member

    Looking forward to seeing the car. Beautiful job, what are you guys running for motor?
     
  10. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Here is photo update from the weekend. Car is running a flathead as it did in '52. That's my boy Angus helping with graphics and pulling the belly pan in the rear of the car. We are working tonight to get the car on the road to Utah tomorrow.
     

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  11. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    On it's way. See you in UT.
     

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    Outback likes this.
  12. How Kool..
    Brian and his crew do some unbelievable work......
     
  13. Martino
    Joined: Nov 26, 2010
    Posts: 248

    Martino
    Member

    So did you primer the plaster and then pull molds for the fiberglass layups?
     
  14. Dale Fairfax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2006
    Posts: 2,585

    Dale Fairfax
    Member Emeritus

    Just as an asides: When the Hill-Davis City of Burbank car set the International Class record in '52, it was powered by a 248" Flathead engine equipped with a set of Adams/Moller hemi heads that were provided by C & T Automotive. The "Davis" half of the partnership was called BILL Davis at the time. In later years he was well known as WILLIE Davis-An Indy crew chief and owner of the sprint car driven by Gary Bettenhausen to two USAC Sprint Car championships back in the days of the Gary & Larry (Dickson) Show. The current engine is a big (304) Flathead that belonged to Willie way back in '49/'50.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2013
    Outback likes this.
  15. Barn Find
    Joined: Feb 2, 2013
    Posts: 2,312

    Barn Find
    Member
    from Missouri

    Classic Bonneville!
     
  16. WAYYYY COOL!
    Please post photos of it on the salt!
    Thanks.
     
  17. Is the "City of Burbank" Streamliner the same Streamliner that Harry Duncan ran later on in the late 50's?
     

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  18. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    We sealed the plaster with shellack and used a liquid teflon product our resin supplier recommended.
     
  19. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks for clarifying Dale. I guess I should also correct my first post that this is not the first car to exceed 200 but the Class "C" record holder in 52. I think the So-Cal streamliner was the first in 49 or 50.
     
    Outback likes this.
  20. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I might let Dale pick up here, but that is the car in the photo as far as I know. The car was wrecked in '55 during a speed run - driver survived but the car did not
     
  21. maccustom
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 238

    maccustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I guess I didn't fully answer. We sealed and released the plaster then layed the fiberglass and resin onto the form. Then removed the foam - similar to how the car was built (only they used chicken wire and plaster). We then body worked the panels with short strand body filler and then body filler. 3 coats of Slicksand (sprayable polyester filler) then sand to 80. Then 3 coats of Slicksand and sand to 280. Then 2 coats of K-38 and wet sand to 500.
     
  22. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,627

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    This rules!!! I would love to see that thing run again!
     
  23. GMC BUBBA
    Joined: Jun 15, 2006
    Posts: 3,420

    GMC BUBBA
    Member Emeritus

    Another note ! The original 320 hp engine is sitting in speedway Bills museum as we speak!
    Maybe Speedway could loan them the original engine if enough requestscwere made?
     
  24. Speedy Bill would probably loan it, he is all for the sport. Best wishes on a successful campaign at Bonneville! ~sololobo~
     
  25. seatex
    Joined: Oct 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,671

    seatex
    Member

    That is awesome! I've wondered whatever became of it, hope to see it on the salt!
     
  26. Bummed we didn't have the opportunity to see it last week. Do you have any details about flathead?
     
  27. Just an FYI ... This thread was actually started in July of 2013 (not 2014)... and the "CITY OF BURBANK" clone 'liner debuted last year at Bonneville Speed Week (August 2013):


     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2014
  28. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,473

    autobilly
    Member

    Thanks Todd.:)
     
    HEMI32 likes this.
  29. MDK
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 18

    MDK
    Member
    from Belgium

    Hello, I found some photos in reviews of the construction of the first original car.
     

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    SR100 likes this.
  30. THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Joined: Jun 6, 2007
    Posts: 5,971

    THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER
    Member
    from FRENCHTOWN

    What did the repop turn?
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2021

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