Last weekend we were asked by Scarrylarry if we would bring our belly tank out to the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing to get some new cars in there so I took a couple of pictures while we had it out, you can check it out while at Larrys Jalopy Showdown coming up next month. We have had the car for almost 10 years, before that it sat in a machine since 1958 right outside of NYC, that is when the guy we bought it from brought it home from the west coast, he doesn't remember who he bought it from but the body is 100% untouched, we had to do some restoration work on the ch***is since this guy was going to update it in 1959 and had taken it all apart. If anybody has any knowledge or pics of this car please let me know, also if anybody know's how to get a hold of Bill Burke I would love to talk to him, every hole, number, scratch and decal are untouched, the nose of the car is blacked a bit from when it was almost lost in a fire in the 60's. After looking at some of Burkes tanks he built this car seems to have the same type of cutouts for the front and rear suspension. Hope you guys like the pics.
What a cool piece of Hot Rod History , Bill Burke's Son has a shop just around the corner from my Shop in Whittier I'll go see him & see if we can get hold of Bill for you. I'm also friends with Clyde Sanford of Sanford & Phy belly tank fame, theirs is the one being pushed by the Model A roadster pick up , in the famous photo, wrongly i/d'd as Bill Burkes Tank, he built it but Sanford & Phy campaigned it , I have pix & trophies to prove it. He maybe able to i/d it too. Once again brilliant photos, I'll see what I can do. Steve
Hey Steve, Just a heads up.Bill Phy and Bill Burke were friends-partners & he drove one of Burke's tanks as well. I grew up being a neighbor of the Burke's (Steve & Bill Jr.who still live 2 streets over from my house in San Gabe). My Pal Oscar, (who you know),is Bill Srs. brother in law. We see Bill grabing grocery's still from Smart & Final in Alhambra while Oscar & I are @ Bun N Burger eating breakfast and just BS'g with pals over Joe. Bobby Green wanted to meet up with Bill as well. He may or may not remember what tank this is or if he even built it? He said he built roughly 17 of them? He probably is about 88 now which is his favorite # and Purple being his favorite color. Oscar popped in @ the shop to show him the Bobby Green photos, he was just stoked knowing that there was still an interest in all of this nearly 65 yrs later. For the 50th BNI's he built a longtank using Doc Jefferies engine. He sold that one right after the meet, He figured that would be the last one he'd build, He still oing strong and is a survivor of prostate cancer and is one of the last pioneers of Hot Rod history. If I also see Bill, I'll let him know about this one, Steve, see ya in a few, CK Good luck with Belly Tank. It is so very cool!
Your tank is a real fine old race race car! It won't take long to get a name. Bill Burke would be a great person to talk to,he has a sharp mind .. Alex also would be a good person to get ahold of.I have the 48B ,the Tanks are so damn cool.
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