The Cal-look Lounge

  Here we have a P38 World War 2 drop fuel tank. I bought this one from  a friend that was going to build it for the Bonneville Salt Flat with a Ford Flat Head V 8. Lost interest and I bought it to build for the street. See pictures.

 Thanks
  Frenchy

   A few more pictures showing how I was looking to have the engine to fit inside as well as the transmission .

   Frenchy

    Here I have a friend Matt Todd in Phoenix fixing some rusted area by making new panels to fit. I will be using a VW front beam and cutting the stock shock towers off and making a shorter shock towers. Using a center steering box and using for the rear a wish bone like you have on the early Ford with the swivel ends to adjust.VW 5 lug rims with the original Dean Lowry Bonneville moon covers Dean had on his Bonneville super beetle which I had bought a few years ago from Dyno Don. The front will have the disc brakes set up and at the rear will have the type 3 wide drums with the short axles and tubes.

    Frenchy

Very cool, can't wait to see how this evolves....

Larry

Bitchen project Frenchy!

Instead of shortening the stock shock towers, how 'bout something else . . . like lever-action shocks . . . https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=ford+lever+shocks

Are ya thinkin' of using coil-overs for the rear or are ya going to try to keep torsion bars?

Looking forward to the progress on this one.
Any idea all ready what size engine and so?

Henk!!!

   Henk
   I am going and have a stock 1600 cc for now and possibly next a 1776 with the 42 dcnf 9 Webbers and if I want can add a pair of 48 ida's later .

   Frenchy

   Progress as of today fitting all the new panels and have the other half of the tanker to make the proper adjustment and alignment . Next will be the nose piece to replace.


   Frenchy

Amazing project, my hat goes off to you!

Super cool! Can't wait to see this on wheels  :o

gr
Wout

   I decided that maybe i can use a portion of the pan for the trans and the engine to be mounted on it and adding the frame i will be building to support this section and the front beam which will have the shock towers removed and using a different set up for the shocks.

   Frenchy

  And the seat I will be using which I have to modify .

  Frenchy

  A few pictures as of today the progress on the Tanker !!


  Frenchy

  And an other shot !!

  Frenchy

 

Proper bonkers! Excellent stuff!!!!

Are you planning on keeping the stock track front and rear??? Or are you going to narrow one or both the front and rear suspensions?? Maybe a 915 trans for the overdrive 5th gear??

  Just stock front beam with no tower !!

 Frenchy

Knowing you Frenchy, it will be very nice!!

I`m thinking an early Ford straight axle would be cool.

    I have an early Ford axle but cant figure a way to have VW disc brakes in front.

   Frenchy

     As of today !!

  Frenchy

   Bryan just in case if in the future I want to install a more power  full engine I will have a good set of brakes .


  Frenchy

I think he's implying that there is probably a better brake option in the Ford world than the vw one.

    Thanks Chip I just need to figure out a way to adapt the vw spindles to the end of the Ford front beam axle I have.

   Frenchy 

Do you absolutely have to use VW brakes? Is it because you want the wide five lug pattern?

    Yes i need to use the wide 5 vw lug pattern .

   Frenchy

awesome build and very nice panel work! keep up the good work. I like the vw axle more then the ford, in the end it is a VW bellytank racer....

wouldn't it be possible to mount a vw spindle shaft in a ford spindle? maybe with an adapter for vw brakes. or something like that...

Realy love this project, can't wait to see it on its wheels!

glauco

    I don't think it can be done. So I may have to stay with the VW beam !

   Frenchy

its possible to weld porsche spindles on vw spindles, so why wouldnt it be possible to weld vw on ford ones?  ??? ;)
nice build btw  8)

    Steve let me put my thinking cap on and try to figure this one out

    Thanks
   Frenchy

    As of today progress !

Frenchy

   Few more pictures !

  Frenchy

   A few more !!

   Frenchy

   Last pictures !

   Frenchy

Such a cool project, can't wait to see it progress.

Larry

   Thanks Larry while working on my 66 Cal Looker and engines i am building for customer I also work on the Tanker !!

   Frenchy

How do you do it Frenchy?! I barely have time to finish just one project ;D

Keep the updates comming  :D

Yannick

Today I decided to primer the tanker and added the engine block and transmission with the driver seat and the engine shroud to see how everything will look keeping in my this is just a mack up. The seat may have to be trimmed at the top or I may have to use a dune buggy seat instead as it will give me more room . I also had cut all of the baffles from the inside and not needed. You can see at the rear where I am pointing in the black lines this will be trimmed to pull all of the running gear back to give me more room.

    Frenchy

   A few more !!

  Frenchy

   A few more !!

  Frenchy

   A few more !

  Frenchy

 Last pictures !

  Frenchy

Why not build it like a tube (sand buggy) chassis and use motor/trans plates? That's what was done on my Fiat and it turned out pretty clean. You're gonna have to add some bars for a cage/and front end support/safety belts and this will allow everything to tie in nicely.....

How about using the bottom of the tank as the bottom of the seat (or semi form fit a piece of sheet metal to the tank) and just add the sides???

Sorry been on vacation and I'm a little late to this party LOL

Great project.

   Found a portion of the pan head from a 53 and earlier beetle to use for the tanker to set up the front beam for the frame build.

   Ffrenchy

   Sorry I have been busy building VW and Porsche 356 and 912 engines for customer no time to work on my belly tanker . So the last few days found time to do work on it. I cut where the rear axles would be on the bottom part of the tanker the same for the front.

  Thanks
  Frenchy

    Few more pictures .

    Frenchy

   And the last few .

   Frenchy

 :o
love it…

    I may have to go with option # 2 using a type 3 fan shroud as the type one maybe to tall to fit under the other half of the tanker.

    Frenchy

  Last picture !!

   Frenchy

Awesome! I really enjoy seeing the progress here :)

You will be sitting in front of the engine, so won't you be taller than the fanhousing anyway?
Perhaps use a modern-drags-style rounded-air-scoop as part of the cockpit rear bodywork, smooth the cockpit aero's as well as ram the air where you need it.
One of those centre fanhousings would fit well.

     I have a center fan housing with the generator stand also mounting in the center. I had planned to have behind me to raise like a cone shape to let air in for cooling and perhaps try to fit maybe the 36 fan housing with the dog house cooler.

    Thanks
  Frenchy

Is there a possibility of opening the bottom of the tank to lower the engine more? You are going to have to put some openings in there somewhere to get the hot air off the cylinders at some point. You could explore how the formula V's cool their engines with no tin and just vents to direct the air over the engine while at speed.

Good idea! Maybe figure some kind of ground-effects vents at the back to help keep it straight at 100+lots.
 ;)

  I am planning to have the bottom of the tanker with vents to let the hot air out. Also behind the driver's seat it will be totally enclosed so no heat can travel on the driver side. And adding an inspection plate on the underside of the engine that can be removed to do oil changes . 
  Frenchy

such a cool project!

It will be cool because Frenchy is doing it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHWYEu3XbJc

Its awesome somebody does this these days!
I'am sure Burly would be thrilled to list it in the Bonneville archives when you run it there! Pls finish it.
Just be carefull with high revs and type 3 fan shrouds as there is a limit at what that fan can run..

   I am mostly building it for the street as for El Mirage it may not be legal to run it more fun on the street. Barry is aware of me building this tanker. Thanks for the feed back.

    Frenchy

Awesome !!! No other word for it.

  I think to make things a bit easier is to open the bottom area where the transmission is so it can be lowered as well as the engine will sit lower too.

   Frenchy

Kool!

I'm somehow seeing it with the cylinders sticking out of the sides so you don't have to run a fan at all!  8)

  Only the valve covers should be sticking out a bit. But you still need the fan to help cool the engine and to re charge the battery .

  Frenchy

   I am going and have my buddy extend the tanker by 24 inches in the center or so this way I maybe able to have the engine relocated where the shroud will fit better under the other half of the tanker.

  Frenchy

     Updates on my Belly Tanker project. I decided to add 25 inches in the center to give me more room for the Engine and trans and for my legs making it more comfortable to drive on the street.

   Frenchy

  A few more pictures showing the add on .

   Frenchy

Very nice!!!

   Just got the Tanker back yesterday now time to start building the chassis.

  Frenchy

WOW!
Thats looking so good already!!

You sure you dont want to put a Flatty in there Frenchy??  ;) ;D

   If I was to put in a flat head I would install a V12 Zephyr motor as I have in my 32 Roadster . But with the VW air cool engine will be more reliable and no worries on radiator and extra cooling and will be more fun to drive on the street. I have not decided yet if I will put in a 36 hp or a 1600 cc .

   Thanks
   Frenchy

Pictures (or a link to a thread) PLEASE!!  :)

A simple Google search will make you drool :) :)

/Rolf

     You can go to Frenchysrides.com and see the 32 from start to finish . Here a few pictures of it done .

     Frenchy

Cheers,
Just did!!
Amazing build, assuming Chip thought it was pretty cool too ;-)

  Yes he did like it and all the details.

   Frenchy

  Today update on the tanker.

   Frenchy

  I will be using the type 3 fan shroud as it will fit the best under the other half of the tanked. I am also showing the type 1 shroud as you can see it is a bit to high .Few more pictures !

  Frenchy

    Showing a few more pictures !!

    Frenchy

    And a few more !!

    Frenchy

 And last one !!

   Frenchy

Cool project ! I really love your seat ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    A friend was throwing it away and I knew what it could be use for . But most likely will be rapped in fabric or leather to be more comfortable .

    Frenchy

The type 3 shroud is an excellent idea! It cools even better then the type 1 shroud, I feel. Just be carefull with too much RPM, as it then will kill itself.
WTG!

   I think just a stock 1600 cc will be plenty of power for this tanker no need to have a bigger engine.

   Frenchy

Think so too. Much longer transmission gears would probably come in handy  ;-)

    A few updates on the tanker build project. This weekend I decided to start building the chassis with tubing 1 1/2 size . Bought from Harbor Freight the tube bending jig and also will be getting the Reliable tube bending jig which is different than the Harbor Freight one. In the previous pictures you can see that I had to cut the lip off so that the chassis can be sitting evenly with the edge of the bottom part of the tanker. I had the template that was made to trace the outline for the addition that was made by adding 25 inches in the center.

   Frenchy

    Here you can see where I had installed the tubing on the edge of the tanker flush so that when the top part of the tanker will sit evenly and will be fastened with zus fastener. Next I will be shaping the inside ribs of the tanker floor area.

   Frenchy

     This is the Harbor Freight jig i am using and was fairly easy but took some time to have all the tubing to fit evenly.

    Frenchy

     A few update on my Belly Tanker project . I decided with my son that this one will be mostly with the German Look .Using some of the paint scheme from the German fighter bomber of World War 2 .

    Frenchy

   A few more pictures .

  Frenchy

  A few more
 
  Frenchy

   This tanker will have a stock 1600 CC engine as it will be plenty of power for it .

   Frenchy

   It will have a stock carburetor when done with a custom exhaust system that my son will be building for it .
   

   Frenchy

I endorse the German Look idea  ;D

    Thanks for the support on my build idea . And possibly the black cross at the rear.

   Frenchy

   I have cut a portion of the pan head so I could install the steering box in the middle.


   Frenchy

  Here a few more pictures of the progress on my Belly Tanker powered VW 1600 cc . A lot has been done since last time i had posted . I have posted numerous pictures on Facebook if you want to follow my build.

  Thanks
  Frenchy

  Few more pictures of the progress .

   Frenchy

   My son has been doing all of the chassis build with cardboard to be use as templates to make the bend where they will need to be done on the hydraulic tube bender he had made .


    Frenchy

   I am using a type 3 engine as it will be easier to fit the shroud as the type 1 is sitting to high with no clearances .


   Frenchy

   All tubing is only tack welds for now until the chassis is all done than he will finish the welds .


   Frenchy

   As you can see here the upper part of the chassis will be removable as needed to lift the engine and trans out as one unit .

  Frenchy

    Here we are working on the rear of the trans support with fabricated bungs . Also we will be using the cable system for the shifting .

   Frenchy

   More will be posted next week as we make more progress .

  Frenchy

Fantastic build, and so interesting to read and watch.

I came close to getting hold of two Sabre-tanks last year, but the guy just disappeared from the web. Anyway, When I see the effort, knowledge, skills and will you guys got, and not to forget, to really see what it takes...I think I'm happy I never got those tanks.

Anyway, If you opt for that "german look", I'd say Messerschmitt 262 Schwalbe, look no further.

Good luck. I'll be sure to follow!

Looking fabulous already!
Thanks for sharing here to for the non FB guys  ;).

Wout

Congratulations to both of you!
What a nice build! Inspiring and anything "different" that is nicely built, makes me smile.
Well done!  I am clicking the box for "notify me of replies".

This is a great build Frenchis

This popped up on my youtube selections -- It needed to be shared

https://youtu.be/8hjUpADqURg