1951 Beatty Belly Tank Lakester Land Speed Race Car
01
Artifact Overview
After World War II, hot rodders started using external fuel tanks from fighter planes as car bodies. The teardrop shape was ideal for speed record runs on dry lake beds and Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. Californian Tom Beatty crafted this tank that was once the world's fastest.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Racing car
Date Made
1951
Creators
Place of Creation
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Driven to Win: Racing in America
Object ID
2009.140.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Aluminum
chromium
Plexiglas (TM)
Steel
Color
Blue
Light Blue
White (Color)
Dimensions
Weight: 2165 lbs
Wheelbase: 110 in
Length: 177 in
Height: 45 in
Width: 69 in
Inscriptions
painted on side:
100-B
painted on top fairing:
Tom Beatty AUTOMOTIVE ENG.
Specifications
Make & Model: 1951 Beatty Belly Tank Lakester (land speed racing)
Maker: Tom Beatty, Sun Valley, California
Engine: Oldsmobile V-8, overhead valves, supercharged, 260 cubic inches
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Height: 45 inches
Width: 69 inches
Wheelbase: 110 inches
Overall length: 177 inches
Weight: 2165 pounds
Horsepower: 400
Pounds per horsepower: 5.4
Competition History: Fastest car in its class at Bonneville National Speed Trials in 1951, 1952, 1955, 1959, and 1962.
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