So-Cal Belly Tank Lakester

So-Cal Belly Tank Lakester

Prismacolor pencils on white archival stock 9"x 4"


Gary Grant Collection

The American hot rod scene developed very quickly after WW2. G.I.’s with speed on their minds picked up surplus WW2 fighter belly fuel tanks, and build hot rods around them.

One of the best known is the So-Cal Speed Shop “Lakester”, built by Alex Xydias. It was built using a P-38 belly tank, with a flat-head v-8 stuffed in the back.

In 1951, at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the So-Cal team ran the racer at 145.395 mph, a new record for their class.