GM's Retro So-Cal Belly Tanker

[PeteLeathersac]

All the Lakester action on Bud's video thread got me looking for a picture of the old So-Cal Special and I found this. . It says 2004....anyone know this project and if they've run it yet? ~ Pete

http://www.hotrodshows.com/pressrel....p=2&pid=43

[Xplantdad]

[ QUOTE ]
All the Lakester action on Bud's video thread got me looking for a picture of the old So-Cal Special and I found this. . It says 2004....anyone know this project and if they've run it yet? ~ Pete

http://www.hotrodshows.com/pressrel....p=2&pid=43

[/ QUOTE ]


August 26th, 2005

GM's ECOTEC LAKESTER SETS RECORD AT BONNEVILLE
Before the rain could cancel last week's Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, General Motor's Ecotec Lakester was able to set a record in the Blown/G Class Lakester division. Built for GM by the famous So-Cal Speed Shop, the Ecotec Lakester was able to hit 189.205, good enough to set a new record. The new Lakester was driven by auto journalist Don Sherman.

To create the Ecotec Lakester GM digitized the original So-Cal Belly Tank car which set a record in 1952. GM designers at their California advanced design studio created the new shape. The composite body wraps around a Top Fuel-style tube chassis powered by a supercharged and intercooled 2.0-liter Ecotec motor that is almost stock and produces between 200 and 300 horsepower depending upon the tune. The chassis features full Formula-style independent suspension with cantilevered shocks, F-16 fighter plane style canopy and billet-aluminum wheels.

The supercharged Ecotec engine is based on the crate motor that is available to enthusiasts through GM Performance Parts.

[PeteLeathersac]

Hey thanks Bruce! . Wow, that's lotsa' HP and speed for that little 2.0 liter motor! ~ Pete

[Xplantdad]

[Mr70]

"The original Belly Tank Lakester was found in a barn in Long Beach, California, and restored for its current custodian Bruce Meyer by Pete Chapouris' crew at, where else but the SO-CAL Speed Shop"

They showed the video & photos of the original find on a Cable show recently,and it was amazing to see them find this up in the rafters of the Old dusty Barn.

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
"The original Belly Tank Lakester was found in a barn in Long Beach, California, and restored for its current custodian Bruce Meyer by Pete Chapouris' crew at, where else but the SO-CAL Speed Shop"

They showed the video & photos of the original find on a Cable show recently,and it was amazing to see them find this up in the rafters of the Old dusty Barn.

[/ QUOTE ]


Sounds too cool! . Love to see that video someday....wow, what a 'barn find'! . I was watching an original tank only last year on eBay....it was the same P38 tank or whatever the Co-Cal was made from and someone had saved it from a kiddie-ride at a fair. . It went cheap, a couple hundred bucks I think? . Sure gets a fella' thinking....dreaming? ~ Pete

[Chevy454]

[ QUOTE ]
GM's ECOTEC LAKESTER SETS RECORD AT BONNEVILLE

Wow, that's lotsa' HP and speed for that little 2.0 liter motor!

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmmm...

[PeteLeathersac]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
GM's ECOTEC LAKESTER SETS RECORD AT BONNEVILLE

Wow, that's lotsa' HP and speed for that little 2.0 liter motor!

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmmm...

[/ QUOTE ]

Anyone else smell something burning? ~ Pete

[njsteve]

What do you mean?...that's the new retro Camaro design, only its just about 60 years retro, instead of the 36 year old version we have wished for.

[indyjps]

great car, still think the $ should have been spent on developing a new camaro, just wonder which exec will end up with the roadster in their garage