TANAKA OLD SCHOOL SAND CAR

Description for Other Makes 1968

TANAKA SAND CAR

OLD SCHOOL SAND CAR for racing and dunning.
Right out of 25 years of "hanging in the rafters" of a Bernalillo garage.
This car was built in the late 60's by Tanaka Chassis as an advertising car for Duke's Wheels of Riverside Ca. It had a 350 HP plus turbo charged Corvair, running on alcohol with no fan, starter, or alternator, weigh 780 lb. in this configuration. The concept was from Indy cars, the front motor mount and the tri flanges on the cage make it easy to remove the entire running gear if necessary.
With that much H.P. the traditional V.W. transaxle (USED IN THOSE DAYS) would not hold up so Tanaka cut the bell housing turn it 180 degrees to make the car go forward, all the running gear is 65 Corvair. Steering is on the right hand side because the engine torques to the left. The car goes dead straight off the line.
The car has a power shaft out the back of the 3 speed aluminum transmission that we plugged a starter motor to start the engine. The engine has a real life Mallory magneto, with a Corvair turbo charger and a 50 lb. plus flywheel making for single gear runs.
The steering is shortened rack & pinion, the front suspension is coil over and the rear is double leaf with ladder bars.
Everything was made, drilled and machined as light as possible in those days. Even the belt bracket and the tail light bracket have been drilled to remove material. Front spindles were made to carry 4 Allen screws to hold the spoke 13" x 3" wheels with buffed tires. The rear wheels are 15" x 10" Aluminum with Beckett 13.00 x 15" Padla-Trak tires that are still in excellent good condition, no leaks and no cracks.
The Brakes are turning brakes only. The peddles are all tubing and cables only. Shifting is on the right and gets all three gears including reverse.
Rear drums have been machined and drilled to the very lightest possible. The axle mounting surface has been machined down to the lug bolt surface, the axle has been machined concave and drilled to remove all excess material.
The lights are to be seen not to see with and a mount for the flag on the roll cage. All the wiring except battery is inside the chassis tubing. The seats are fiber glass (no upholstering) and just set into the chassis, they can be easily removed to dump out any sand.
The engine, trans. and running gear are in great shape. In its day this was a car to be reckoned with at Dumont, Glamas and Pismo and needs T.L.C. to be back in sand again.

$3999.00 "Or Best Offer"

Corvair/6 Cylinder Gas