The original SoCal Streamliner was destroyed in a bad crash at Daytona in 1951.
The 1st Bonneville Nationals in 1949 was a successful endeavor for the So-Cal streamliner. The team ran top time of the meet at 187.89 mph & set a class "A" streamliner record of 156.39 mph. They also set the class "C" streamliner record of 189.745 mph.
After a successful Bonneville and regular S.C.T.A. season where Xydias/Batchelor came 2nd in the points championship. The streamliner was repaired and the front end changed it was repainted white with the 2 painted on the front wheelcovers. At the May 1950 S.C.T.A. meet the repaired streamliner ran strong on Saturday with a 152.28 qualifying run. Come Sunday Dean was backing up with his return run, there was a strong crosswind which he was steering into to keep straight. When the wind died the streamliner veered right putting the car sideways, it skidded, the tires dug in, went up on the 2 left side wheels and the car flipped and miraculously landing back on its wheels the belly pan had flown off and Dean was knocked unconscious after he smacked the steering wheel with his head. Dean never raced again after that accident.
At the 2nd annual Bonneville Nationals (1950) the Xydias/Batchelor team broke the "A" and "C" class streamliner record setting the "A" streamliner record at 162.950 mph and a "C" streamliner record of 208.9271 mph. The So-Cal streamliner also ran the fastest one-way speed of the meet with a 210.8962 mph, beating the Kenz/Leslie Streamliner which ran 210.6489 mph. The So-Cal liner was featured on the cover of the October and November 1950 Hot Rod
But are you are surprised to learn the So-Cal streamliner used the chassis from the original So-Cal belly tank Alex Xydias & Dean Batchelor ran in 1948, and that Valley Custom Shop built the streamliner body. Dean Batchelor worked at Valley Customs.
