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Projects Retro TE 448 build thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 777, Mar 31, 2011.

  1. 777
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 196

    777
    Member
    from Pasadena

    Ford was searching for a project to put their new 412bhp Coyote engine in and I needed a new project to finish for SEMA so I'm building this one for the upcoming SEMA Show but have decided to attempt to address the age old issue of keeping the Chassis Research TE 448 looking old but able to cert to 7.50et.
    The rumored supercharged +650bhp version of the Coyote is what I'm hoping will show up on my doorstep but Ford has since pulled it from their web pages so we'll have to wait and see what they come up with over the next couple of months. Their rep said it should ship late June so more on that later but I did attach a pic of the 412hp version.

    From every thread I've read thus far it, the chassis, probably can't be done safely, and still look like a TE 448 so the gaulet is down and I'll be cutting up my new Keith Tardel car tomorrow morning.

    Since the powerplant is modern the plan is retro so I won't be sourcing 1960 pc parts for this one. Instead it will be a state of the art short wheelbase car with Strange 2-piece rear axle set-up in a fabricated moly housing, Strange bilet SPE steering box and billet spindles with a drilled Super Bell axle up front with a transverse spring and Jake's batwings with M/T Pro 5 drag wheels all around. The body will be a replica of the 1960 Einolander & Candee dragster and I'll work very hard to keep the TE 448 replica looking as it should; although I do like how the E&C car had a different twist for the upper frame rails from the mid-plate forward and I do plan on changing the chassis to that style also.

    Keith does a beautiful job on the chassis and I really have to thank Bobby and Lucky from Old Crow for bringing it down from Keith's to Burbank for me.

    I stared at it all afternoon on the shop floor and just couldn't imagine that I might not be able to cert this car after all the work I'll be putting into her over the next few months. I mulled over the options of floater rear axles and all the SFI periphials that are necessary to run a supercharged engine in a digger and finally decided to load her into the trailer and set her on my coffe table at home this evening with a stack of SFI chassis specs until I figured something out that should satisfy the NHRA tech inspector.

    I'll be removing the two U-bends that form the X in the rear of the chassis and replacing them with a shoulder bar and two similar U- bends. Technically it will have a 6 point cage but really 4 of the 6 will be behind the helmet, could be touch and go there; keeping my fingers crossed on that one, it really is the only sticky point but I could add a pair of pright to the "candy canes" I just think that woulod blow it though.
    I will also be relocating the roof bar and adding another forward of it. She will also need to be compartmentized by adding uprights and X braces; I'll be doing a dual compartment driver's cockpit which is overkill for 7.50 but maybe that will help me get by the prior issue especially since the tubing in the car right now is way over the SFI spec. A good thing I'm hoping. I'll be adding a minimum of 15 major pieces of tubing most all hidden behind the bodywork.
    Suffice to say it is all easier to visalize once it's done but I went over every SFI spec in an effort to make the cage compliant and astetically pleasing.
     

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    Last edited: Mar 31, 2011
  2. Dynaflash_8
    Joined: Sep 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,038

    Dynaflash_8
    Member
    from Auburn WA

    this is gonna be rad!
     
  3. "finally decided to load her into the trailer and set her on my coffe table at home this evening"

    I want to party with this guy! We are putting together a TE440 now too. Keep us posted.
     
  4. Yup! Love it sitting in the house. Wish I could get away with that. This is going to be neat for sure. Hope to start assembling our rail with Dog-patch big time hard in a coupel weeks. We are keeping to the nostalgia look with some modern drivetrain stuff to make it easy at the track.
     

  5. Deuces
    Joined: Nov 3, 2009
    Posts: 23,754

    Deuces

    Wish I had one of those new 5.0's to mount in my '05 GT droptop... :rolleyes:
     
  6. need louvers ?
    Joined: Nov 20, 2008
    Posts: 12,903

    need louvers ?
    Member

    Diggin' on this one too! By far my favorite early short rail you are using for inspiration!
     
  7. 777
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 196

    777
    Member
    from Pasadena

  8. Sorry you gave up keeping the TE 448 as is is. I build old school Chassis Research and Dragmaster Slingshots for a side hobby. Screw NHRA, my buddies and I purchased a piece of land with an old private airstrip out in the country, and a my buddy repaved it for cost. We we run our cars anyway and anytime we want! And we are all over 58 years old :)

    NHRA can kiss my ass! One of their tech inspectors was a hairdresser and " most know nothing about engineering a chassis" , but they can look at SFI spec book pictures and use a sonic tester, must be becuase its looks like a small blow dryer :) But they are very good at taking your check for your certification or entry fees :)

    AK

    P.S You gotta love any guy who keeps a chassis in his family room :)
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2011
  9. 777
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 196

    777
    Member
    from Pasadena

    Haven't given up on it. Had to detour and make some major changes to the way it will be built. I just didn't want to post anything else until the new chassis is done.
    So their you go; I sold the Tardel chassis to a fellow HAMBr who just picked it up last Thursday. He is going to run the Eagle Field type events.

    For my needs I wanted to ensure the wall dia of the tubes would maintain the .118 wall dia through the bends. Obviously these are mild steel numbers but I am considering doing a moly car later. Also the lower rails were a little under .118 and I didn't want to chance it not spec'ing. after altering all the tubes I was going to need to.
    I agree with you; couldn't get an alternate spec for steel tubing walll thickness even though the Tardel was way overkill on the tubing size, NHRA maintained the .118 wall spec Seems silly when the tube is 3x larger then is required.

    I have the lower rails laid out in 1 3/4 DOM, .120 wall I am bending up 1 3/4 dia .134 wall for tubing in the cage that has bends. The rest of the car will be .120 wall DOM.
    Hopefully I should be able to post some pick on the other link in a couple of weeks but the Belond roadster needs to be done for the Palos Verdes Concours in Sept and that car is a priority since this will be the first time hot rods will be on the grass at this Concours.
     
  10. We will be finishing our new privately owned 1/8 mile Track in Pa by Winter. We are currently building 12 of these original design Chassis Research Chassis's but with 3" bottom rails to keep in our local nostalgia club stable all with clone Hilborn injected SBC's. No NHRA, no fee's, just a couple dozen old Geezers who have been friends a long time and Luv to drag race the way it used to be :) Keepin it simple and fun :)

    AK
     

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