Another Flathead Dragster Build

I guess I should start a dedicated build on our next flathead digger we are slowly starting to build.

Not quite sure the route we will take at this moment since the history on the car is limited.

What we do KNOW:

It looks to be a homemade built Chassis Research kit. The owner must of opted to build the car himself instead of having Scotty Fenns shop build it. From people we have talked to and research it looks like a Te-448, which would also make sense for the time line we were told it ran.
It ran an injected flathead
Ran from 1959?-1962? in the southern California area.
Had American Racing Wheels in the back with spoke wheels up front.
Supposedly it has an aluminum skin that was zipped tied to the cage.

Thats about it.

So we will build the car with the best of our knowledge and keep tracking down history if any.

Here is the frame when we first got it. It had this trick front axle, early ford side shift tranny, shortened banjo rear, Ross steering, homemade steering wheel, and master cylinder with hand brake.


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.47 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.39.17 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.39.09 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.38.45 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.38.36 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.38.26 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.38.12 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.38.02 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr

 

We started taking the digger apart to get ready for sandblasting



Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.39.29 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.08 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.15 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.39.54 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.25 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr

 

We had Olympic Powder Coatings in Escondido do the blasting.

They did a great job but it's pretty scary to see whats left! I love the welds the original owner did, I can't even imagine driving this rail over 100mph!

Check out some of the brazing on it!


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.41 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.48 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.40.34 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.38 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.00 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.09 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.17 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr

 

Now here comes the fun stuff. There aint much left on some of the rails. So this is where the decision making comes in.

How much do we replace? How much do we repair, but make the car essentially a show car.

I always hate seeing old dragsters not running anymore but this one may end up having to be that. We already have another flathead dragster, and currently building a blown olds dragster so having a car to run is not an issue.

So as of right now, we will repair the best we can, and it will be a great piece to bring to races and shows to show the good ol' days of drag racing. Especially showing the original welds on the car.


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.21 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr


Screen shot 2013-05-03 at 5.41.28 PM by Dimitri Lazaris, on Flickr

 

For me, and for the era, that looks like a well engineered chassis.

 

Its funny because we have two other original Chassis Research dragsters that the factory built and the welds are night and day between those and this dragster.

On this digger some of the welds didn't even penetrate! But I guess I didn't give it its' due credit! It made it this far

I thought it would be funny when it's done to see if it passes tech!

 

Neat little car Dimitri , good to show how bad some of the tubeing and welds can be under a bunch of paint, and sometimes bondo on the older cars,, Tim Jones

 

There was a lot of bondo on this car, they wanted this rail to be pretty.


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Humm looks like rust mites got to it huh D..........see ya at Eagle.....

 

The rust mites have made their home on that bottom rail. Looking forward to see you at Eagle, have another fire pit, and some bench races. Hey maybe we will actually get to race this time


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Hey maybe we will actually get to race this time

Sure will, even got Rocky to help us with a Flathead area for the UFRA..... save ya a spot!

 

Hey maybe we will actually get to race this time

 

The car is a pretty good testament about being aware that old cars might have rotten chassis tubing. Was it sitting on the ground? It looks like it has been through at least a couple of updates over the years. I really don't know why, but I like this style of chassis; I think might has something to do with the very early Ivo campained cars. But6ch/56sedandelivery.

 

The welds look a little crazy to me.

Not sure I would trust them for use with dragster chassis.

Jimbo

 

I'm beginning to understand why the "No Hot Rods Anymore" wouldn't let my vintage altered run again after 2001. You should have seen the welds on that cage......

 

The guy I got the dragster from got it from a barn, it was covered in pine needles and rat nest. It's been sitting since 1965? That's what I was told.

There's areas where the welds don't even finish and water can get into the tubing easily.

I just love that some guy drove this car the way it is.

I think this car is a great piece that shows the other side of drag racing, we always see beautiful cars with great design and craftsmanship (Scotty Fenn, Fuller, ect) but we seem to forget most of these rails were just home built in the back yard.


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Basicly you have a 3-D blueprint of a chassie, build a new one side by side and replace everything.

Having done many historic restos, very few deserve replacing just the minimal amount of tubing to keep its standing as all original and can tell you that it took over twice as long then to just make a new one

 

My Chassis Research frame is not welded but brazed from the factory.

 

Since we already have two other Te-440 that are running and will be running I don't mind this being a static display piece.

What I love about this new rail is the welding and design the went with and if I were to make a replica it seems to defeat the purpose. I want people to look at this rail and comment on the state of the welds. A great conversation piece and unique old dragster.



Here are the digger welds




And here are factory Chassis Research welds.







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Yea D looks like that was a homebuilt in someone's backyard or leanto