1970 Coronet Super Bee a.k.a Project Plan Bee

[SuperB70]

Lets talk little about this oddfire odd engine.

I was close to use 6.1 Hemi for this. But when opportunity to buy this dropped to my lap, choice was made. Hemi was put to side (for wife Challenger project). First idea was to use couple Holset-custom turbos. I've taken partin gen 2 twin turbo build earlier, so I know what kind of power and tq numbers these monster will put out, easilly.
But my love to twin screws starts back at 2000. I was in Florida, looking would I relocate there to live. My cousins friend had supercharged street race Fox-body Mustang. That was a wild ride. I've builded turbo- and roots blown engines since '93.
So I made decision that I should do what I advice other to do.

So started to do research and quickly found that Roe-racing was only one.
But they didnt have intercooler and used small head unit (mainly because bigger ones didnt fit under Vipers hood.) My good friend Johan (poweredbyjohan.com) in Sweden, has gen 2 with Roe kit. Same guy was in US tour with his blood red '68 Charger RTR. Viper has 750hp, witch is plenty for street car. But ofcourse I wanted more.

Idea came to build my own intake, with custom two row core. (I build custom cooling systems, European factory hand makes cores for me.). So I drawed up the needed core size and asked factory to build it as high power as size allows. They calculated that this core will support 2200hp. ( w/ ambient cooled coolant temps with front mounted heat exchanger)

Then came time to get strong enough parts. Main caps was no brainer. Those where made by my friend with cncmill, from our local steel. Imatra Imaroc (Moc) 410m tool steel. Tolerances where left tight, little left to line bore and hone. ARP hardware is used.
Was looking for stroker crank but ($6000+shipping) was out of my budget. Here no one was interested to off set grind the stock crank, more cubs that way. (I've two stock ones). Fixed the oiling problem same time. Actually I do that for a lot around Scandinavia. I'm known to do that. Customers from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Russia.
Looked around for con.rods. Twin screw is second hardest to beat rods.
Cylinder pressures are high from low rpm. I called around the world,literally.
Stopped calls at legendary Auto-Verdi, in Sweden. Company that makes rods for ex. Nascar, NHRA Pro-stock, Porsche classes, Köenigsegg and F1 power boats. (autoverdi.com)
Stefan was really cool and helpful guy. He was ready to help me after I told what I was building. After all, no one has ever done this. He was sure he can make me a set of forged billed rods that could handle 200hp/each. More than enough.
So I packed block, crank, one rod-piston set and all other needed so they can rotate and calculate what can be done.
Roadtrip took me 4 days, 2 ferry rides. But it was forth it. After talked with Stefan, I desided to turn my engine to dry sump.
After all Auto-Verdi also makes world best dry sump pumps. Those also are used by the PROs around the world.
Time that engine was in Stefans shop, I cut'd resently builded front frame off again and started to plan a new, wider one.

At first picture is Kenne Bells 4.2L unit, but after I visited the supercharger factory and talked about my project, showed my custom intercooler core I came back with their newer, bigger 4.7L head unit. Got really good information about intake design and cooling system. Have revisited them few time after that one. They are following this with great intress. I have some new, never seen stuff coming.. Funny story about my IC core, I'd give it ispection to boss man. He looked it long and closely. Asked where did I get my it. Chinish one, perhaps? He sad that after 3 decades he havent seen one like that. Not sure was I really smart or stupid...

Stick around and we both will see that..

Last pic show how you can spot 4.7 and new 4.9L head units. They have already build in watermeth injection nozzle port.

[WSSix]

I don't have much to add other than I love where this build is going. Keep it up and good luck!

[SuperB70]

Front frame time.

I've always disliked front overhang.
From front egde to the wheel arch to front bumper is ludicrous half a meter.
50cm~20".
Made desicion that I'm gonna move
front axel forward 3" to to compensate that. And get more room for all the things that are coming on the front part of the engine. As I told last update that I'll build this as an drysump.
Need room for the huge Auto-Verdi 5 stage pump and up coming custom ATI Superdamper. Behind the steering rack.
Now its time to do it. So new frame needs to be wider than before as well.

Some of my pics are still sideways even I try to do as Jody guided. Sorry about that.

Like I previously told, my company was for years a GM Performance Center, (gave it up) so I got my hands on C4 Corvette frame/ control arms pick up points and all the angles.
So I made an installing jig on based them.
Here it is in action. Front cross members is mounted at its new location in Vettes specs,
them an negative jig is made to show the pickup points of the control arms.
The plan is not to use original cross member.
Double tube frame coming.

This is a good time to show my tube notcher, Baileighs TN-250 with a Finnish twist. I soon realized that you cant make notches to tight bented pieces. Cant turn them down, they will hit angle meter and cant turn them pointing up. Saw doesebt go upwards. Got me thinking...
So I cutted pieces of different thickness of flat stock and sheet metal. Chanced the axle housing mounting bolts to studs. Now I can rise the axle housing every millimeter from 0 to 35. So I can turn tube pieces pointing up and notch them spot on.

Bar between LCA is piece of solid bar, drilled and tapped so that LCA can be simple bolted on the ends. Made little U-pieces to get center frame piece to be bolted on and of. All will be tig-welded.

To be continue...

P.S. been thinking that this gets views but not much comments... come on fellas .. this must be different than the most... and it will get more different as we go on, I'll promise..

[ScotI]

I'm diggin' the creativity on the build as well as the build tools.

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by SuperB70

Some of my pics are still sideways even I try to do as Jody guided. Sorry about that.

I fixed them, not sure why it wouldn't work for you. One way to eliminate this issue is to take all pics in landscape. This is a real cool project, and it's great to see something different like this. Especially a Mopar, as they are very cool cars but don't have as many options for the chassis like some of the others.

[SuperB70]

Originally Posted by camcojb

I fixed them, not sure why it wouldn't work for you. One way to eliminate this issue is to take all pics in landscape. This is a real cool project, and it's great to see something different like this. Especially a Mopar, as they are very cool cars but don't have as many options for the chassis like some of the others.

Thx again Jody.

These are old pics, taken with Iphone, I guess.
I upload them, them remove them, turn them, save them and upload again. Did that so many times that my head started to spin...

Mopars, well they do have better front suspension geometry than GM or Ford. Even with torsion bars.
Not much needed to make them a corner rockets. Few bolt on's will do. Have done a few and they are super nice. Specially when loosing the t-bars and installing coil overs.

Aftermarket chassic does not do for me. They are copies either some gen Vettes or Mustang II for olders hot rod stuff. Why buy one when I can build my own as well.

As in many other things in this project, its not about buying other builded stuff and bolt them on. Its about coming up with design, result and building it. Myself (or some cases other pro, one of my friends maybe)

After I build that jig for C4, been using it to many different makes and models. '57 Crown vic (w/ different, an manual rack) '50 Buick, '68 Satelite and '56 Chevy pick up. Pick up with Vette rear axle also.
All have performed great. Only down side is design element that engine is behind the rack, almost mid engine car. Have had to mod firewall in many cases.

C4 is right width for most, around 60"
Newer generations grown too wide. You can still install one of them but geometry (acherman) goes out of the window with stock racks. They need custom racks and longer control amrs means less room for engine and stuff.

I've '69 Mustang in my shop with full DSE Alumaframe and q-link set up. Installed by me. Again, that based from Vette. More on that later.

But back to Plan Bee, it's coming along. Actually pretty far ahead. But we'll how fast updates will come here

Our car building regulations chanced a year ago (again) this time not so favor for my project. On the supercharger part. With old rules, it was a favor for me. But ongoing projects have transition period to end of next year 2023. So I need to get this thing through the inspection and plated before that. Going to be busy 20 months..

Later..

[SuperB70]

I got the pics dilemma sorted. Editing them to square form seems to do the trick..

So back to front frame.

Wanted to do alot of triangles, the most strongest tube design. Connecting A-pillar tubes to front frame tubes from two places. before and after the front suspension.

Here is a trick I use im my tube bending jobs. Eliminates most of directional errors. Couple different lengths of soft 1/2" aluminium fuel line. Easy to bend, even back to straight.

UCA mounting base also from seamless tube, top piece from braked 6mm (1/4") steel.

I didnt take any pic when building rack mounting base. Or I do but would give up too much for now..

Also I had to install my new wheels on to check how much I've room on full lock.

Next go to get engine back from Sweden, installing engine to frame. Also start to design my own intake manifold.

Stay tune..

[camcojb]

Nice work!