Bugatti T57/59 engine

[Sparkle]

Well done that man. What a job thus far!

[RUNAMUCK]

Did rookie dave suggest your username?

Nigel wade?

[xsspeed]

NaN

[Honda Ass Dragger]

God Damn Badass

[Carsnz123]

Awesome project. going to be keeping an eye on this. The company I work for built a couple of 4 1/2 liter Bentley engines from scratch before i started there. Its interesting to see the process of recreating the parts. You want to be sure the grade of cast iron is up to scratch as you'll run into valve recession problems if its a little soft. 

[Not-a-number]

Awesome project. going to be keeping an eye on this. The company I work for built a couple of 4 1/2 liter Bentley engines from scratch before i started there. Its interesting to see the process of recreating the parts. You want to be sure the grade of cast iron is up to scratch as you'll run into valve recession problems if its a little soft. 

 

 

Whats the company you work for?

Do you know what grade of cast iron they used?

[Carsnz123]

Whats the company you work for?

Do you know what grade of cast iron they used?

 

I work for the Bentley service agent in Ashburton. Not sure about the grade of iron. One of the guys was telling me the cast iron produced today is different to the stuff used back in the 20s and 30s. you might want to find out what Bugatti were using back in the day and compare it to your local foundry. It will be a shit of a job if you have to put hardened valve seats in. 

[Not-a-number]

I used Grade 150. Apparently this is generally what people use these days.

If I wanted Bugatti grade I'd have to go melt down some old park benches and frying pans!

Did they scratch build the whole engine? Cast the block?

[Carsnz123]

Everything was new except the magnetos and their mounts. As far as I'm aware a number of blocks, crankcases and crankshafts have been made but only one complete engine has been produced. 

[Flauski]

Wowee, THAT is a project! I take my hat off to you Sir.

[tortron]

Its going to go sweet with bike carbs and a big cam

[The Night Rider]

Man, this is amazing to see. Great work!

[Moffmo]

I don't know how you found the time to do this. WOW.

[SOHC]

This is amazing, you have such good pattern making skills, do you think you could do a 99a flathead v8 block? I can supply you with old blocks and possabley 3d drawings of everything.

[Not-a-number]

This is amazing, you have such good pattern making skills, do you think you could do a 99a flathead v8 block? I can supply you with old blocks and possabley 3d drawings of everything.

 

Anything is possible but the amount of time it would take would be huge. So youd need really deep pockets!

[SOHC]

A friend of mine has spent over 20 grand on patterns for Norton dominator barrels, then it costs 1000 to cast each one and 1500 for mechaning,

[JoKer]

I've run out of likes, this is propper oldschool!

[Not-a-number]

A friend of mine has spent over 20 grand on patterns for Norton dominator barrels, then it costs 1000 to cast each one and 1500 for mechaning,

 

I can imagine! There was 1000hrs in this block. So easy $50k if I paid someone. Who did he get to design/make his patterns?

 

All the patterns for the block cost about $500, casting was $400. All mates rates though. To machine I have had quotes between $6-9000 for the first one, $4000 after that but I should be able to do it on my machine.

 

There are 2 places in Europe who can make blocks and they charge about $17k with a 1 year lead time.

[Bluebird_U]

Just saw this and thought of your work. http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/11/pur-sang-argentinas-classis-auto-artisans/

[JoKer]

ditto (ok the wrong "type" but still a cool story)

 

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMxXvd3BclR/

 

 

 

jbowerengravingI forgot I took this photo and the history of this car is completely fascinating. (I know, I'm a weirdo about cars, but this really is an amazing story). It's a 1931 Bugatti Type 41. 6 exist. The original cost was $43,000 during a time when an average yearly wage was $1,388. 
Even more interesting, the original owner was German and fled Germany during the war. He fled to Switzerland and then moved to China. He had the car shipped to him in China. Soon after that, he fled to Canada and then onto New York. During the winter of '37-'38 water froze in the engine and the car was sold to a scrapyard in the Bronx. A GM exec found it in '43 and restored it. He donated it to the Henry Ford Museum in 1959. An amazing and true story of one man's trash becoming a historical treasure.