T57 Bugatti Grill Build

[bobadame]

My goal is to have a car which looks like an old car only sporting a modern drivetrain. The interior, gauges, seats and hardware will all look original.
QUOTE]

This sounds like a great plan but please do something about that positive caster as well.

EDIT: So is it a good idea to change the character of the car to the point that the new version is so much better than the original, that it makes the original look bad?

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by jhery

Richard, Will and I seem to have ruffled some feathers with this thread. In the 40 years of restoring and building bodies I never made a buck since most of the cars I work on are one off it isn't feasible to make bucks. In the early coachbuilding days bucks were generally only built when 5 or more bodies were going to be built due to cost. When I received this 1935 Type 57 Bugatti Stelvio with a Gangloff body it was a rare opportunity to be able to have one all apart as these bodies are regarded by many collectors to be in the top 10 body designs of coachbuilt cars. Will had a welding class with a professor from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design who offered to scan three cars presently in my shop so we could make bucks. I was impressed by the beauty of the body by Jean Bugatti using simple and basic designs, as I am used to working on huge overcomplicated formal cars and this body interested me. Will graciously offered to help me out with this project and appreciate and thank him for his input. The bodies are going to be framed in white ash from trees cut from my property and will be skinned in aluminum. My goal is to have a car which looks like an old car only sporting a modern drivetrain. The interior, gauges, seats and hardware will all look original.

This is a marvelous undertaking, Jim. Your approach is very efficient to this design, and you have had the ideal training to see it through.

I offer a couple of photos here to support your efforts, as HAC did this routinely. First image is of a type 57 getting ready for a re-skin - without a buck, because the timber framing is all one needs.


and another, a Great Arrow, with my old teacher, Harry Morrow (ex-Rolls metal man) doing the re-skin.


I'd even tend to consider a twin cam six from Jaguar or similar to make the transition more "tractable" if that is the right word, with polished cam covers and all. -- And an added blower would Really do up the job.

I enjoyed taking the HAC Gangloff Stelvio (original, untouched) apart for research and seeing the French newspapers lining one door panel, and with German papers lining the other door. Having no running boards on the type 57 adds to the coach design, for me, the same way it worked so well for Ruxton.

Very nice job to see. Do you have the Marchal lamps?

[RockHillWill]

I would also be interested in locating an engine like that as well as an older wire wheel equipped frame and chassis, etc. Any ideas?

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by RockHillWill

I would also be interested in locating an engine like that as well as an older wire wheel equipped frame and chassis, etc. Any ideas?

Seems to be a lot of ratty xke's for sale... might also look for a mkII or mk III?

[RockHillWill]

The best thing would be a car like a Jaguar with the dual overhead cam motor and a LONG wheelbase, preferably with large diameter wire wheels.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

I went through similar searching when I started the roadster and went so far as to get an XKE rear end. Then I found out that I'd have to sell my grandaughter to afford to have it rebuilt. Also looked at Jag engines but, again, they look GREAT but they are very expensive rebuilds and HEAVY. Wire wheels with knockoffs are the same deal. I never even found a source for period correct looking wheels and tires that were not extremely high dollar.

In the end, I cheaped out and went with Corvette subframes , Chevy inline 6, and 5 lug wire wheels with as tall and skinny a tire as I could get off the shelf without going to Coker Tire for specialty show tires.

I'm still planning on making some 'dual overhead cam' valve covers just to confuse folks on the engine.

Another engine possibility I considered was the straight 8 Buick.

All that said, the cars Jim is going to build will be worth a ton and easily justify the cost of specialized components. Plus he has the contacts and sources for such things. It will be a great project.

Here is a link with more details about these amazing cars:

http://www.supercars.net/cars/5558.html

[skintkarter]

Hi guys

A plentiful supply of quite good looking all aluminium 4 link rear ends can be had from E39 BMW's 5 Series (circa 1995 - 2003). Good range of diff heads and ratios with the 'Large Case' in the 540 having a 210mm diameter crown wheel. Sorry not quite up on posting pics yet, but some shots of these in our E21 Group 5 project - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elan-...ab=public&view

They are ideal for a special or a hot rod in my opinion.

[longyard]

Several fiberglass Bugatti Atlantics were made in Holland and used Jag XJ engines and mechanicals. As Kent suggested, custom cam covers were made. I was in Conn. two years ago and saw one of them at Carrini's shop. It looked pretty good for what it was. NOTHING can compare to Ettore's engines though for pure artistry.

[crystallographic]

Originally Posted by longyard

Several fiberglass Bugatti Atlantics were made in Holland and used Jag XJ engines and mechanicals. As Kent suggested, custom cam covers were made. I was in Conn. two years ago and saw one of them at Carrini's shop. It looked pretty good for what it was. NOTHING can compare to Ettore's engines though for pure artistry.

Vintage Jag Works is quoting about $8k for a 4.2 six OHC motor. With port and polish and ass'td sweetening I'd guess closer to $9.5k. Blower extra.

Of course, for the budget guy, a Pontiac SOHC 230hp six might be the way to go....

[bobadame]

BMW 3.4 engines are good runners. There are lots of them around.