The Bugatti Build Project - a design exercise

[ralph]

I just have to weigh in here. I agree with Jim about the Chevy engine. It relegates the car to ho-hum status.

If we want something different we should look at the in liners that are available. Jim suggests the Jag. I agree, with the aluminum cam covers all polished they are beautiful. The old Datsun Z 6's also had that look.

On the domestic front there are the Ford and Chevy sixes. A friend who races the Ford six claims he can build a 300hp engine for $500. He has his cheap engines in his street cars which see occasional drag suty at nostalgia races and a killer cross flow engine in his low 10's altered roadster. Cross flow heads and other exotics are available for bucks.

While I'm not a six freak, I think that long hood just begs for a long engine. In tune with Gene, how about one of those old buick straight eights. The 37 even had dual carbs so the mixture didn't forget where it was going!

Heck, anyone out there got an OFFY they want tp send our way.(hint hint)

[Gene_Olson]

The other side of this dream execise, is that if we keep the powerplant accessible there may be more than a few who would like to put sweat equity into making the dream real for themselves.

I believe the original spec was a fun touring car for rolling around the kingdom on a day to day basis.

we want something that is easy to service, and bullet proof.

A car that spends all it's time in the shop acheiving the finest tuning, may be the mechanic's dream but it certainly isn't mine, Sultan wants to drive this one, not talk about driving it in the tense tense.


G.

[tdoty]

Originally Posted by Gene_Olson

we want something that is easy to service, and bullet proof.

A car that spends all it's time in the shop acheiving the finest tuning, may be the mechanic's dream but it certainly isn't mine, Sultan wants to drive this one, not talk about driving it in the tense tense.


G.

And that is exactly the reason for my engine choice. It's not glamorous, but it is a known quantity.

The Jag sounds neat, but availability might be a problem. For an Offy "look-alike" there is always the Olds Quad-4, but, again, there may be an availability issue. Personally, I think a dual overhead cam straignt 6 would be a great way to go ................. but what's out there, common and reliable? Toyota Supra 6? Are they available in a crate?

My vision here is a driver's car, not a trailer queen or garage dweller. The regular old small block Chevy of Ford would be a very ho-hum choice for a car like this. The LS series though, I feel, fits the other end of the scale - no, it's not the sexiest thing out there, it is common and it doesn't go out on any limbs ................. but it is common enough to have it worked on anywhere if the need ever arose, it's high tech enough not to be totally out of place, it'll make all the power you'd need and it pretties up fairly well if so desired. It is also new, comes with a warranty and should be drop-dead reliable ........ tuning isn't really even an issue.

300 hp for a car like this isn't as much as you'd think, either. 300 ponies don't go very far these days. The LS-1 crate engine is rated for 320, the LS-6 has even more.

A final thought, I figure this build should center around the body, since we are a metalshaping group. Building and tuning an engine is an art far separated from the Zen-like peace of wheeling a sheet of metal.

Just my thoughts - still .

Richard, the body is looking good! How difficult is it going to be to change things, if it's needed later on? Wish I could get my head around the computer 3D stuff - StudioTools is starting to make some sense to me ............. but I still have a looooooong way to go!

Tim D.

[planemech302003]

Hi Group. Well, I've been lurking with this, and thinking about it from the first thread. A couple of thoughts.. from Anders #259 post of the left rear 3/4 view, is it me or is the lower portion of the door area behind the front fender wider at the bottom than at the top area of the door, narrowing the cabin area near the top? Also a point relevent is that people were physically smaller back in this car's time era than today, which has an effect on the interior room, or lack thereof. Also back to the 3/4 view, it seems that the top of doors roll over toward the center thereby giving more shoulder room as the passengers sit very low, with shoulder tops quite a bit below the belt line. Choice of powerplant, I'd think the Jag 6 would be perfect. the 4.2 in stock form puts out 265 HP, with a set of Webers, or carburetion along those lines, will go 300 HP easy. . Figuring curb weight at 2500#'s gives a HP/Wt of 8.34 pounds per horse, which would be plenty for cruising. The manual 4 speed is a fairly narrow gearbox also. John

[adzc]

Id be weary of the LS-1. In Aust, we have problems with them loosing oil, with piston slap and blowby...........

Im sure ample investigation will be had though, just offering some perspective.

[anders nørgaard]

Hi Guys,

Just spent some of the "waiting for the 3D-CAD Guys" time hammering on some copper <LOL> This is VERY roughly shaped. Didn't use any pattern or drawings, just tried to shape out of memory, so please don't be too hard in your comments <grin> Just wanted to try tuck shrinking thin copper sheet.

The little nose is around 4" tall.




Decided to try to make a complete car, scaled 1:4, guess it can be done.
Later guys

[Gonejunking]

Hi Anders
Looks good!!

Did your wife let "her boy's" help you?

My 5yo is always wanting to help in the shop, so now I have his pedal car apart, and will be adding an electric motor to it. Pictures tomorrow.

1/4 scale? That will be one Big model.

Good luck Buddy

[anders nørgaard]

Hi Jeffrey,

Thanks!
No, they were on a kinder garten picnic, so I had the shop all to myself!
Looking forward to seeing Alex's pedalcar "motorized"
1/4 scale isn't that big. Wheelbase 105/4 = 26.25". OAL: 38.75", Track: 15.25". Height: 12.25".
I think it's much easier to make a 1/4 than a 1/10!

[Pedalcar]

Hi Anders,

votes from the Netherlands

Denmark 12 points LOL

Looking good ,shows again what you can do with limited tools.

Ben

[anders nørgaard]

Thanks Ben,

But naaa! This isn't accurate to ANY dimension. Just been thinking about what shape the "blank" for the nose would look like, so I cut out a "boomerang" to try and that was it. Didn't even bother to scribe any lines, just cut with my "snips". Bent, tucked and hammered, and that's it <LOL>