Category Archives: Bugatti Type 37 (R)

So far so good

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The last week has been spent on the road in the Type 37 going to a French car rally in South Australia with the usual suspects. This is not to be confused with a real car rally where cars actually compete, we travel on good roads that happen to lead to good restaurants and so far nothing major has fallen off.
So far:
Many unidentified nuts and bolts have gathered in the under tray however everything still seems to be working so maybe it’s just like a fad diet.
The magneto should be held by a nice over-centre clip, mine has a hose clip that inevitably comes loose and retards the ignition.
The fuel pump works too well.
I have fouled a set of spark plugs so have bought a hotter set,
Bob has told me my steering is loose and I have to agree with him.
Oil… See below

There is no oil crisis in the Bugatti, although it only holds about 6 litres I’m sure it’s leaked more. In particular someone has drilled a handy vent hole in the gearbox filler, this works like an oil mister coating everything inside the car with a fine protective film including myself and even the inside of the aero screens. Then there is the rear main seal? I’m not really sure it has one so it has been suggested that I put a nappy under the clutch tray as a way of preventing oil logging of passengers feet sort of like one of those flood mitigation dams the water boards seem so fond of.

Otherwise the car still goes, stops and corners what else do you need?

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Clutch Re-resolved?

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Went for a shake down run to Mt Tarrengower (600kms return) and found the following small problems with the Bug:

  • Gearbox still noisy in top. Remedy: Earplug right ear.√
  • Radiator cap leaks. Remedy: nylon spacer and O ring.√
  • Fuel pressure too high. Remedy: 1 psi pressure relief valve on tank.
  • Sore arse (LHS). Remedy: Remove padding on prop shaft cover.√
  • Oil all over luggage. Remedy: put them in garbage bag next time.√
  • Clutch sticking. Remedy see below.√
  • Piece of steering wheel timber fell off. Remedy glue back on….if I can find it.

The run to Mt Tarrengower was wet, cold then sunny.  The car was surprisingly comfortable the trick being to lean forward when you see a woof in the road otherwise it was just a hoot to drive, it’s the first vintage car I’ve driven where you look forward to gear changes. However the clutch started to stick half way not wanting to return.  I did jury rig it so the external springs were doing all the work which they are not supposed to and I got home.

The previous owner had installed a clutch pedal stop, I of course could not see any reason for it so it was removed ..one should really think before doing such things, as it turned out when I was pushing the clutch to its now full unrestricted travel the release bearing was being impaled on the output flange resulting in the end being chewed up so it could not return.

So 2 or 3 hours later after some creative work with the Dremel all the dags have been removed, the clutch now works as it should mais until I reinstall the pedal stop I’m not going anywhere.

The Sizaire valves have been removed and were perfect so that only leaves everything else but as Andrew says “most fuel problems are the magneto” so I think I had better take his advice.

Type 37 at Lochinver Homestead

Sizaire Exhaust Valve, Big Yes?

Spring Cleaning

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Everyone should invite a car club to their garage at least once a year for a Garage Crawl, apart from the obvious opportunity to show off the real reason is that you at last will see a reason to clean up the junk you’ve been tripping over for the last year and maybe some serious rearranging that never seemed to happen otherwise. As I never got around to painting the floor I will abstain from eating off it but it’s not bad all the same, tomorrow they arrive.
As this is the first entry for some time you would be right thinking that I have been slacking off, the Bugatti is now running well, the Douglas survived a 3 day rally without mishap but the Sizaire is still waiting for some attention. So instead of methodically working through this problem I have removed the cylinder and am currently trying to remove the inlet valve cage so the hopefully burnt exhaust valve will be exposed. I really have no evidence to support this theory it’s just the way my brain seems to be working at the moment so have decided to enjoy the challenge of disassembling something that has not yet been pulled apart.
Here is a picture of how not to remove the valve cage with a slide hammer. Currently cylinder is resting on bench waiting for another random attack from yours truly.