Monthly Archives: September 2012

Clutch out

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It was a lovely day today, unfortunately the first hour or two were spent at work but I believe there are some that work more than that, the rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent motoring to the Radiator man with the leaking Bug cooler and when there inspecting  the train wreck that is the Darracq radiator which is now a jigsaw in nickel silver.

Bugatti men Greg Smith & John Fitz both thought it would be a good project for me to dismantle the clutch so I could find inner peace come to grips with something only truly understood by getting very oily.

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Getting to the clutch of the matter

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GP Bugatti’s all had the same clutch so my 60hp Type 37 should not give it too much trouble one would think. Although I am coming to the conclusion the problem may be between my ears.

A little more explanation perhaps….

This wonderful drawing came from “The Autocar” July 9th 1926 and is the best one I have found so far. Basically the clutch is engaged with an over-centre toggle B-A-B an external spring nearly gets it to that  position, centrifugal force does the rest. The little bell cranks push on pins that push the clutch pack together. Bugattis originally came with wet clutches, mine has been converted to dry so it probably does not still have 9 plates maybe only 3.

I need to do four things:

  1. Dismantle down to the clutch plates and clean out the dust which is probably causing me grief.
  2. As I’m at the end of my adjustment I will need to get longer pins.
  3. Modify adjusting nut (c) so it has 12 detent stops instead of 6.
  4. Get the radiator fixed.
  5. Hope that nothing else is wrong.