Busy week, first off the Bebe Radiator was sent to Fluid Dynamics in Hallam to go through their ultrasonic cleaning process, next the water pump went to Colin to see if any magic could happen with it as on inspection it seemed OK but was not following it’s job description.
Two days later the radiator is back, another day and the water pump is back with a re-profiled impeller, mainly Colin removed the fins from the centre so it now looks like the one in the parts book, whether this is better or worse only a drive on a hot day will decide.
Here is a thermal image of the radiator after idling for a bit, I should have put something behind the radiator as you can see the heat from the exhaust. But you can see the heat going from the top and down the LHS of the picture then cooling as it goes toward the right.
While having a nice lunch last Thursday, David R. suggested that as the car has a very low compression ratio, a relatively long stroke and is using modern fuel, a static advance of at least 35° would be a good place to start, so 35° it is and it certainly sounds better.
Unfortunately Vicroads has lost my Club permit application so no test drives yet. Update! Vicroads now state they sent the plates five days ago which is very unlikely as yesterday the Peugeot could not be found in their system, blaming the postal service is easier than telling the truth I suppose.
Good news on the Sizaire et Naudin front, after many attempts a new front axle has been cast and a second one is on the way just in case. I have attached a photo of one of the steering balls that failed the crack test so Colin put it in the vice and as you do …whacked it with a lump of wood. It broke like a dry twig in a completely different place than indicated by the crack test. Hmm what are the other 3 that passed like? Colin is now making three more new ones, better safe than sorry although more of a worry in old cars that go fast.
Just wondering what you’re using for spark plugs. In my ’14 Sunbeam I switched from NGK AB-6 plugs to Champion K97F, which are essentially 18mm tractor plugs with a far more suitable heat range. I did this after talking to a number of other veteran owners and reading the late Harold Sharon’s commentary on plugs. The improvement was dramatic!
I once drove a Bebe and it was so gutless. Your blog so far suggests that the one I drove was just a show pony, which I’d suspected all along.
Just checked the plugs are Champion C-7, evidently from an early 30s Ford V8 now superseded.
Those K97f look the business but at over $40 each maybe I will try them on a single first!
It runs Champions and as the magneto and the carburetor are off a tractor maybe the plugs were as well, I will check the number when I get home. I should try those Champions on the Sizaire as it eats AB-6’s
Cheers
Mark