As the Bugatti waits for the Araldite to set so the steering wheel can be complete again and the grass is still too damp to mow, it seems I have run out of excuses to get the Sizaire out of the nursing home where she seems quite happily ensconced.
I had previously removed the cylinder to check the condition of the valves which turned out OK. However the top of the cylinder water jacket has been leaking at the seams so after presenting the 31mm nut holding it together first with heat – fail, then with an impact wrench – fail, then finally swinging on a 4 foot bar – success!
Unfortunately ignorance was bliss but too late now Pictures below:
So it looks like Colin gets some more work making a new stud and maybe brazing the water jacket, so Sizaire will continue to rest and is probably dreaming why most of her contemporaries get to rest in nice museums without the bother of their parts being interfered with.
Mme Sizaire has an enviably petite waistline – a little too so for peace of mind?
Crikey … given your swinging on the end of a 4 foot cheater bar to get the securing nut off, I’m a little surprised the whole thing didn’t just twist right off at the narrowest point!
Yes it did surprise me. When reefing on the bar I was expecting it to shear at any moment, parts now at Colins he suggests a new steal bolt, after all the old one lasted 100 years without inhibitor so a stainless one would be overkill..