Distractions

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Where to start.  Ah yes the Solexs, I have been in luck.  Went to Bendigo Swap and as usual walked for about 6 hours and saw precious little but caught up with many like minded friends who were doing a similar fruitless exercise.  Andrew my fellow hiker needed to attend a meeting so I decided to spend the time looking through some stalls in what is usually a wasteland and it was, except for an oasis of European vintage parts with amongst other things two 30mm barrel type Solexs. Of course the gentleman knew his prices and the fact I was desperate so no bargain but a good result for Bendigo.

IMG_2877Alas the new carburettor, air fuel meter and the balance thingummy  are waiting in vain, as I have been distracted  by another project.  It’s everything the Bugatti isn’t, slow, comfortable, large and English. No it’s not a Bentley but a Sunbeam.  Laurie the previous and second owner had the car for 45 years, I don’t have 45 years in me so will have to settle for less.

IMG_3827The car is a 1928 20.9Hp tourer with its original Sunbeam body.  I’m not sure why they didn’t just call it a 21Hp as it was taxed as such.  The colour is white which makes it look enormous so it will get a respray in a more slimming colour and definitely black mudguards. I’ve given it a compression test and they are all about 120psi so no problems there.  An ever expanding  to-do list and apart from new tyres it’s mostly small stuff for now.

IMG_2861Oh yes one more thing.  To pay for all this new stuff and to comply with garage policy edict 265B one toy goes for one toy gained so the Emblem has drawn the short straw. The consolation is after very little tinkering it runs although I think I was a little over zealous with the oil supply.

Now I must go attend my other distractions: Blackberries, Scotch Thistles and the bloody lawn.

Right is Wrong?

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In my last post I was bemoaning the fact that I had a dodgey throttle barrel, it looked like it was half finished and did not match the other smooth one at all.  I found a downdraft  carburettor on Prewar Car thinking I would use the barrel out of it.  Unfortunately it was the wrong size but also it had a throttle barrel like the jagged “wrong” one I already had.  Here is a picture of another carburettor on Ebay like the one from Prewar Car.

solex throttle
So it looks like this type of barrel is legit. The problem is I have already “fixed” my barrel (I think the previous owner had already filed it a bit as it was not quite like the one in the picture).  So I need two barrels like the picture or one smooth one if they exist or put a 35mm single carburettor on like it was from the factory.

Better still I will just go back to using earplugs.

On further inspection the barrel in the picture is radically different, my jagged barrel looks so because all the tangs in the picture had been broken off to approximate the shape of the smooth one. I think the above type would give a smoother transition coming just off idle so I assume it’s a later design.

Mismatched Set

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Part of my Bugatti essential gear has always been ear plugs they have saved me money and sleep, however since the crown wheel and pinion replacement they have become optional with it appears disastrous consequences in money and sleep.

On a run back from lunch the other day I was stuck on the freeway at freeway speeds without earplugs so plenty of time to ruminate over the exhaust note that was not the sweet purr it had been with plugs, sounded rough so for some reason I have come to the conclusion that the carburettors are not synchronised.  Type 37’s came with one carb, mine has two, they are the barrel type Solex like the single one but smaller.

Here is a quote from the Solex handbook: “We would remark that more than fifty patents have been taken out in all countries to protect the details of construction, and our trade mark SOLEX is registered in all civilised countries.”

I have enclosed a photo of the two throttle barrels you will note that Australia may not be included in the “Civilised” countries from the workmanship. I can imagine that WOT works but who knows what is happening at partial openings.

Know anyone with a 30mm Solex throttle barrel (actual diameter 38mm)?

IMG_2511 Throttle barrels