MadaboutKitcars

Well done, legal again for 12 months.
Most of us only read the small print or instructions when all goes wrong!!!!

T35 & D-Type Evocations


In last week's Classic Car Weekly there is similar for sale for only £16,750. It's described as 'Ally bodied', 'Front Engine' and 'The only one of its kind'. Its plate is visible in the thumbnail and DVLA has it as a Marina Buggatti (sic) Rep, tested to 17.12.20. Seems a snip, as it has those eight flat spoked wheels and is a correct-ish blue.

On the 15th of August I received an e-mail asking if the A352 had sold. My reply to the negative (including a comprehensive whinge re. being jerked around ad nauseum) elicited a request the next day for more info./pictures which I provided by return, i.e. a month ago today. Nothing heard since. A trawl back through last year's queries revealed that this guy had been in touch then and had been waiting on the sale of his T35 Evocation for 'D-Type' funds...

Last Saturday a similar request arrived, from La Belle France, to which I simply relied 'Oui'. Today Monsieur requested pictures+video with engine running which, I've sent.

Will I be holding my breath? Yeah, right.

Regatfs, Mick

Was it this one Mick, it was ended early on ebay a week or so back.


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bugatti-T35-replica-1952-all-hand-built-must-be-seen/293629926090?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

If it was the one and it did sell, it might be a genuine enquiry, perhaps !

The car did look the part, it wasn't a Teal but a hand made from scratch example.

Help!!!

Having been messing about with old British car engines for well over five decades, I thought I could fix about anything. However, I'm now completely stumped .

On my way back from the Specials Day on 10 August I was a few miles from home, the car having run perfectly, when there was a sudden loss of power. Gentle use of the throttle enabled me to get home, but it felt as though I only had about 500cc under the bonnet. My first checks were on the ignition system, but the points were gapped correctly; the pip in the cap was secure and its spring functioning; the leads were all secure both ends; the coil connections firm. Next port of call was the in line fuel filter, checked out OK. Disconnected the fuel feed at the carb's, ignition and fuel pump on - gusher! Right, I thought, it has to be the pesky Strombergs, AKA carb's from hell. Bought new air filters, fitted same, no different. Removed carb's (I can do this blindfold now), dismantled them and reassembled after yet more cleaning of pistons, checking components, lubing linkages and cables etc. and resetting as per book. No different.

This weekend I went through the whole rigmarole yet again. No different. The symptoms are: on starting, it performs perfectly for two or three hundred yards then reverts to 500cc mode. Despair.

What say you?

Regards, Mick

Hi Mick- I know how you feel. I was having ignition problems when I revived my Fury (Ford crossflow). Having tried all the usual suspects I ditched the points distributor (an Aldon special) and went electronic. I once had a problem on another crossflow where the points would stay open when warmed up. Cooled down they worked again for a while. When you are in limp mode- are all plugs firing? I have a nifty device that you touch against a lead- it's neon flashes if the lead is live. Could also check exhaust manifold heat- does a drip of oil on each pipe evaporate at the same rate. Does disconnectiing each pair of plug leads (per carb) make any difference- just in case the diaphragm on one carb has a hole.

Morning Mick, I would suspect the coil. Do you have one you can swap in? As you probably know, if they are on their way out they can become eratic when they get warm. Makes it difficult to diagnose because everything is honky dory when the engine starts.

Yesterday, at last, the weather gods smiled on me. I'd changed the coil for a known good one (borrowed from the Monaco) last week. I'd immediately tried to start her, but the noise from the electric pump indicated that it would need priming - it does this when the level in the tank is very low. Tried syphoning from the Micra but no joy. I couldn't be fagged to uncover the Lotus and syphon from it so I went and got five litres in a can. Poured it in, primed the pump, disconnected the feed at the carbs, switched on - gusher! After all the palaver I couldn't face the possibility of failure so I covered her back over.

Anyway, back to yesterday. Refreshed from a quick blast in the Lotus I was full of hope for a result. Stupid boy! No change .

I'll try the condenser next, but how I feel at the moment I'm tempted to put her on eBay auction 'Spares or Repair' if I don't get a result.

Regards, Mick

Don't give up Mick ! It will be something simple, condenser is quite likely. You've checked the basics to look for a spark etc ?

It's A Mystery

Tried a known good condenser - no change.

Tried a known good coil to distributor lead - no change.

Can't think of anything else it could be? Where can I buy some anti-gremlin spray?

Regards, Mick

I know you checked the fuel pump but for how long ? If it runs ok but for a short distance perhaps the pump isn't keeping up ?

I had a similar problem once caused by a blocked fuel line. On my Lotus Seven S1 I had a tank made with a reserve section. Some Red Hermetite that I'd used to seal the outlets had got into the tank. It would run for a varying number of miles before stopping. It made journeys of any distance a bit frustrating. I fitted mesh filters over the pickup pipes as to remove the tank would have meant back axle and roll cage out. That worked OK. When in limp mode- does the fuel pump still deliver a gusher? When I was refurbing my Fury, there were bits of rust floating around in the fuel tank. After I'd swilled them out, I dropped a few neodymium magnets into the tank before refitting the sender unit. Even if rust particles form, the magnets will catch them hopefully before they clog the pump or filter.

Good evening Mick , apologies if the following is a complete waist of time but do you have an advance retard system on your engine? could it be malfunctioning enough to cause your problem , all the best with the fault finding , Geoff .

Another possibility...

Thanks for suggestions and encouragement chaps, most welcome .

Yesterday, whilst vegetating following a nasty turn standing up too quickly after a session under the Monaco, I thought back to previous problems and decided that the pesky dire frag'ems might be responsible. I've read that the alcohol in E5 unleaded can attack all sorts of old-skool components, and the symptoms could well be explained by tiny holes in the above. I immediately hit eBay and ordered replacements.

Watch this (hopeful) space.

Regards, Mick

Another thing I would try is a new distributor cap and rotor arm.

Keep plugging away and you'll find it

Dire frag'ems? Nope

Fitted the new diaphragms yesterday - no change. Had a good look at the distributor cap and rotor arm (Thanks peterux): contacts clean, no signs of tracking. However, two of the plug leads fell out of the cap under gravity whilst it was inverted. I simply couldn't be fagged to remedy this and test drive again after the earlier disappointment.

The latest tranche of prospective buyers (read 'dreamers') are asking the same tedious old questions. They all want a concours d'elegance winner for home-built money.

Despair.

Regards, Mick

The suspense to know the limp-mode cure is rivalling that of the USA election result, Mick !!!

The only work I've done on her lately was a wash and photo' session last week for yet another prospective buyer (dreamer?). My focus (weather permitting) has been on the Monaco. A few of the coming days are forecast dry so I may get stuck in if Monaco tasks permit...

Regards, Mick

Has anyone sugested looking at the bob weights in the dizzy? My Marlin ran realy cr#p untill the springs were replaced on the bob weights. That fixed it!

Despair

In yesterday's sunshine I had another crack at the mystery fault, concentrating on the distributor (thanks Dpaz). I reset the points, even though the gap was spot on, oiled and greased as necessary, remade all the lead connections and took her out for a test drive. No change. The symptoms are consistent - for the first 30/seconds/100 metres she pulls like a train on all six then goes gutless, as though a switch has been flicked, exactly what happened on my way back from Specials day (10 August - aaaaargh!).

To sum up, it's not the coil, it's not the carbs, it's not the condenser, it's not the points, it's not the leads and it's not the cap.

All and any further suggestions will be gratefully accepted.

Regards, Mick

Ballast resistor? Loose earth? Fuel pump filter, not allowing enough fuel through?

After the 30 second run, does the car go back to normal running after it has been turned off and then back on?

If you leave the car running on a fast idle, does it loose power after 30 seconds or is it only when being driven?

When it suffers from the lack of power, what difference do you get pulling the plug leads off one at a time?
If you take the plugs out as soon as it has a loss of power, what are they like? Clean, sooty or wet?

Blocked breather on the fuel cap?

I had a TVR once that sprayed water onto the distributor from a leaky radiator seam. I blamed the misfire on some cheap petrol bought previously. The leak wasn't apparent with the engine stopped.
I think that one of the original Crypton analyser units would solve this- they measured all sorts of engine parameters and could even diagnose single cylinder problems.
Without breathing too deeply, when in limp mode, does the exhaust smell of unburnt fuel? For a fuel delivery problem- do you have any transparent pipe, or a clear filter in the fuel line?

A blocked breather on the fuel cap wouldn't cause a vacuum after just a 30 second run but I think you are right, it is probably fuel related.
I would check the fuel pump, a weak or porous diaphragm could cause a lack of fuel. I would also try and put an airline on the fuel pipe and blow air back into the tank to make sure there isn't a blockage.
You could fit a small temporary fuel tank under the bonnet and run the car just using the throttle linkage to see if it drops power, if it doesn't I would fit a new fuel pump, they are not very expensive.

Flexi fuel pipe collapse?

Bye Bye Baby....

At long last a purchaser was found for the A352, or more correctly, he found me through the offices of the Tribute Automotive Owners Group on FB, with special thanks to Belinda Jane Wednesday who bumped my picture post at a serendipitous moment .

A collector in The Netherlands bought her. I first had my spiffing custom registration number put on retention which enabled me to knock a couple of grand off my asking price. The buyer's chum, who's the proprietor of MEV, came and collected her on his behalf, transporting her to the ferry port on Dec. 19th sporting her replacement 'D' suffix reg.





Very sad to see her go, but as I've previously mentioned, yet another winter (her fifth) under a soggy cover outside wouldn't have done her any favours.

I transferred the insurance to the Monaco (outrageous charge of more than half the original premium for the remaining eight months) but haven't been out in her yet due to atrocious weather.

Regards, Mick