Bugatti Royale Phaeton

[zenrat]

Bugatti Royale Phaeton

For 2018 the Cannonball Run organisers limited entries to those powered by in-line engines.
Javelin Engineering, believing in the epithet "you can't beat cubes" commenced work on a Bugatti Royale.

Bugatti Royale 033 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Bugatti Royale 027 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The 12.7 litre engine has been modified with a DOHC cylinder head (made in house) and a 14:71 supercharger.  In order to take the extra power the chassis has bee extensively braced and upgraded to independent suspension at both ends.  Power is put down on the road through all four wheels via super single truck wheels and tyres while he whole thing is hauled up by a disc brake on each corner.

Bugatti Royale 022 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Bugatti Royale 014 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Bugatti Royale 008 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

A long range fuel tank has been fitted in the boot while tools, doughnuts, an espresso machine and spare wheels are carried in the back under the tonneau cover.

This one's for scale.
Bugatti Royale 005 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model

Italeri 1/24 Bugatti Royale Coupe Napoleon.
Scratch built cylinder head, inlet manifold and exhausts.
Scratchbuilt gearbox.
AMT monster truck transfer case.
Scratchbuilt suspension using resin Ford 9" differentials.
Monogram High Roller Chevelle wheels and tyres.
Resin brake rotors and calipers.
Kit body cut down into a phaeton.
Tonneau from tissue and PVA
Seats from my parts boxes.
Eduard PE seatbelts.

Bugatti Royale 001 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
And yes, the exhaust is held on with blu tac while the glue dries.

[NARSES2]

A gorgeous looker from the days when they knew how to impart car designs with style 

You've done a fantastic job on those tyres mate. They look exceptionally realistic 

[Hobbes]

ooh, excellent!

[Old Wombat]

I would quote Julie Andrews from "Mary Poppins" but that would just be ... wrong!


So: Superb build, Fred!

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.

Chris - vinyl tyres sanded with sponge sanding blocks to remove mould lines.

[PR19_Kit]

OUTSTANDING!

[TomZ]

Beautiful!!!

TomZ

[kitnut617]

You've done a fantastic job on those tyres mate. They look exceptionally realistic 

I was just going to comment the same thing, first time I've seen tires looking like tires should look.

Cracking job there Fred -- 

[Dizzyfugu]

That looks so sick! 

[loupgarou]

Apart from the wondrousness of the ensemble, the tires, as any have noted, are more realisitic than usual.
Did you use some earth/sand colour in the tires grooves and then wiped it away?

[dumaniac]

Fabulous - thanks for sharing

[Weaver]

The perfect blend of crazy and beautiful...

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.

The lighter coloured residue in the tyre treads is a mixture of light grey primer, white undercoat and finely ground styrene.
I could spout some bollocks about how I make up a custom mixture which I carefully brush into the treads using a 0000 paintbrush and a jewellers loupe but in fact it's just the residue of previous work which is left on the sponge sanding block.
I always sand the treads of vinyl tyres to remove flash and to make them look "roaded" but i'll be doing so with my dustiest sponge block in future to try and get this effect again.

[NARSES2]

I always sand the treads of vinyl tyres to remove flash and to make them look "roaded" but i'll be doing so with my dustiest sponge block in future to try and get this effect again.

A serendipitous find then  What you need to do now is market old sanding blocks at model shows at a £5 a go. If you don't someone will sell them as "purpose made tyre sanding blocks. Give your tyres that ultra realistic look " 

[McColm]

Impressive