New Member-HELP-Bugatti Hot Rod

[Terry Cook]

The problem. I've been working for a year developing a stretched 127 inch whelbase version of a Type 57S Bugatti coupe circa 1937 (16 ft. 4 in. overall length). See http://www.decorides.com/boattailcoupe.htm for photos and history of this effort.
We built a full sized rough rolling fiberglas buck, had it digitized and had the exterior and interor surfacing done. I even had a 1/4 scale model cut from foam. The next step was to have the full sized parts and body buck CNC milled from the correct foam or REM board (or any substrate hat would work), then make fiberglass molds off the plug or buck we could create, and start producing low quantity fiberglass (or even carbon fiber) bodies and kits for car nuts. Because I'm severely bucks limited, I can't afford aerospace pricing for the milling, and I'm afraid to ask ths cost of REM Board or 5 pound foam required for a project of this size.
I'm not a machinist, I'm ignorant re: CNC, but a friend sent me to CNCzone in hopes I could hook up with somebody who could offer advice or point me to somebody who could help me get this CNC work on a severly limited budget.

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Terry, A friend of mine has a running 57S replicar built on a Corvette chassis. It was built by the Stevens group who did the Mercedes SKS "Excalibur".

It was intended to be the basis for a mold to produce some quantity of 57S's. They called the "Etore", after the car's designer, Etore Bugatti.

I assume he still has the car, but he may have sold it when he moved.

Dick Z

[Terry Cook]

Duick Z

So how does one get a photo of this car? Or contact thw owner?

Terry Cook

[mcphill]

I have plans to build a 3-5 axis mill that is "garage sized" for just this type of machining, but it doesn't exist as yet. It is actually a pretty straight forward machine to build. I also plan to use it to create body parts in carbon fiber. I have found some low priced AC servos from China, have steel beams in place in the garage to act as X-axis runners, so things are moving forward. You are exactly right that the "base" material could be foam. I plan to build up large blocks out of 2" or thicker foam board from Home Depot. I would cut the foam in rough stages, about 1/4" deeper than the finished level should be. Then I plan to lay on a "hard", smooth, machinable layer to the surface. This material would then be cut precisely, and would be able to be finish sanded. Finally, a smooth finish on this buck would be layed up in fiberglass, to create the mold.

So, I can't help you at all with your specific project, but people like me are "out there"!

You may find this video inspirational ; )

YouTube- Tarus Gantry 5 Axis Milling Machine for Aerospace and Dies

YouTube- Tarus Gantry 5 Axis Milling Machine for Aerospace and Dies

I have a more appropriate one copied to Vimeo, but they took it down...

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Terry, I'm trying to contact Jerry but when he moved I lost contact. A mutual friend is going to get his new email and phone stuff. The old stuff was his old business, not personal.

Dick Z