CrazyCrank

Excellent, Mr C., I can't wait more to see the the final result

HI chaps Connectors have been achieved and have been soldered on the transversal steering rod: The rod has been placed between the wheels and screwed temporarilly on the levers, for a dry fit: yeahhhh....rod's length is perfect Stay tuned if you like and thanks for watching

Thanks a lot, Mr C. Your compliments are much appreciated. I try to do my best, unceasingly putting the work on the stocks, until, if not perfection, satisfaction.... I've done two identical connectors more, because I noticed that the axle that join the two front wheels, - allowing the left one turning simultaneously the same direction than the right one, when turning the steering wheel -, as, at its ends, on the prototype, exactly the same connectors. So, there will be here too some improvements... It took 6 hours to machine that, because I'd had to make 3 instead of two. At the last step drilling a 0.6 mm diameter hole on aconnector, the bit deviated and drilled a wrong way, and I got that: On the top side: And on the bottom side: [ The two good connectors, not yet achieved this evening: How is that ? this seems like "déjà vu" ? Of course, these are the same as for the steering axle ! Stay tuned if you like and thanks for watching

Steering axle redone, with a 2.5 diameter brass rod....It's more pleasant now Connectors have been silver soldered on the axle. It wasn't (for me) an easy job Dry fit below: It remains to make the nickel plating of the whole set of steering mechanism. Stay tuned if you like, and thanks for watching and criticizing

Very glad to read you on my thread Nick and Thanks for the compliment

That take the biscuit My jaws on the floor Congratulations Olivier !

I'm not today as happy with this steering axle as I was yesterday evening. Due to the high flexibility of a thin brass rod when you turn it on the lathe, to reduce its diameter, the rod doesn't turn round; it vibrate and the cutting tool doesn't work correctly on the middle section( the rod beeing placed between the collet and the tailsttpock at the other end). So my rod is 2.5 mm at the ends, but the diameter increase gradually from both end to the centre, where I've measured it 2.70-2.80 mm I've fixed partially this issue sanding the rod, but the result remains still unperfect, but just acceptable (the guy who doesn't know this issue, generally, will not see it...but I know, and it's disruptive for me !) So, I've ordered on a Modelism Website brass rods of 2.5 mm diameter (I didn't know this size existed, otherwise I wouldn't have spent many hours and wasted material as I did yesterday) It will be very easy to machine a now axle, now that the most difficult part (find the exact size and shape) has been done. Stay tuned if you like

I've just achieved to machine my steering axle on the lathe, after 3 unsuccessfull tries and a stupid waste of brass rod The problem to solve was: - I wanted a 2.5 - 2.7 max gauge steering axle, so it was necessary to reduce the diameter of a standard commercial rod , 3 mm diameter - with at both ends a 1.5 mm diameter pin, which could come in the 1.5 mm hole of each connector - this axle must be bended approximatively on its centre, to match the real one, which is not straight... First, I'd to determine the length of this rod, pins included I've sacrified a 1.5 mm gauge brass tube to make a template, have bended it , and cut it to give it the right shape, and then, I've painted red the angle and the ends of the tube, once it has been placed between the connectors. I've measured this template: 98 mm, of which 1.5 mm for each pin, so the 2.5 mm section measured 95 mm. Second, I'd to machine on the lathe the 3 mm brass rod, to reduce its diameter to 2.5-2.7 mm, and there, troubles began ! To get a 98 mm axle, I had to cut a 3 mm brass rod over 140 mm. After several tries, and waste of 3 rods, I've found the method to machine a regular 2.5 mm diameter brass rod, over 95 mm, with 1.5 mm diameter pins on both ends. It took me 6 hours to get an acceptable result....I'm not a mechanics, only a poor lonesome french physician Then, following the shape of my template, I've bended the rod. And now, it has been placed for a dry fit, waiting to be soldered on the connectors....and finally, to be' nickel plated, as the connectors and the steering arm. Stay tuned if you like, and thanks for watching and criticizing

Very happy to read you again, Roy...

Second connector done and put in place: And now, it's time to machine the steering axle which take place between these two connectors: 3 mm rod bended to the right shape, with 2 end sections of 1.5 mm gauge... It's time to think, and I must sleep on it. Stay tuned il you like, and thank you for watching and criticizing

Well gentlemen... As I wrote few days ago, I' m not very happy with my steering axle connectors. ! Reviewing my ref. photos, not only those provided by @Roy vd M., but these ones anybody can find on Paul Koo's Bugatti DVD, I noticed that these connectors are the same on two different chassis of the T50 Bug', and that they are very different of the stuff I've machined ! So, to match closer with the truth, I've begun to redo them.. below the process for the rear connector, which connect on the steering arm (itself connected on the axle that come out the steering gearbox) I've used a 4 mm brass rod, 20 mm lenght Have put it in a 4 mm collet on my lathe, face turned the free end, and drilled it 1.5 mm over 3 mm depth. Then I've reduced the diameter of the free end to 3.3 mm over 11 mm Then I've cut off the rod, keeping after the 3.3 mm section, a 2.5 mm lenght section of 4 mm diameter And got this: Then I've installed the rod in the dividing head of my milling machine, the head placed horizontally, and so, the rod was vertical, the thicker section up. Then, have put a 0.6 mm drill bit in the collet of the milling machine, searched the center of the rod, given an offset of 1.2 mm, and drilled 4 holes, at the angles of a square, . And got this: Next, I've put the part in a 3-jaw chuck on my lathe, the thicker end free, have turned the face, reduced the length ot the thicker section to 1.8 mm, chamfered the face, and polish all the part with steel wool. It remained then to drill 3 holes on the rod: - the first one, 1 mm gauge, to give passage to the threaded connector of the steering arm - the second one, 0.8 mm gauge, at the centre of the 3.3 section, aligned with the previous hole, crossing through the rod, and furtherly threaded M1. This hole will host a M1 bolt, which secure the long steering axle on this rear connector - the last one, 0.6 mm gauge, drilled on the thicker section of the connector, will host a 0.6 mm rod, 0.5 mm long, which will supposed to represent a 5 mm bolt head To drill this holes, I've place vertically the dividing head on the milling machine, used successively 3 appropriate drill bits, rotating the rod at the good location each time. In order to get this: Further processing was a joke: M1 bolt, flat head and a M0.6 brass needle: Following pictures are obvious: And then, I've assembled the steering arm and this connector, to get this: And the set, placed on the model: And now, I come back to my brass bits and little tools to machine the second connector, front one. Stay tuned il you like, and thank you for watching and criticizing

Either you want a solid construction, in order to allow many openings/closings or your bonnets, and you should take Harvey's advice in consideration...but it will be - possibly - a bit out of scale, especially with a 0.45 mm thick bonnet ! Either you want to match the truth (that we don't know for this car) and you'll have to choose an outer diameter of you tube, in order that at 1:1 scale, it respect the correct "supposed" diameter of the hinge...for instance, the diameter of the hinge on the Rev Institute's Delage ?

Challenging and fascinating project, Mr H..I'll follow your work

Sorry Olivier, cannot help you about this....it is, essentially, a personal and aesthetical choice !

My dear friends @harveyb258, @Olivier de St Raph and @Codger......It's very kind of you...I much appreciate your nice comments and will try to deserve them for a long time. Not very busy on this old lady actually....hard job at my medical office, deficient parents 's health, and my next travel to Montreal for my younger son's wedding on september 9th (incredible but true), are taking all my time I'm thinking of re-do my steering long arm connectors, to match closer the reality ( @Roy vd M. ref pictures), and then achieve the steering system and next the exhaust system. Later, I'll try to machine new sparking plugs with my lathe and milling machine, because i'm no longer happy with the first ones !