The Atlantic is riveted because Elektron can not be welded . Any comments?

Good marketing.

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Vive la Marque !!

Last time I put any heat on magnesium ribbon it burnt beautifully but I was 11, I guess it may be possible to weld in an inert environment but would you do that for a 1930,s car body, no just slap some rivets in and make it a feature jobs a good un!

that's all you Bugatti experts can say about it ?

Elektron of the 1930's era is typically magnesium and aluminium. Bugatti isn't the only manufacturer to play with it. BMW used on the 328MM's and Touring (of Milan) used for coachwork for some "superleggera" construction cars in Italy. If someone does their research, they will identify many others as well.

Weldable? Yes. It just takes some practice and understanding how the puddle forms and flows with additional of filler material. If one can weld 70yr old elektron today, it would have been easier then when the material was new.

Remember in that era, there were a magnitude more welders who were familiar with working with these material (and used in quite a bit of aircraft) then today -- and an apprenticeship program to teach. Listening to horror stories of backyard mechanics / welders saying it can't be done today is b.s. at best. Most are too lazy to learn or want to bill ($$$$$) a customer to build a new replacement body to make their job easier.

My verdict -- MARKETING. (and lightweight for acceleration purposes)

Damn good idea to be honest as we are still talking about it today.

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me: Mark - home: Gilbert, Arizona now

I think the main point to say on this matter is that the Atlantic bodies were just aluminium - the riveting was just a styling feature. Same with the Type 59.
He did use magnesium sheet for the sumps on the last Grand prix cars however.

To weld elektron is not the problem at all . We weld elektron engines . You can gas weld the sheet metal or use tic . The main problem with elektron sheet metal , you can not bend it . You need a big furnace for heating the sheets bevor you can bend it .
Same with elektron rivets , you must heat them up in a furnace bevor you can use them .
So the story about the Atlantic rivets is just a story . Did Bugatti start it ?

Greg is pretty much right. According to the Matthews book, the 1935 Aerolithe prototype was made with elektron (an alloy of aluminum, tin and magnesium) body panels This material was difficult to bend and dangerous to weld, making riveted seams the solution they came up with, and riveters from the Farben coachbuilder in Germany had to come to Molsheim to deal with the highly flammable material. Therefore, all original Atlantic models were made from aluminum, though they retained the riveted seams. The same riveting process, as mentioned, was used on the tail of the T59, but it was all aluminum.

how can you cast elektron , if it is highly flammable material ? For example sand casting ? And in 1930 ? let's see if anybody knows it

I would merely add that Johan Buchner of this forum has done an awesome job in tracing the history of the Aerolithe to the Pope/Lauren Atlantic, loaded with information.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=380

You should visit the foundry in the UK where they made our engine castings for the T251.Fantastic and very labour intensive work.It takes at least three people to pour magnesium.The molten magnesium has a barrier [rare earth] sitting on it during the melt.One man pours,another has a temperature probe in the melt,and a third has the job of throwing a special material at the metal as it pours out into the mould.The mould is specially prepared as well.Aluminium casting is really a one man job by comparison.I find it amazing that Bugatti were able to do this as well in the 1930's.

Congratulations John, but it looks like you're the only one who knows about it.
If the Electron starts melting in the crucible ,a man throws with a spoon sulfur on top of it until the entire surface is covered with a sulfur skin . He must watch the crucible, the whole time . As soon he can see a small hole in the sulfur he throws a spoon sulfur on it . So you need one extra man , sulfur and a spoon , that's all .
Same system in 1930 . I am not making any more Elektron castings , better aluminium .

Certainly not the only one but perhaps the only one who was willing to share to information with you!

Why with me ? I do not need any info about it . Many of my engines like the big 12 liter 6 cylinder engines are completely made out of elektron . I am used to handle this material . This info is for the forum members . So they get some info how to handle elektron . Elektron is not a common material today and many people have a false imagination of it.
But tell me , for what is your post good ?