Hi,

Having spent a frustrating period looking at this forum but being unable to let on as to what I was doing (bar a teaser at Xmas), I can confirm that the Bugatti Trust and myself (Stuart Brown) have created a Bugatti Type 35 down to its' last nut and bolt in a 3D design package. The ultimate goal is to get the car working as a virtual system.

As far as we are aware, this is a world first in that no out-of-production car, let alone a pre-war Grand Prix car has been recreated out of the original plans, in its entirety, in 3D.

So why is this so ground-breaking and important?

1) The project has from the outset been to do with preserving all the known information on the Bugatti Type 35. To that end, we have worked from the original plans: the car's DNA. We have also involved the UK's foremost experts on the Bugatti marque. Working from the original plans has meant that by deduction, plans for those parts which did not previously exist have now been created.

2) Both myself and The Bugatti Trust are keen to involve "new blood" in the classic car scene and the fact is that the younger generation are at their most comfortable when dealing with computers. To this end, what we have achieved is akin to the human genome project (but obviously massively less important to humanity). Now that the parts have all been recreated in 3D the way the information can be used is limited only by your imagination,for example the aerodynamics, cooling system, chassis rigidity and strength of individual parts can all be analyzed to see just how good Ettore Bugatti's designs are.

3) Bugatti owners should benefit from more accurate and better value parts (obviously supplied via the Bugatti Trust/Owners Club). I personally feel that this is a very important issue as the balance of power with parts should be with the owners and not engineering firms and motor traders.

4) If any potential replica car owner cares to look, they should see that replicas cannot possibly be as accurate as the original car because without the plans they are at best guestimates as to what the car design originally was. There are over 2,500 total parts in a Type 35. This means there are at least 25,000 individual dimensions within the car and probably more.

5) The project has been donated to the Trust and shortly will be placed on their secure computer system, for the benefit of owners and further study of the design.

A few teaser photographs are attached, the project is being launched to the press shortly.























The eagle eyed amongst you will notice somne errors, but I have had to post older pictures as my PC is down at present. These errors have been corrected.

I would like to thank Herman for the help he gave me over Christmas and for not talking about the project prior to tbe agreed date.

Hopefully the members of the forum that are keen on complete originality will see that this is a sensible way forward.

Kind Regards



Stuart Brown
[/url]www.whitney-paine.com[url][/url]

Nice to meet you Mr Brown.

T'is true, I doubted you. Not anymore. My sincerest congratulations on a most remarkable achievement.

One thing though: You said, and I quote: "Bugatti owners should benefit from more accurate and better value parts (obviously supplied via the Bugatti Trust/Owners Club). I personally feel that this is a very important issue as the balance of power with parts should be with the owners and not engineering firms and motor traders."

You seem to believe that British Bugatti owners are inherently superior to those engineers and traders (and penniless enthusiasts like myself) who have served the marque so well and for so long. Jack Lemon-Burton and Ivan Dutton springs to mind. Please keep in mind that it is Bugatti owners who are responsible for turning Bugattis into unaffordable "investments." It is Bugatti owners who commission restorations/replications. It is Bugatti owners who are behind the 3 out of 5 fiasco. It is Bugatti owners' interests that are served by the B.O.C and Bugatti Trust. I find their "working classes not welcome here" attitude repugnant.

As a final point: For those of us who are too poor to afford a Bugatti, this forum has been of much more use than the xenophobic Bugatti Trust. If you truly want to attract new (rich?) blood to Bugattis, you should donate this project to Herman. Only he would make it available to all, for free. Yes, the Bugatti Trust has some very nice photo albums for sale, but they defile them by placing the Bugatti Trust logo over the most interesting bits. You will notice that all photographs (and articles, including my own) on Bugattibuilder and BugattiPage are free and intact. I cannot speak for the other contributors, but I have received so much from the internet Bugatti community that the mere thought of using any of my newfound knowledge for financial gain, is simply beneath me. And by giving back, I gain more still. I am prepared to bet good money that whatever the Bugatti Trust will do with it; giving it free of charge to the poor seems unlikely.

Still, you have done a remarkable piece of work, and you are certainly entitled to decide who benefits from it.

Kind Regards
Johan Buchner

Hi Johan,

I can assure you that The Bugatti Trust are a welcoming, down to earth and keen to promote the Bugatti marque to whoever turns up at their door group of people. I am as far removed from a Bugatti owner as you could find.

I turned up at their premises 2 years ago in a 20 year old non-classic car along with a madcap idea to reproduce the Bugatti Type 35 as a virtual system in 3D.

Richard Day the curator who I should have really thanked in the first posting has been a great help, devoted many of his own hours and even made a 200 mile round trip to my house to help move the project along.

Re prices, unfortunately supply and demand has made them go through the roof and I can't see the situation getting any easier as the "new rich" in the Far East and Russia can now afford the cars.

Regarding what the plans can be used for, right from the outset the rules were agreed and to be honest I completely support the basis on which the project was undertaken.

The problem we have had is striking the right balance between encouraging further study of the Type 35 and helping the owners and being too lax and finding "replicas" being created by people who have used our hard work and given nothing back, whilst making financial gain themselves.

Almost 4000 hours have so far been expended on the project, so it is a valuable piece of work in its own right I guess.

Regarding originality and over restoration which is where I first replied to one of your threads, by applying known "correct" materials to the faces of the models, we will be able to preserve correct originality for perpetituity. Please have a look at 3D forums of any kind, I am sure you will be amazed as to what can be done.

Thank you for your reply to my original thread. I hope my lengthy reply clarifies the rational regarding the project.

Kind Regards



Stuart Brown

Hello Stuart,

Wow… absolutely the best 3D Bugatti drawing work I have ever seen… I have also started to play around with Bugattis in 3D programs… but… far from the quality of your work… Can you also post a screan shot of the complete car in bird eye view?

Regards,

Rivaaquarama

Hi
Congratulations for such a fantastic job. Having been all my life an automotive designer I can appreciate the sheer amount of work and dedication this project represent. Again, Bravo
Best regards
Soling

Hi,

Thank you for the replies.

Riva - My PC has been down for the last two weeks and will be (thanks to Dell) till next Friday evening.

Once it is up and running, I will post extra shots of the project.

Unfortunately, I cannot post a picture of the whole car as we have to keep something in reserve for the press launch - trust me though, you will be amazed - views you have never seen before.

If anyone has a particular view they would like to see, please let me know and I will try and accomodate. Remember, you are not limited to normal conventions, but could ask for something like all the running gear with casings made transparent or invisible or looking up from the valve seat vertically to a transparent valves.

Animations are possible also, but I do not have time to do these at present.

Kind Regards


Stuart

These drawings are fantastic Stuart - when is the press launch and where can we expect to read more about your work?

Hi Simon,

Thank you for the positive reply.

The press launch will be at the start of April. This seems a long way a way, but will come around really quickly. The exact date is being sorted out imminently and I will advise Herman so he can tell the forum and also, will put a note on this thread.

I gave a talk to Bugatti Trust members that was well received a few days ago, but due to the vagaries of Bill Gate's operating system (my PC died a few days before the talk); I could not show as much visual material as I wanted.

Therefore, I understand that they want me to do another talk to their members in the near future. This may well be tied in with the press launch, but it is by no means decided.....although it would be logical to do so.

In line with one of the project goals being to embrace new technology in order that the old car scene can continue to flourish and not whither on the vine as generations of people pass on, the press pack will be distributed to whoever is interested via a PDF on launch day.

Once the launch day is decided, you will be able to go on the Bugatti Trust website or my own (can't advertise on the forum, but they are easily found) and register your e-mail address to receive a pack. I imagine Herman will put a click thru to the pack (please Herman) on this site also, as he has been brilliantly supportive of the project.

As for when you will see more of my work.

I have put thousands of free hours into this project and have proved and will continue to prove (in my not very humble opinion!) via testing and analysis of my work that 3D modeling of old designs is a valuable way of increasing further the understanding of them. Also, the project was really good fun. Something that is an important factor when it takes so long.

To this end, I will be pitching this new(ish) way of working to as many people as I can think of with a view to picking up more work studying historical designs - preferably cars. Paying this time......

My perfect project would be to analyse a Royale, or failing that continue to work on Bugattis. Their detail design is truly superb.

Kind Regards



Stuart

Sorry, Just noticed you said when will you "read" about my work.

Answer: Shortly via teasers to forums pre launch, via the launch PDF, through the press after launch and on an ongoing ad hoc basis as the Type 35 is further analyzed.

Regards



SB

A few more pictures for you.

Oil pump body colours/textures are way out, but I thought I would show you it anyway.











Kind Regards



SB

Absolutely stunning. Great informative pictures.

_________________
Vive la Marque !!

Hi Stuart

L.J.K. Setright once wrote : "Technology is innocent, only man is vile." Once this project of yours is launched, few things about the T35 will remain a mystery. I wonder if you would like to share with us your concerns about your project being used for fraudulent activities.

How do you plan on keeping control over this information? Are there any potential pitfalls you fear? Certainly you can control who you give access, but once an individual has this information, can you prevent them from passing it on to the less honourable?

Even more importantly, what is your vision for the future? What is it you hope will be the positive result of your labour of love? How would you like to see it applied, and by whom?

Perhaps, if you have time, you can also share with us the challenges you had to overcome, and the frustrations you experienced. What did you enjoy the most?

I must admit I am curious about what kind of man has a blazing row with a stranger on an internet forum, and then, when the fight is over, give the stranger the book you used to research the very project that started the argument in the first place.

In conclusion, when you announced your project, I expressed my doubts about both you and your work. I doubt no more. Fact.

With much Admiration
Johan Buchner

About protecting the information: That always remains difficult. The only time it worked for me, was by password protecting the file itself (the file should support that) and give the info to the user, with their accountnumber as password. That way publicly shared info can be traced back to the individual who got the info in the first place.

However, even that is not completely safe...

_________________
Vive la Marque !!

L.J.K. Setright once wrote : "Technology is innocent, only man is vile."

I prefer the Jurassic Park quote by Jeff Goldblum – “Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.”

Once this project of yours is launched, few things about the T35 will remain a mystery. I wonder if you would like to share with us your concerns about your project being used for fraudulent activities.

Very concerned. It is one of the key things the Trust and I need to get nailed.

How do you plan on keeping control over this information? Are there any potential pitfalls you fear? Certainly you can control who you give access, but once an individual has this information, can you prevent them from passing it on to the less honourable?

Being worked on at the moment. For security reasons, I can’t give too much away. There are lots of pitfalls I fear and it is taking time to get it all worked out.

Even more importantly, what is your vision for the future? What is it you hope will be the positive result of your labour of love? How would you like to see it applied, and by whom?

My vision for the future is that the Bugatti Type 35 becomes the most analysed design in history. The positive result will hopefully be a new generation of Bugatti enthusiasts who are attracted to the marque not only for all the reasons we know and love, but because it allows them to interact easily with it via computers. Also the design will be recorded in a modern way for future generations to study.

Another key point is that over the next few years as computers get more powerful it should be possible to run the Type 35 as a virtual system and on virtual tracks. A kind of virtual data logging.

Perhaps, if you have time, you can also share with us the challenges you had to overcome, and the frustrations you experienced. What did you enjoy the most?

I am one of these people who come up with a vision and then find out how to make it happen. Therefore, after coming up with the idea I had to learn engineering, cad design and persuade some nice people from TBT who did not know me from a hole in the wall to support the project.

Frustrations were always thinking I had just finished and then finding another feature with numerous parts and also PC’s that are still just not quite powerful enough to allow me to work on the project the way I envisaged. i.e. Working on the model is almost a data management issue than a CAD issue.

I must admit I am curious about what kind of man has a blazing row with a stranger on an internet forum, and then, when the fight is over, give the stranger the book you used to research the very project that started the argument in the first place.

If after I had presented what I saw as a solid factual argument, you had just carried on arguing without putting up some facts yourself I would have had enough of conversing with you. However, you acted in a reasoned way, have given a lot to the forum and I like reading your work. Therefore, when you mentioned about the book and I sensed (possibly incorrectly) you were saving up for it, I thought what the hell I have a spare one, send it to JB. Simple as that!
SB

The Bugattibuilder.com crew would like to thank you for having this interview, for your time and your dedication to the Bugatti brand.

_________________
Vive la Marque !!