1965 Panhard 24BT - even weird for a French car

You have a couple more to choose from.

The Steyr 500 is already mentioned, but there was also a 126 based version ( very rare ).

The BMW700, and early Daf's.

All flat aircooled 2 cyls...

There were some aircooled flat 4 Tatra's.

The Jowett Javelin, Subaru of course, Goliath, and the Lancia Flavia had watercooled flat 4 engines.

Pretty sure there was a watercooled flat 6 Subaru as well.

You could build a really unique collection...

( although your collection is pretty unique already... )

Forgot about the GS ( and the Ami Super.. ) 

One I spotted in France a few years ago. Old boy had owned from new and seamed happy that the strange Englishman knew what it was and liked it.
He showed us under the bonnet but didn't grab a photo.

Lovely different cars.

Keep the updates coming.

James

The Panhard received a new MOT and some minor maintenance. Typically Panhards are so old they are exempt from MOT but something has gone wrong in the seventies causing it to be registered as a brand new car in 1978, instead of a well-used import. So this might be the only Panhard having to go to inspection in NL.

The workshop loved it and asked to put up some pictures on their social media. 

So a look at the wheel/drum combination




They also fixed the spare wheel carrier/drawer. It was stuck.

I didn't realise it was your Panhard at EMWalhalla! Was a good day.

I've met Mr Millyard, a chap I used to work with s a diehard biker boy and is good friends with him.

Milly used to maintain nuclear reactors for a living so stuff like making 6 pot motorbike engines is child's play - he doesn't even bother drawing plans, just designs it all in his head as he goes along!

That Panhard is a thing of beauty.

Sounds like a remote oil filter / temp controlled oil cooler would be good. Any info out there from people competing in these or 2cv's (I know different !) ? Oil cooler would add more oil capacity that sounds like a good thing anyway.
Still looking great.
James

I see the Ferrari 512BB was mentioned up there as a tongue in cheek replacement motor, but I saw something online that would be more appropriate (not really tho...) to use in the car. Apparently Panhard themselves made a 6 litre flat 12, that was used in a type of armoured car. 200hp would be pretty entertaining, though I don't know that there'd be any room left to sit in the car if you fitted one.It looks for all the world like they just stacked more cylinders together. Do these look like car cylinders? It'd be funny if there was actual parts interchangeability.



Belonged in this...


With sound... 

As things arrived way ahead of schedule I can give a preview of a modification to the Panhard. It has something to do with the round cover on the engine sump..


I will add this modification to the oil system. Its a higher output oil pump and a internal oil filter. 

So why do this?

The Panhard engine has a roller bearing crank and that brings the unique challenge (known from some motorcycles also) that a pressure lubrication system is not possible. Instead it uses a splash lubrication which is supported by small metal plates on the crankshaft that launch oil to the right places. However the valve train has a primitive form of hydraulic tappets and in general needs pressure lubrication. The camshaft also is (partly) pressure lubricated.
This means the oil pump is a compromise between delivering volume (for the splash lubrication) and pressure (though only 1 to 1,5 bar). Did I also mention its aircooled so that means the oil also has to transfer heat?

The metal plates on the crankshaft that launch the oil are a location where some spots have very low oil flow. Any dirt in the oil is therefore depositing there. And the Panhard engines don't have oil filters - as that would strain the oil pump too much. Originally this was solved by a maintenance action every 30-50.000km or so to clean those plates - which is a crankshaft out of engine job that was often skipped.
Now enter modern oils... these have dopes in them that help to set deposits in locations with very little oil flow which is normally the oil filter. When used in a Panhard engine this means it deposits on the metal plates which requires much more frequent crankshaft cleaning.

I have resolved this by an oil change every 500km since the rebuild. Thats OKish as my yearly mileage is not that much more. Still not preferred. However additionally my engine struggles with warm summer weather as the oil gets very hot and the little oil pressure there is then starts dropping. But other oils would overwhelm the oil pump or would upset the balance of flow versus pressure.



This mod gives an oil pump of 1.7x the capacity which also allows a bit higher oil pressures. But even better it allows higher flows which does a lot for heat transfer so oil temperatures stays more under control. And additionally it uses a oil filter so the deposits go to the filter instead of the crankshaft. It's a filter as used on some Smart cars.

Best of all. The whole package fits where the original oil pump and sump cover would go. So its invisible and has no exposed parts on the outside. Also it does not stick out under the car which could be a risk.

This should make the Panhard much more driveable and no anxious looks anymore to the oil pressure light. Installment will be done in summer. Its not a massive job and engine can stay in the car. Only thing to watch out for is that the shaft for the ignition distributor is driven from the oilpump so don't mess up the timing.
Someone in France developed this kit known as Paillou. I got it via the Panhard club.