The deBolex dB25 Prototype – The First Of 25 To Be Built

This is the first prototype of the deBolex dB25, a new low-volume production bike from the British custom motorcycle company that will be limited to just 25 examples.

Each dB25 starts life as a Ducati Monster 1200 however the rebuild is extensive, comprising over 100 new components, including a new lightweight CNC aluminum rear subframe, 21 carbon fibre panels, 60 laser cut sheet metal parts, and 22 CNC aluminum components.

Fast Facts – The deBolex dB25 Prototype

• The deBolex dB25 prototype, it was the first in what will be a series of 25 production motorcycles.
• The dB25 is based on the Monster 1200 although you’d be hard-pressed to know that by looking at it, as so much of the original bike has been changed, replaced, or reengineered.
• As the prototype this bike has a full aluminum fairing, the other bikes in the series are set to use composite panels.
• dB25 is currently being sold in an online auction out of London, England. At the time of writing there is still time left to bid.

deBolex Engineering

deBolex Engineering was founded 10 years ago, back in 2012, when the modern custom motorcycle scene was far newer and less populated.

The headlight cover can be quickly removed with an Allen key, allowing the bike to be 100% road legal while still looking like a modern interpretation of a classic grand prix motorcycle.

The three man team quickly made a name for themselves for their blend of high-end engineering and aesthetic design ability, resulting in some of the most beautiful custom motorcycles of the past decade.

Each custom from deBolex starts with a full teardown and an examination. They then work to reengineer and redesign the bike into something new that both looks better than the original, and performs better too.

The Ducati Monster 1200

As with essentially all the examples of the Ducati Monster dating back to the first in 1993, the Monster 1200 has a tubular steel trellis frame that uses a Ducati L-twin engine as a stressed member.

From there the specification sheets have varied significantly, the model series is widely credited with inventing the modern naked sport bike genre, and it helped keep Ducati afloat financially in the 1990s.

When it was released in 2013 the Monster 1200 was the quickest production Monster ever made thanks to its 147 bhp four-valve “Testastretta” desmodromic L-twin with a displacement of 1,198cc.

With 147 bhp and 91 ft lb of torque, the Testastretta L-twin offers no shortage of power. It also has four valve Desmodromic heads, in true Ducati style.

The bike weighed in at 187 kgs (412 lbs) dry, and it has a single-sided aluminum swingarm, Ohlins suspension front and back, and dual Brembo M50 Evo radial brakes up front.

The deBolex dB25 Prototype

The deBolex dB25 was named for the company’s initials “dB” and the planned number of bikes that will be built in the series – 25.

Each bike starts life as a Ducati Monster 1200, a motorcycle regarded as one of the best naked superbikes in the world by many, which is then completely stripped back and rebuilt.

The spec sheet of the Monster 1200 is already impressive, it was quicker than many superbikes when it was first released (and still is now), so the job of making it look and perform better was to be no mean feat.

The team at deBolex started the project by stripping the bike down and examining its construction. They then set about developing a new lightweight CNC aluminium rear subframe. A new lightweight polymer fuel cell was then designed and built.

As the first prototype in the series of 25 bikes, this example has a full hand-shaped alloy fairing. The production bikes that follow will have carbon fiber fairings based on the panels from this bike.

The prototype bike was given a carefully designed full fairing that was hand shaped from aluminum alloy using traditional techniques. This new fairing was then used as a template to create moulds for the 24 production bikes to follow, as they would all be fitted with carbon fiber fairings with the same design.

All in all, the new dB25 would be fitted with 21 carbon fiber panels, 60 laser cut sheet metal parts and 22 CNC aluminium components, that’s on top of the aforementioned aluminium subframe and polymer fuel cell.

The completed bike looks like a modern interpretation of the grand prix motorcycles raced by the greats back in the golden age, though due to its specifications the dB25 would likely have little trouble trouncing any of the classic superbikes around a track.

The dB25 prototype is now for sale in a live online auction with Collecting Cars out of London in the UK. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

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from Silodrome https://silodrome.com/debolex-db25-mototcycle/
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A (Drivable) 1/2 Scale Land Rover Series I – 100% Electric Drivetrain

This is the Rebel Replica 4, it’s an electrically-powered 1/2 scale Land Rover Series I designed to accommodate one adult or up to two children.

As you may expect he top speed is somewhat limited, at 6 mph or 9 km/h, however Land Rovers have never really been about getting anywhere quickly.

The car is made by Rebel Replicas, a small company based in Worcestershire, England. They currently offer a range of three 1/2 scale electric vehicles, one is based on the Land Rover “Lightweight,” another is based on the Defender, and there’s also the one shown here, based on the design of the Series 1 Land Rover.

Each of the three vehicles is much the same under the body, it has a chassis powered by a 24 volt electrical system and an electric motor with power sent to the rear axle via a 25:1 worm drive transmission with both forward and reverse modes, and speed control.

Just like on the full-size original Series 1, the windscreen folds down and there’s a spare wheel mounted to the top of the hood.

There’s also a 5 inch cable-operated rear disc brake to bring the vehicle safely to a stop. Just like the original full-sized Series 1, this vehicle has a spare tire mounted to the hood, and a fold down windscreen.

Driving the Rebel Replica 4 is as simple as you might expect, with a steering wheel, two pedals, and some basic controls. Under the hood you’ll find one of the two batteries, with the other battery located under the trunk floor next to the electric motor.

The Rebel Replica 4 is really designed for kids however it can be driven by a single determined adult if they insist. Gas prices being what they are around the world is might even be an appealing new daily driver for some (that was a joke, don’t send emails).

Collecting Cars is offering the vehicle you see here for sale in a live online auction, at the time of writing there are still a few days left to bid, and you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars

The post A (Drivable) 1/2 Scale Land Rover Series I – 100% Electric Drivetrain appeared first on Silodrome.

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For Sale: The Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Stunt Car From The 2017 Film “Overdrive”

This replica of the Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic was built in England for use in the 2017 action thriller “Overdrive.” Whereas the original examples of the 57 SC Atlantic are potentially worth north of $100 million each, this non-original stunt car is valued at $130,000+ USD.

Just four examples of the original Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic were ever built, three of which remain today including the jet black example owned by Ralph Lauren. It would be this Ralph Lauren Bugatti that served as the inspiration for the stunt car shown here.

Fast Facts – The 57 SC Atlantic Overdrive Stunt Car

• When the script for the film Overdrive was being written by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas it included the prominent use of a car that would be impossible to source – an original 57 SC Atlantic.
• To get around this issue a replica car was built by Morgan in the UK, with a custom fiberglass body by Ciné Cascade. It would be powered by a Rover V8 mated to a manual transmission, and it was fitted with a hydraulic handbrake.
• The car forms a central plot point in the film, appearing at the beginning, at the end, and multiple times throughout. It’s driven enthusiastically by the stunt drivers, and they make good use of that hydraulic handbrake.
• The car is now being offered for sale in a live online auction on The Market by Bonhams, the listing states that while it’s not currently road legal it is possible to register it for road use.

The 2017 Film Overdrive

The film Overdrive was released in 2017, it’s an action thriller that was likely inspired by the film Gone In 60 Seconds from the year 2000.

Above Image: This is the original theatrical trailer for the film “Overdrive,” starring Scott Eastwood, Freddie Thorp, Ana de Armas, and Gaia Weiss. As you can see, the Bugatti stunt car features prominently and it was driven at the limit.

Overdrive is a car heist film that includes a slew of historically significant vehicles including the 57 SC and the Ferrari 250 GTO, two of the most valuable cars on earth.

Although the film wasn’t particularly successful at the box office it has remained popular with fans of the genre in the years since its release.

The Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic

The Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic is one of the most historically significant cars ever made by the French automaker.

The SC Atlantic was based on the Bugatti 57 platform with an aerodynamic coupe body designed as a high-performance grand tourer.

The name “SC” stands for “Surbaissé Compresseur,” or “lowered compressor” in French, alluding to the car’s low slung suspension and its supercharged 3257cc DOHC inline-eight cylinder engine producing up to 200 bhp.

The original prototype concept car for the SC Atlantic was called the Bugatti Aérolithe, it rode on a shortened Bugatti 57 chassis and had a lightweight body made from a magnesium/aluminum alloy called Elektron.

Elektron cannot be welded, which is why the Aérolithe had a pronounced riveted seam down the centerline. Although the later 57 SC Atlantic would be made from a more traditional aluminum alloy the distinctive riveted seam was kept in place.

The design of this stunt car was closely based on the original Ralph Lauren Bugatti 57 Atlantic.

Just four examples of the Bugatti 57 SC were ever built, three for customers and one for Jean Bugatti. The three customer cars are all presently accounted for however Jean Bugatti’s car disappeared during WWII somewhere in France and has never been rediscovered.

The whereabouts of the missing 57 SC has long puzzled automotive historians and many treasure hunters have set off in search of the car over the years only to come up empty handed. If the car was discovered, even in a dilapidated state, it would likely be worth well in excess of $100 million USD.

The 57 SC Atlantic Stunt Car Shown Here

The car you see here was reportedly built by Morgan in the UK using original chassis plans for the Type 57. Of course the option of using an original Bugatti engine was out of the question, so an all-alloy Rover V8 was fitted and mated to a manual transmission.

The complex bodywork was then created by Ciné Cascade, a company specialized in the design and conception of stunt cars for film use. They opted to use fiberglass rather than aluminum-alloy due to  cost and time constraints.

The completed car was used extensively in the film, including in the action-packed opening sequence, and it’s a key plot point throughout the film.

If you’d like to read more or register to bid you can visit the listing here. The car is being offered for sale online by The Market by Bonhams with a price guide of €120,000 – €150,000, which works out to approximately $128,700 – $160,900 USD.

Images courtesy of The Market by Bonhams

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