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Attend Middle School Online at Excel
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October 17, 2022
We congratulate the finalist, and of course hope they will each win their category! The Bugatti Trust already won the Historic Motoring Award in the categories Museum of the year and Car of the year, in 2019! The star-studded Historic Motoring Awards 2022 ceremony will take place on Wednesday 16 November at a spectacular new venue, The Londoner in the heart of the capital’s West End. The finalists for each category have been announced, and the winners will be presented at the Awards in November. Top picture: The Bugatti Owners Club and the Bugatti Trust both present at Ivan Dutton's stand at Retromobile, 2019. More info and voting, in some of the categories only.... |
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October 14, 2022 Bonhams Auction, The Zoute Sale Belgium, October 9, 2022
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October 2, 2022 RM Sotheby's auction, the Gene Ponder collection, September 22 - 24, 2022
Baby Bugatti and automobilia-results
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September 25, 2022 During the annual Bugatti Festival last weekend in Molsheim Paul Kestler, now 92 years old, was awarded Honorary Citizen of Molsheim in the presence of Michel Bugatti and many friends of Paul and la marque. Paul Kestler has researched the evolution of coachwork style of Bugatti, is a Co-founder of the Enthousiastes Bugatti Alsace and their annual Festival Bugatti and was one of the leading organisers of the unforgettable Centenaire Bugatti. Besides the "Evolution of a style" book, and the one on the Royale, quite recently (in 2019) a comic book with the Bugatti history (also in English) appeared, after a script written by Paul and Monique. May he have many more years surrounded by his supporting family, especially his daughter Monique. |
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September 25, 2022 During the annual Bugatti Festival last weekend in Molsheim, as always awards were given for the most special, most beautiful and other cars. The winners were:
 During the morning, the cars were displayed for adoring Bugatti enthusiasts from near and far to admire. Local Molsheim residents also enjoyed a closer glimpse of the Bugattis. In the afternoon, the cars were paraded through the streets of Molsheim, before halting to be judged by a panel of experts that included Christophe Piochon. The judges meticulously examined each car, searching for a Bugatti truly worthy of the Coupe Bugatti Automobiles. After much soul searching, the trophy was finally awarded to a Type 57C Cabriolet Corsica. Other awards, including the Trophée Fondation Bugatti were also presented. This year's winner was a Type 46 Petite Royale' by Gangloff, which received the intricate trophy, itself built from the same materials used to create Bugatti cars, and crowned by a piece of Lalique crystal. Below, two more photographs of Michel Perridon in his prize-winning Stelvio, in the one on the right he is being congratulated by your webmaster
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January 26, 2023 RM - Sotheby's Arizona Auction USA
Benefitting from a short ownership chain of a handful of doting collectors, and attention from some of the world’s most respected EB110 specialists, this Bugatti is a particularly noteworthy example of the celebrated Campogalliano supercar. According to the research of Johann Petit’s Bugatti EB110 Registry, chassis number 068 is approximately the 51st of 85 examples built to GT specifications, and it was completed as a second-series car equipped with a revised cooling system and a modified rear bumper. Ordered in May 1994 by the dealer Zdenek-Auto on behalf of a client in the Czech Republic, the Bugatti was finished in Bugatti Blue paint and appointed with an interior upholstered in dual-tone gray leather in a non-standard special-order configuration. After being delivered to the first owner in August 1994, the EB110 was frequently enjoyed on the open road while being consistently maintained. In 2001 the Bugatti was sold to its second owner, another enthusiast residing in the Czech Republic, and he immediately submitted the car to the specialists at Dauer Sportwagen in Nuremberg, Germany—the company responsible for the Le Mans-winning Dauer 962, and the officially licensed continuation builder and servicer of EB110 examples following Bugatti Automobili’s receivership. At this time the original engine number 090 was replaced by the motor currently installed, engine number 063, a correct GT-specification motor. The car was also fitted with the revised rear fascia panel it now wears, featuring a centrally-placed Bugatti logo. The EB110 GT remained in the Czech Republic through 2012, at which point the car was exported to Italy and exhibited at the Auto e Moto d’Epoca concours d’elegance in Padua. Sold to a noted Italian collector, 068 enjoyed the company of numerous flagship supercars until the collection’s offering by RM Sotheby’s in late 2016. After being presented at the London Concours d’Elegance in June 2017, the Bugatti was sold in 2018 to an enthusiast based in Denmark before more recently passing to the consignor, who soon submitted the car for servicing to B Engineering in Emilia-Romagna, the current rightsholder to EB110 production and official marque-endorsed maintenance; over $12,000 was invested in the maintenance of the Bugatti at this time. Accompanied by an owner’s manual and warranty booklet and documented with service invoices from Dauer and B Engineering, this mildly used Bugatti displays 31,930 kilometers (~19,840 miles) at cataloguing. The beautifully presented EB110 GT should steal the heart of any supercar enthusiast or Bugatti collector. Ideal for presentation at concours d’elegance or enjoyment of its groundbreaking high-performance engineering and design envelope, it is sure to deliver visceral thrills at speed. It ably epitomizes the undeniable success of Romano Artioli’s short-lived dream, a muscular thoroughbred emitting the panache and style for which Le Pur Sang has become a thing of legend.
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February 1, 2023 RM - Sotheby's Paris Auction Paris, France
1928 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster by Lavocat et Marsaud, Chassis 43233, engine 62
The Type 43 on offer, chassis 43233, was delivered in chassis form to Stand Auto Garage on the Champs-Élysées in Paris after being invoiced in September of 1928. One month later, the Bugatti received standard Grand Sport coachwork and was registered to its first owner, Robert Senechal. A Delage Works driver and former manufacturer of cyclecars, Mr. Senechal was exactly the type of esteemed character one would expect to purchase such a fine He would soon put this chassis, then wearing temporary torpedo bodywork, to work; he achieved overall victory at the 1928 Rallye de Pau while entered in the lower 2-to-3-litre category, followed by a class win a few days later at the nearby Morlaas hillclimb. Soon after, respected Parisian coachbuilders Lavocat et Marsaud completed a two-seat roadster-style body for the chassis.
After the coachwork was fitted in January 1929, the campaign continued at the French Motorcycle Club Hill climb that same month, with a class win at the Gometz le Chatel hill climb coming that October. Not long after, the car was sold to an unknown buyer, but in 1932 chassis 43233 entered the ownership of Jean Trevoux. Several Four additional Frenchmen are reported to have taken ownership of the car before the war. Beginning in 1945, Jean Charbonneaux and his family would be owners for just over a decade. Charbonneaux owned a separate Type 43, chassis 43251 with engine number 62, and at some point during his ownership, the engines were swapped. It would be sold to François Claude Pruvot, an engineer, in 1955, before passing to a Parisian mechanic, Jacques Banao, in 1962.
By 1965 the Bugatti had landed on English shores, entering the collection of Peter Newens. After being purchased by Franck Wall in 1971, an extensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration occurred. A photograph from In October 1978, chassis 43233 sold at auction in London to the Seydoux Collection in Paris; after exactly 50 years, the Bugatti had returned to its original hometown. The vehicle would remain on the continent after being purchased by Oscar Davis at auction in 1996. Invoices and correspondence from the period show the Bugatti was maintained at a shop in the Netherlands in order to be used at a moment’s notice for a number of European rallies.
Davis eventually sold the car to a New Hampshire gentleman in 2002 but would eventually buy back this wonderful Today, the Type 43 is finished in a deep shade of red with a black leather interior. A suite of Jaeger gauges reading water temperature, amperes, engine speed, road speed, and oil pressure complement the finely finished wood dashboard. The car has been maintained by Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania throughout ownership of the consigning owner. Work has included the installation of a new wiring harness, a valve job, a full reseal of the engine including new water plates, and the fitment of a new radiator core by Chuck Niles at American Honeycomb. With approximately just 160 examples of this model produced, this extraordinary Bugatti is both rare and desirable in equal measure.
1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster in the style of Jean Bugatti, chassis 55219 According to the report by marque expert David Sewell, the Swiss Bugatti Agent Bucar of Zurich ordered chassis 55219 in the winter of 1932 on behalf of their client Mr. Edmond Reiffers, a notary in the city of Luxembourg. Once completed later that spring, a factory employee delivered the unbodied chassis with a temporary seat to the border just 160 kilometres away from the factory.
In 1938, the car was sold to industrialist Rudi Cloos, a fellow resident of Luxembourg. However, the Bugatti changed hands two more times in the following two years within the Grand Duchy before being hidden away during the war. When peace finally arrived in 1945, the vehicle was unearthed and registered to Pierre Schickes, an electrician. Unfortunately, the Bugatti would suffer front end damage under his ownership. Subsequent
Part-owner of Precision Motor Cars, Bob Estes of California, eventually took ownership of chassis 55219 in order to use it as a parts car for his other Type 55, chassis 55230. The remainder of the car was then sold to Ray Jones of Birmingham, Michigan, in 1963. The Type 55’s present, highly attractive bodywork built in the style of the famous Jean Bugatti roadster design was created and fitted in the 1970s.
In 2008, a comprehensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration was undertaken by Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania, bringing together the original components from the three cars acquired. While disassembled, independent Bugatti researcher David Sewell inspected the car. He concluded the chassis frame, engine, bulkhead
Prior to being acquired by the consigning owner, the lower crankcase had been machined, removing some of the original factory stampings. Luckily, assembly number 36 remained on the front left arm and matched the same assembly number found on the top crankcase which further bore the correct “11” engine number stamping.
Additionally, “11” was found stamped on the upper camshaft drive housing, in addition to both the exhaust and This highly sought-after Type 55—clothed in timeless roadster bodywork in the style of the great Jean Bugatti—can be enjoyed by enthusiasts for decades to come.
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February 2, 2023 Bonhams' Auction - LES GRANDES MARQUES DU MONDE À PARIS Paris, France
1932 Bugatti T55 Cabriolet,
Coachwork by Vanvooren,
Chassis no. 55217 This Type 55 chassis with engine '24' was assembled at the factory in May 1932, as were chassis with engines '17' to '23'. Chassis '55217/24' was transported by road from Molsheim to Paris on 29th July 1932 and was invoiced that same day to Lamberjack's Paris dealership for the sum of 72,500 French francs. The chassis was then sent to Vanvooren in Courbevoie to receive a two-seater cabriolet body.
The Type 55 was registered new on 12th May 1936 at the Pas de Calais prefecture, under the license plate number '3988 NA 6' in the name of Eugène Leleux (junior). Born on 17th October 1906 in Lille, Eugène Florimond Albert Leleux was a brewer by trade and ran the Croix de Grès brewery in Divion. The Leleux family's first Bugatti was a Type 40A convertible acquired on 23rd June 1932. It was replaced in October 1936 by a Type 57 cabriolet which was sold to finance the purchase of the Type 55. Lamberjack's Société Franco-Américaine d'Automobiles' original invoice for the Type 55 cabriolet is made out to 'Mr Eugène Leleux son, Divion' and is dated 6th May 1936. It details 'A Bugatti 2L300 type 55 car number 55217. New, bodied as a two-seater Vanvooren convertible. For a payment of sixteen thousand francs in cash, twenty-five thousand francs in ten installments and the trade-in of a Bugatti 57143 as it is'.
In 1941, the Lille newspapers reported that Mr Eugène Leleux, a brewer in Divion, had filed a complaint with the police concerning the theft of his car, which he had left on rue de la Comédie. He was able to regain possession of his car, which had been discovered during a police patrol. We do not know if it was his Type 55 cabriolet, but the notion is appealing. In 1942, the car was entrusted to the good care of the Bugatti repair workshop at 75 quai Carnot in Levallois, managed by the famous Doctor Gabriel Espanet. A first letter and invoice dated 28th August 1942 states: "Following your letter of August 24, we have the advantage of sending you a single speed, two type 55 front springs and a steering wheel. As regards the rear spring slide supports, the model of which you sent us, we are writing to our factory in Bordeaux to send us a pair as soon as possible..." The invoice for 1,053 French francs was attached. By letter of 14th October 1942, the rear slides were provided in turn for the sum of 1,318 French francs.
These letters shed light on the Bugatti factory's ability to continue its activities at the Levallois repair workshop and the relocated factory in Bordeaux. Soon this factory would close and the tools would be repatriated to Alsace by the new owner, H Trippel.
Eugène Mulnard was president of the Écurie Flandre, founded in Lille just after the war, whose notable members included the pilot/manufacturer Paul Delbarre, the Simca specialist Monnier, Jacky Pollet, Flamencourt (the team's official mechanic) and Werry the administrative director. Mulnard raced in the Monnier Spéciale with a BMW 328 engine at the Chimay Grand Prix in 1953 but retired with a gearbox problem. In July 1988, Eugène Mulnard was kind enough to commit his Bugatti memories to paper for Bugatti authority Pierre-Yves Laugier: "The Bugatti 55217 was equipped when I bought it with a Cotal 32 mkg gearbox. I do not know if the assembly was done by Bugatti or any other mechanical workshop. The engine block was leaking some water at a spark plug cupola I repaired. In 1950, the Bugatti company rue Carnot in Levallois supplied me with pistons and rings. I completely dismantled the engine and all the parts remained detached for many years, not having time to take care of them. "In 1975, I put everything back together. The only part that I could not find at Scintilla: the battery charge regulator. In 1980 the Bugatti was in perfect working order. This car has never been damaged, and always perfectly maintained. I did 117,000 km with it. "Only one problem: while I was in Switzerland, around 1948, I filled up with gasoline, in this gasoline was incorporated at the time Tetra-ethyl lead. I had to drain and replace with unleaded gasoline. "In 1949, I was in Germany. During my stay, there were heavy snowfalls, roads rutted by the war. The engine being very close to the ground. It had to stay two months in the garage. I was president of Écurie Flandres in which there were eight cars. We raced in Formula I and did rallies and hill climbs. The Bugatti has never been entered in any competition; it was the car I drove every day."
The great Bugatti lover Marc Blanc of Montbrison bought the Type 1955 cabriolet in 1980. He had known Mulnard for years, paying him frequent visits, but Mulnard was never inclined to sell the car. One day Mulnard contacted Marc Blanc, saying that he had decided to part with his Bugatti. He confided in him that he had four potential buyers but wished to visit them in turn to determine which was best able to restore the Bugatti to correct original specification. At that time Marc Blanc was reassembling his Type 35A in his garage. Mulnard was pleasantly surprised and immediately handed Blanc his business card as a bill of sale. The transaction, for a price of 250,000 French francs, satisfied both parties. Blanc traveled to Wattrelos to take possession of the Type 55, which arrived in Montbrison towed by a Peugeot 504 belonging to the company. According to Marc Blanc, the Bugatti had had a minor collision leaving one of the wings out of line. The car remained in its garage in Montbrison between two Bugatti Grand Prix cars for nearly ten years, without being restarted. Marc Blanc then dismantled the engine, which he entrusted, together with the Cotal gearbox, to his official mechanic Marc Defour of Sury-le-Comtal for an overhaul. In 2009, the Type 55 was exhibited for the first time, at the Salon d'Avignon, and four years later was sold to collector Ton Meijer through dealers Bruno Vendiesse and Jaap Braam Ruben. The Bugatti was driven to its new home in Carpentras but the engine was running poorly. It was decided to undertake a complete restoration, which was entrusted to the Ventoux Moteurs workshop run by Laurent and Raphael Rondoni. The rebuild would take more than three years to complete. The chassis was stripped bare and all the mechanicals overhauled, with some worn parts replaced. The cam boxes and the camshafts were manufactured by Rondoni together with the water pipes and compressor mounting gear. The split cylinder block was replaced with a new block obtained from Crosthwaite & Gardiner in Buxted, UK. The original roller-bearing crankshaft was overhauled with new connecting rods with cages and rollers from Brineton Engineering of Wolverhampton. During the replacement of the Cotal gearbox, the old Bugatti gearbox's fixing holes were found, as well as those of the levers and the braking system, which had been modified to suit the Cotal which required a special crosspiece. A new gearbox from Crosthwaite was machined by Ventoux Moteurs and fitted with dog gears from Brineton Engineering.
The electrical wiring harness was remade by Rondoni, while the Scintilla lighting and magneto are original. The radiator was only cleaned, and the rear axle overhauled, as were the shock absorbers and the brakes. The front axle was re-nickeled and the original cast aluminum wheels retained. The exhaust, which had been shortened, was extended by a muffler and a silencer under the running board. Restoration of the bodywork was entrusted to the good care of renowned Dutch workshop Dijkhof in Achterveld, which also took care of the restoration of Mr Meijer's former Bugatti Type 55 roadster. The body's timber framework was changed in large part because it was rotten,and the Bugatti was finally delivered to its owner around Christmas 2018. All original mechanical parts that were replaced were returned to the owner and are offered with the car. Among the six Type 55 cabriolets bodied by Vanvooren in Courbevoie, '55217' is the only one to have retained its original bodywork on its 1932 chassis; all the others have been modified to a greater or lesser extent, while '55227' and '55236' no longer exist. Bonhams would like to offer its grateful thanks to marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier for his assistance in compiling this description, a longer report in French is available upon request.
1939 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet Project,
Chassis no. 57751 Registered in the Seine department as '58810-RQ' on 9th December 1947, the car then spent several years off the road in storage before ending up in the possession of Jacques Leli?re in Toulon. The Galibier body was removed and placed on another car. A new body in the style of the British coachbuilder Corsica was made for '57751'. Subsequently this car's identity became confused with that of another Bugatti (a not uncommon occurrence) but all numbers on the car are compatible with '57751' and clearly the '49' on the authentic chassis plate is an over-stamping (see Bugatti Registry extract on file). Believed to have covered only some 30,000 kilometres in its lifetime, the Bugatti is offered as an incomplete rolling chassis together with a quantity of non-original body parts. The chassis was restored recently and is presented in excellent condition. Offered with Netherlands registration papers, this Type 57 is a potentially most rewarding project for the Bugatti enthusiast.
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February 3, 2023 Artcurial Retromobile Auction Paris, France
1929 Type 35C Grand Prix, chassis 4920, ex Bart Rosman
The 2-litre supercharged engine 166 C was assembled at the factory in May 1928 along with 2-litre engines n°164 to 167 and 2-litre 300 engines n° 168 to 170.
Therefore, for the Monaco Grand Prix on 14 April, he used 4920, its registration number 2677 RB 6 clearly visible in photos. He finished an honourable 4th place behind the Mercedes SSK of Caracciola. The team came together again for the second Bugatti Grand Prix, organised by the Molsheim boss at the Le Mans circuit on 2 June 1929. Bouriat took part in testing in 4920 N° 33 and Rothschild in a new and as yet unregistered 35C N° 34, (probably 4930 bought two weeks earlier). Having broken a rod in his Bugatti, Juan Zanelli acquired 4920 on the weigh-in day from Rothschild who decided to drive his Type 44, while Bouriat moved to the wheel of N°34. Zanelli, who was racing 4920 for the first time, won the Grand Prix. He repeated this feat in 1930, this time at the wheel of 4921 which he also acquired from the Rothschild team, before Hellé Nice took it over for the following two seasons. In 1929, Guy Bouriat was in charge of Baron de Rothschild's racing team before becoming the director of sales for the new Bugatti showroom at 46, avenue Montaigne. Juan Zanelli (1906-1944), the young Italo-Chilean millionaire and vice-consul for Chile in Nice, had been racing Bugatti since 1926. It is believed he acquired, or was lent for the race, Bugatti 4920, just before the start of the Bugatti Grand Prix held at the circuit at Le Mans on 2 June 1929. The registration plate of the Chilean's winning Bugatti, 2677 RB 6, was clearly visible at the finish. At the Marne GP on 7 July 1929, Zanelli drove Rothschild's other Bugatti 35C, 2678 RB 6, namely 4921, and at San Sebastian on 25 July, Zanelli entered 4921 for Foresti as well as his new 4939, acquired ten days earlier. He appears not to have used 4920 in any other event during 1929.
As early as 1929, he acquired a Bugatti Type 37A which it is thought Eddoura used for testing during the Laffrey hillclimb on 18 August 1929. Using the pseudonym " Ralph " Rousselet began racing in his 37A from the spring of 1930. He took part in several hillclimbs, at Camp in May, and at Les Alpilles and Val de Cuech in June, again in the 1500cc class. In the summer of 1930, he lent his 2-litre supercharged vehicle, which he had not yet competed in, to the young motorcycle prodigy Eddoura.
Edouard GRAMMONT (1906-1930). From September 1926, the grounds of the château Grammont resonated to the sound of Bugatti on an improvised circuit at the property. The young Edouard, who had just turned 20 years old, drove a Brescia and a Type 37, probably bought new. At the start of the 1930 season, Marcel Rousselet decided to put his faith in the young motorcycling prodigy and entrusted him with a drive in his powerful supercharged Bugatti 2-litre. At the Lyon Grand Prix on 15 June 1930, Eddoura, competing in the 2-litre class, in the 35C 4920, was classified 6th despite retiring on the 24th lap. On 20 July, Eddoura, driving the 35C, set the fastest time and the outright record for the race at Baraque, completing 10km in 5 min 44 sec at an average speed of 104,651 km/h. On 10 August 1930, the spirited driver lined up for the start at the Circuit du Dauphiné in Grenoble. Some of the best Bugatti drivers were amongst his competitors. On the first lap, Etancelin was in the lead with Eddoura second, followed by Lehoux who took over the lead in the fourth lap. On the sixth lap, Eddoura beat his own lap record at 127 km/h and overtook Etancelin, before running in first place during a pit stop by Lehoux. A few laps later, while overtaking Savora in his 2-litre Bugatti at the end of the straight, Eddoura caught his front left wheel. The driver was thrown out and died instantly, while the 35C rolled three times, hit a tree and came to rest on the rails of the tram line. The remains of the car were picked up along the entire length of Me. Delamarche's property. Photos show it was only the rear of the car that was completely destroyed. The radiator, bonnet, engine and bulkhead appear to have been left intact. The chassis was totally bent and the axle broken. An imposing monument in Eddoura's memory was erected on the site of the accident from a subscription made by the Moto Club Dauphinois. The brothers Jan & Joel Martel made four bronze plaques, recounting Eddoura's victories and passions. The Grammont family reimbursed M. Rousselet for the full cost of the car.
For the 1932 season, Rousselet - alias Ralph - got his Bugatti 35C back, which had been completely rebuilt by the factory at Molsheim. He participated in the Camp hillclimb, winning the 2-litre class. On 5 June, he was second in Les Alpilles hillclimb. He also took part in the race at Klausen in Switzerland on 7 August 1932.
However, he kept his Bugattis for a while longer. On 7 October 1936, the last Lyon owner following Rousselet registered the 35C for a two week period, still with the number 7466 PF 1. This was likely to have been an automobile dealer as, on 19 October the Bugatti was registered in Ain. This was in the name of Claudius Triffe, a grocer from the village of Hauteville, with the registration number 7997 AB 2. In 1923, his mechanics workshop had been declared bankrupt and in 1928, he sold a furniture business. He was no more than an intermediary in the sale of the Bugatti which he kept for under a week. On 24 October 1936, the Bugatti returned to the Rhône department with the number 954 PF 8. Details of the owner are unknown as police records were destroyed. The Bugatti 35C has probably not left the city of light and was re-registered in the new system on 11 July 1955, given the number 6397 AM 69. Around 1960, a young enthusiast by the name of Antoine Toti, confided to his friend Michel Payet, that he knew of a racing Bugatti that he hoped to recover. Toti told the Bugattist Bernard Viallon that he had got the information from his uncle Nazare Toti, the talented mechanic for the Malartre collection in Rochetaillé sur Saône since 1952. The car was believed to belong to a coal merchant by the name of Girard, whose company was located at the quays in Gerland in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon. The wholesale coal company supplied heating coal for the entire Lyon conurbation, and occupied these premises between 1946 and 1964. The date the company was sold may correspond to the purchase of the Bugatti, as it is believed that Antoine Toti, then 54 years of age, succeeded in acquiring the car in 1964. The vehicle was registered at his address, 12 rue du Repos Lyon VII, on 11 May 1965. Bernard Viallon came to work on the car in Toti's hangar in Corbas around 1983. He was asked to adjust the valves, but only the engine was made accessible to him. He was not allowed to uncover the rest of the car. After a week's work, the Bugatti was running again and was driven around the yard before being put away again for another fifteen years. Bernard Viallon remembers that the front axle was chrome with front and rear clips conforming to a 1931 Type 51. This is logical as the rebuild following the accident must have taken place that year. The car was sold by Antoine Toti on 26 September 1997 to the Dutch collector Bart Rosman through the dealers Bruno Vendiesse and Jaap Braam Ruben.
#4920 has been raced by such prestigious drivers as Guy Bouriat, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Juan Zanelli, Eddoura, and Ralph with notable successes in major events. It is one of the best preserved and most original and authentic Type 35Cs to survive, one of just 55 examples produced between the spring of 1927 and the summer of 1930. A thoroughbred of this kind rarely comes up for auction, the stables containing them jealously guarded by their enlightened owners.
Some might have been tempted to keep such a masterpiece under wraps in the hushed confines of a heated garage, but Bart Rosman was not such a man. His training as an engineer and decades of mechanical experience, especially with Bugatti, meant that his cars were always ready to go, with meticulously assembled and tuned engines. This 35C was the perfect illustration of his know-how and philosophy: a true race car, he used it as such, at 100% of its capacities, even using a mixture of petrol and methanol as was the practice in competition at the time. During the various Historic Monaco Grand Prix in which he took part at the wheel, the car's performance, combined with the excellent driving skills of its driver, left a lasting impression. Never driven, but always driven, this fabulous 35 is just waiting to be put back on the track, it will have to benefit from a careful restart after a few years of disuse. It comes with a lot of parts including a front axle, a stone guard, an incomplete engine whose lower crankcase will have to be repaired, 2 seats and a consequent backrest.
1929 Type 43, chassis 43303, ex Bart Rosman, ex Guillaume Prick
Engine no. 130 was assembled at the works on 9 September 1928, but it was only at the end of 1929 that the chassis with engine no. 130 was dispatched from Molsheim to the showroom on the avenue Montaigne in Paris. And so, on 25 November 1929, the car, with the chassis plate 43297, arrived in the capital. It is possible that it remained in stock for some time, on display or as a demonstrator, before returning to Molsheim.
On 29 January 1931, with its definitive chassis number 43303, it was sent by train to Zurich on behalf of the company B.U.C.A.R. It remained in stock there for another few years, possibly in the free zone in the firm's premises at Saint-Louis (near Basel) as it was not cleared through customs in Switzerland.
As a result, they separated in January 1935 and Rens instituted legal proceedings to reclaim his shares in the garage in Calais which he ran jointly with a M. Rejeange. He returned to Holland for good and it was at this point that he expressed his interest in the Bugatti Type 43, which was for sale at van Ramshorst's Albatros garage. Rens started by renting the car from 10 May to 1 July 1935 and insured it for the substantial sum of 225 florins. He was then supposed to buy the car for 4000 florins. Rens asked van Ramshorst to convert the Type 43 3/4-seat torpedo into a two-seater, most likely for tax reasons. The modification was carried out on 4 June 1935, but instead of being shortened, the car was fitted with a (removable) metal panel covering the rear seats. The panel can be clearly seen in family photographs from the time. The car was also fitted with a bonnet strap and stone guard. The insurer J.-Herm Schroder recorded the registration number GZ 17555 for the insurance policy on 5 September 1935; the vehicle licensing records for Amsterdam also indicate that this number was transferred to Rens on 16 May 1935 at his address at 102 Euterpestraat. Rens held out the promise to van Ramshorst of the French inheritance - his shares in the garage - he was due to receive. His lawyer was none other than the best man at his wedding in Paris, Maître Raymond Hubert, a leading barrister who had pleaded in the Stavisky affair. One wonders how he had become friends with the infamous Dutchman. Before the affair was settled, Rens managed in May 1936 to get his mother to pay for his latest fad, a secondhand Bugatti Type 51, which would be seized in 1938. In April 1940, he tried to serve his country courageously by asking the Secretary of the Swedish Legation for the possibility of enlisting as a pilot instructor in the service of the Swedish government, pointing out his perfect knowledge of German, English, French and Dutch, but it does not seem that he was able to obtain this assignment. On 17 August 1941, after a wild rant in front of one of his neighbours in Amsterdam with a revolver in his hand, he was arrested and sent to the Gross Rosen concentration camp at Rogoznica in Poland. He died there on 9 April 1942.
In December 1939, Cramer bought a secondhand supercharger, no. 154, and had some work carried out on the car. According to the recollections of some local people, however, Cramer's young wife could not stand the noise the Bugatti made and he soon had to sell it back to the Albatros garage. As the marriage between Bernard Cramer and Anna Catharina van Marle was celebrated at Wapenveld on 4 August 1942, it may be assumed that the Bugatti was sold around then. The Type 43 torpedo joined the stock of at least ten Bugattis tucked away in large premises known as 'The Temple', next to the Obrechtkerk church in Amsterdam. In an old photograph showing the Bugattis in this secret location, the Type 43 torpedo can be seen second from the left. It was registered in the name of van Ramshorst's garage as G 70670. The hiding-place was kept secret through the war, and in 1950 van Ramshorst decided to shorten the Type 43 chassis to race it at Zandvoort. Several photographs show the modified car in the streets of Amsterdam, with the registration plates G 274, and then with the racing number 40 driven by van Ramshorst at Zandvoort. A year later, the car was sold to the Bugatti enthusiast Guillaume Prick in a purchase agreement dated 16 July 1951. Prick registered the car as P 5198 and christened it 'Prima Donna'. In his ownership, the torpedo became part of the origin of Bugatti's legend in Europe, as from 1951 Prick spread his gospel at circuits and on rallies across the continent. For him, the world had begun the year in which the founder of the Molsheim company was born!
It was bought by Pim Hascher, an unconventional collector born into a family of musicians in Leiden; he became the proud owner of the Type 43 torpedo on 13 October 1984 and registered it as PX-51-RG. Hascher had driven Bugattis since the start of the 1950s, first a Chevrolet-engined Type 40 and then, from 1953, a Type 37. But for him, the Type 43 was the final stage in his initiation into the legend of Bugatti, the design of whose engines was instrumental in the revelation he experienced. On 9 February 2008, at Bonhams' auction at Rétromobile, the Type 43 torpedo was sold to the engineer and Bugatti historian Bart Rosman for 1,327,500 €. The car joined his collection, which had long included a Type 40 GS, a Type 37, a rare 35C and a Touring-bodied Ferrari 340 America Barchetta.
According to the notes from the factory, the original crankshaft was no. 165. It has not been possible to check whether this was noted when the engine was stripped down. The gearbox and its casing are numbered 131, and the strut 132. The original rear axle, no. 132, was swapped for no. 52 from the Type 43 chassis no. 43196 which Prick also owned in the 1960s. No. 43196 still has the rear axle no. 132 previously fitted to chassis no. 43303. Bart Rosman and the other owner intended to refit these parts to their original chassis. The original, shortened chassis frame is no. 131. Pierre-Yves Laugier, December 2022
1936 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante, Chassis 57432 The first owner Charles Olivero used it for various rallies: the Rally des Alpes (with a female friend Daisy), the Rally de Monte Carlo and the Liège Rome Liège (both with his brother Jean). The second owner was a famous pilot Leon Givon, who crossed the Atlantic Ocean (but alas after Charles Lindbergh had managed to do it in the other direction) and who used it extensively. The third owner wanted to have a new Atalante after the war but as the factory could not build one anymore, he had this car restored to ‘as new’ with a new engine and gearbox, a closed more ‘modern‘ aerodynamic body (mince coupe fermé) and he renumbered it. The rebuild took ten months and cost more than a new car and as such was called ‘the Millionen auto’ (after the money). It saved the life of the fourth owner and his wife when he had to flee the Congo (on that day over 70 Belgians were killed in an uprising by the rebels). The car was restored back to its original shape in the early nineties when its original chassis number was retrieved (as a result of the research of Pierre Yves Laugier). The last two decades the caretaker of "57432" was a well-known Bugatti Historian. This car had a real life but it has kept its soul!
It was around 1984 that Bart Rosman bought a collection of original Bugatti 35 parts from Bernard Viallon, the well-known haulier and collector from Meurthe-et-Moselle. The parts included a cam box (no. 85), a steering box, a complete gearbox (no. 186) from A.F. Loyens' stock in Luxembourg, a rear axle (14x54) from Antoine Raffaelli's stock, a front axle, a clutch, a steering wheel, an oil pump and a water pump, as well as various items including brake compensators.
To this collection is added a rebuilt chassis (probably by Eysseric at Nyons), a radiator and stone guard, apparently from A.F. Loyens' stock, the pointed aluminium tail section of the body, as well as the scuttle, both of them remanufactured, while the bonnet appears to be original. The floor pans are also present, as are four detachable rim wheels with large drum brakes, shod with tyres, four wheel hubs, four brake flanges and the brake shoes. The engine, with the number 4867 on the lower sump, is currently being assembled, and the
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February 5, 2023 Artcurial Retromobile Auction: Sale Racing, Flying & Yachting Paris, France
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Many of the Bart Rosman collection will be sold in this auction, not the cars which will be sold on February 3, but many lots of spare parts, mostly type 35 and type 37 Bugatti. Apart from the items from the Rosman collection, there will be many more interesting things for sale, like the drawing above. Seems to be a waterpump?
All parts are sold as is, without reserves. Estimates seem to be quite low, though of course the condition is unknown. Please note that the lots in this collection will not be exhibited at Rétromobile but will be visible by appointment only Wednesday 25 January 2023 in Tremblay-en-France (93290).
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February 1-5, 2023 Retromobile Paris, France
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As usual, there will be stands like those of Ivan Dutton, William I'Anson, the French Bugatti Club with Bugatti's. However, this year Jaap Braam Ruben of Fineautomobiles will host a large stand with Bugatti's only!
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March 27, 2023 Osenat Auction Fontainebleau, France
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Days of Elegance made its debut in 2022 and we’re already looking forward to 2023’s instalment. Held in the impressive grounds of Château St Gerlach, 2022’s concours classes included Elegant Tourers, Racing Legends, and Future Classics & Supercars – and they featured some real treats such as a coachbuilt Delage D6 and a stunning Lancia Astura Roadster. Visitors can expect a gala evening, classic rally, daytime picnics and plenty of charming classics.
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June 19 - 24, 2023 International Bugatti Meeting Engelberg, Switzerland
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The IBM 2023 will take place in Engelberg from
19.06. - 24.06.2023. Participants will arrive Sunday, June 18th. We look forward to welcome around 80 Bugatti teams in central Switzerland. The registration forms will be available in the beginning of November.
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I can be reached by email at J.J.Horst@BugattiPage.com.
This year no Bugattis nominated as "Car of the Year", though there are two Bugatti related finalists, in two different Categories. 
