Doug Dastardly Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 When I was in Majorca last year a very beautiful bride was driven up to the church in one of these. I heard the driver telling onlookers during the service that it was a Bugatti, but I just couldn't decide if it was a replica or the real deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 The one that is the auction is one of only two. There are other type 57s 54's but they only made two of this GP model. Another 8 followed but originally only 2 were built. It is thought the factory built the original 2 cars in 13 days. I would think that this car will be sold for more than it's £2.9 million estimate. I'm trying to convince HM to have a day out in Paris but so far no luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 Last September swmbo and I were spending a long weekend in our touring caravan at Hurst Green, Lancashire, for a bit of walking and cycling.On Friday we were walking through the vilage when I spotted some notices relating to a vintage car rally starting in the village on Saturday morning.So not knowing what to expect and armed with my camera I strolled up into the village at 9am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyPee Posted January 15, 2013 Share Posted January 15, 2013 My friends father-in-law has a very nice Teal. Was lucky enough to get a passenger ride in it a while back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted January 15, 2013 Author Share Posted January 15, 2013 Paul, that looks just right. I take it was a genuine car and not a copy. Billy, a chap I knew, who was a comedian (he was that well know I've forgotten his name) had a Teal. Looked good but too good to be real. It had a Ford V6 engine. I went to the Paris classic car exhibition a few years ago. Took a fellow Brit with me. We were walking about and he was admiring a vastly over restored type 57. I explained that it would have left the factory with the body hand painted and the leather very hard and rigid. This had a 6 foot shine and soft leather, piped seat. We turned the corner and there was another in original unmolested condition. The paint still bore the brush marks and the leather seats were cracked and torn with the stuffing coming through in places. I followed the results of the auction and the original car fetched nearly double that the over restored one. That was the year the Lord Howe 57SC was sold. It had only been washed since extraction from its barn. It had rusty headlamp bowls, rusty wheel rims, the paint was rough and worn through in places. What did it fetch? I seem to remember £3 million quid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Did you ever see the "Royal" clone that Tom Wheatcroft had built , not sure if its still there but it took pride of place at the entrance to the Donington collection , it was a truly remarkable piece of kit and supposedly a perfect replica which cost a small fortune to build The engine was massive (forget the c.c. ) the story was that when it was first road tested he stopped at the local filling station to top up , the garage owner aked him if he wouldnt mind switching the thing off as the pump couldnt keep up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 The engine was 12.7 litres and was also used in the Bugatti locomotive. 6 were built and all have survived. I believe one was found after the war in a farm where one rear tyre had been removed and it had a long leather belt around the wheel rim driving a piece of farm equipment. The problem was the car was introduced just as the world went into the great depression. They had lots of engines left over so built a train engine to use the engine. I think some of these engines had 4 engines, others had 2. I've seen one and they are truly magnificent. The longest bonnet I've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 The engine was 12.7 litres and was also used in the Bugatti locomotive. 6 were built and all have survived. I believe one was found after the war in a farm where one rear tyre had been removed and it had a long leather belt around the wheel rim driving a piece of farm equipment. The problem was the car was introduced just as the world went into the great depression. They had lots of engines left over so built a train engine to use the engine. I think some of these engines had 4 engines, others had 2. I've seen one and they are truly magnificent. The longest bonnet I've ever seen. Ye Norman we can read Wiki too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted January 16, 2013 Author Share Posted January 16, 2013 I din't get that from Wiki, but my Bugatti book. I guess that wiki got it's information from the same book. However, in this case, I just pulled it from memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pistonbroke Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Only joshing you Norman Some great shots of the collection here , though some of the captions are out http://www.crapwagon.com/forums/showthread.php?56429-Donington-Grand-Prix-Collection 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Billsberry Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 .... for THIS I've just sold the other one on ebay got £1750 for it I was well chuffed especially cos it was running a zetec 2.0 ltr with webber 45 carbs which I think might need an engine rebuild ;-) Buzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 Paul, that looks just right. I take it was a genuine car and not a copy. I think it was genuine Norm, Mam and Dad turned up in that, and Son and Daughter in law turned up in another Bugatti but a different model.... loads a money springs to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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