No, I don't know a coachbuilder, I only have the photo which was in a Swiss brochure I received scans from.

See for the complete BUCAR brochure: http://www.bugattirevue.com/revue27/prospekt4.htm

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About this chassis the following :

43202 / engine 49 was delivered to Agenzia Generale in Turin during March of 1928 as the last of a consignment of 5 chassis. The others, in reverse numerical order are : 43201 / 58 ; 43200 / 69 ; 43199 / 56 & 43198 / 55. In Conway's Grand Prix Bugatti (confirmed in Magnum) only 43198 is still around, both sources list the current owner as living in Sweden.

Du Gan lists all 5 these chassis as being delivered through the Agenzia Generale for Alberto Mussy, 43198 apparently being intended for the 1928 Mille Miglia, driver unknown. Du Gan is not sure whether it was fitted with the Zagato Roadster body from new (see photo)



In a brief entry for 43199/56 Du Gan speculate that 3 of these chassis' were work's entries for the aforementioned Mille Miglia, the drivers and registration numbers as follows : Nuvolari / 6559WW22 ; Brilli-Peri / 6559WW20 & Bordino 6557WW20. (no mention of which 3 chassis)

And this is the sum total of information about these 5 chassis'. If indeed 43202 is original, it represents a major new find. As to the coachwork, my own personal thoughts and reasoning :

Since most T43's were fitted with either Grand Sport or 43A roadster bodies, most one-off bodies has featured in print somewhere, and I discovered quite a few new and unknown (to me) bodies in Du Gan, mostly rather heavy looking 4 seater cabriolets by Graber. I have never seen any photograph or even a mention of such a stunning dual-cowl (Or should that be twin-cockpit) tourer, and careful observation of the photo provided unveil some interesting anomalies. Jaap is right, it does appear very similar to the 2 seater torpedo body fitted to several T43's (see 43203/79 delivered to Friderich, Nice , 07/02/1928 in Wiki) but look at the rear seat of 43202 ; not only does the body appear too low to allow the fitting of both seat and passenger, but said passenger will sit on top of, and to the back of the rear axle. Very little space for the passenger's legs and knees, and the V-windscreens appear too low and too raked back to be original. I agree, a most beautiful car, but as to whether it can lay legitimate claim to the identity of 43202, it would seem a little unlikely.

"But one cannot believe in impossible things." said Alice in Wonderland. "It requires practise", said the queen, " I believe in as many as three impossible things before breakfast."

Kind Regards
Johan Buchner

Well, legroom for people in the rear seats was not really a consideration when designing these cars, however it should be do-able to sit in there. (legroom in a standard type 40 is at least more then in a BMW 5 series...)

About the rake of the windscreen: You could be right...

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Vive la Marque !!

The following info was sent to me by a good friend.



The designer Walter Koeng had a Swiss nationality and had worked for Galle (from Paris) in his early years.
He was a good friend of Bart Loyens and had designed several car bodies for example for Charles Renauld.

Does this design/drawing have a date? I'll tell you why I'm asking, I thought Charles Renauld only started collecting Bugattis after WWII. In any event, a beautiful car.

Thanks
Johan

Dear Johan,

It is not said that Charles Renauld had a car according to the above presented picture…
The person who gave me the info mentioned to me that he has seen a car to this design years ago.. Probably in Germany.
He thought it was not build on a 43 but on a 44 chassis.

Regards,

rivaaquarama

Sorry, I misread your post. Look at this car I found in Wiki under T44 unknown chassis numbers. Said to have a body by Lavocat & Marsaud. Definitely not the car in your drawing, but fairly close, don't you think?



Johan

Type 38 Replica with chassis number 44758

Too bad, also a replica, so not likely to solve a part of the puzzle...

Anyhow, another photo loses it's "unknown" identity, which is a good thing.

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Vive la Marque !!

Well, at least we now know where the design comes from. For me, it is one of the most beautiful T43 designs (together with the one posted by me).

Of course, Bart Loyens was active after WW2, trading Bugattis mainly (amongst others to Ray Jones). Probably the design is also post WW2.

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Body type 38 Replica with chassis or engine ex-44758 ?

to see:
The American Bugatti register 2003 gives this car as a Type 38/44, engine # ex-44758


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Hello, in the advertisemnet is write who is an ex Barone Raimondo Franchetti's car.
Hence the first immatriculation plates was "Roma .....". Who know the numbers ?

I've tried contacting the advertiser twice via e-mail and once via phone -- no response. I had a customer interested in learning more about it irregardless of its SA origins. Anybody have better luck in getting a response? Or is this car just "vapor" and not real...

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me: Mark - home: Gilbert, Arizona now

Maybe the advertisement was placed only to keep us on the forum busy??

Has there been any new developments regarding this car? I've finally seen the advertisement in C&SC (There is a 2 month delay for S.A.) and part of me quite admire the sheer front of the advertiser, it truly is a masterpiece of the vague soft-sell. A great description of the T43, almost nothing about chassis 43202. As for the coachwork, it truly is stunning, a work of art. There really is no need to try and pass this car off as original, surely there must be a ready market for such a well-executed creation?

Like Mark I also sent an e-mail and I politely asked for the history of this car, and yes, I did mention that I was not a potential buyer, merely a curious amateur historian. They did not reply, strangely enough. How rude.

Regards
Johan