Is that blue paint on the inside of the chassis longeron?

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Vive la Marque !!

History of #4654 from Gooding & Company :

In 1949, this Type 51 was acquired through famed coachbuilder Henri Labourdette by legendary car collector Dr. Samuel Scher. It was Scher’s intention to race the car in the early postwar road races just then being organized. He had settled upon a Type 51, but all of the cars he could locate were not for sale. After several months Labourdette turned up a previously unknown car in France, saying it had been bought and never raced by “an individual who had purchased it just for the pride of ownership.” After reconditioning by the Paris Bugatti agents to “magnificent condition” (Dr. Scher’s words in the January–February 1953 Sports Car), Scher had it painted and upholstered upon arrival in the US and gave it to Harry Gray to drive in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) race at Linden, New Jersey, which he won. Early the next year, Cornell Aeronautical Laboratories’ legendary racer Bill Milliken went on to race with the car as part of the SCCA “Round The Houses Road Race” in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 3, 1950. There, Milliken missed a shift, overrevved the Bugatti and put a connecting rod through the crankcase. The Type 51 was never repaired, passing from Scher through several hands, including Bob Morgan, until it ended up with Jack Nethercutt from whom Peter Williamson bought it in 1964 through Bunny Phillips. When Phillips shut down his shop in 1993 the work was still incomplete. Jim Stranberg at High Mountain Classics took on the task of completing it. Various components’ numbers indicated it was based on a Type 35A, but there was no known Molsheim chassis number, so investigations were begun through the American Bugatti Club to trace its origins. The engine number 55228 was a Type 55 that had been rebuilt to Type 51 specifications. It was tracked back to France, eventually uncovering the trail of a Monsieur Leloup, the last owner of 55228 who had also owned a Type 35A number 4654, engine number 44A – both in the correct range for the various component numbers – and there was no record of this Type 35A ever having been sold or scrapped. Somehow, while searching for the much-needed components, a Type 55 engine and Type 35A chassis, all reconditioned to “magnificent condition” by the Paris Bugatti agents, became available for Dr. Scher. The BOC in the UK has sanctioned these discoveries by issuing replacement chassis plate 4654, which is now affixed to this car. The restoration that was completed by High Mountain Classics in the early 1990s is in grand prix condition with a highly polished alloy body built by Phillips. The upholstery is tan leather. There are dual aeroscreens and an electric starter and cooling fan. There are no fenders or road lights. The brightly polished aluminum presentation is striking and instantly communicates the serious competitive purpose of this example of the first twin-cam grand prix car from Bugatti. The Type 51 Grand Prix marks the technical high point of engine and chassis evolution under Ettore Bugatti’s full-time direction. The competition success of the Type 51, during a period when the nationally supported teams in Italy and Germany were beginning to exert their compelling hold upon grand prix competition, is ample evidence of its competitiveness. Based on the beautifully proportioned and visually balanced Type 35, its appearance is above reproach.

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Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

This car should of course not be called a T51 as it is a reengined T35A . It should be called a T35/55.
Only cars with a T51 chassis number can be named T51.
With all respect for the late Bunny Phillips we also have to conclude that he produced the worst GP bodies (louvres) in the replica industry which I would correct immediately if it was my car. But as long as the car shines enough (Pebble Bleached) it is good enough for Pebble. Originality does not seem to matter.
Note that something is seriously wrong with the engine/chassis alignment which Lazarus certainly has noticed also.
Bugwrench

Pebble beach Tour d'Elegance 2009 :

_________________
Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

not having the pre requisite american sunglasses sadly i see nothing to what do you refer?

Even without sunglasses you can see that the centerline of crankhandle in relation to front X-member is wrong. The engine is sitting too low or the front end of the chassis is too high.
Bugwrench

Supercars.net gallerie by Richard Owen : http://www.supercars.net/gallery/119513/2137/1.html

_________________
Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

From flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattewalt/ ... 081427248/

_________________
Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

I agree with Bugwrench about the unpainted GP.

Basically it is a 35 frame with engine 31 ex 55228 and a new body made by Bunny Phillips. Just before he closed his company he affixed a plate on the dashboard in 1992 stating that he called it a type 51. Obviously this was done to persuade onlookers.

Bunny and Peter called it a 51. The 55 engine was of course similar to the type 51. This is probably the reason that it did not fetch its estimate ($ 1,3-1,8 M) but- as it was sold without reserve- went up to $ 0,825 M

Incidentally, the same phenomenon goes for a lot of types so called '35' that are built around a type 38 engine and now pose as GP's.

Here are some pictures I made when I visited Peter

Kees Jansen

Thanks for the photos of 51133 Scuderia CC, that red really make the light dance on this car's curves. I wonder if it will be further improved by removing the disks from the T51 front wheels? Any-one an expert with Photo-Shop?

I tell you this year's Car of the Show confuse me no end - so far I've seen at least 5 cars more elegant than the winning Horch, 51133 being at the top of my list. Strange people, concours judges.

But thanks again for these photos Scud, what do you make of the Delage 2-seat coupe? (See off-topic Forum)

I had no idea that the engine fitted to the Williamson T35/51 was ex-T55 - thanks Kees. Now to discover what happened to the rest of 55228.

Regards
Johan

Whilst you've got the picture of a type 55 engine up on the screen have a look at the picture I took of a 55 engine in darkest Oxfordshire yesterday. It is stamped 55222 but the last 2 looks as if it has been altered. See flickr.com see grahamlittle10 photos stream or just try typing in 20090818 - Bugatti (10)

Over lunch yesterday I was reminded of how a very senior figure in the international Bugatti movement deliberately restamped the chassis of his Grand Prix Bugatti in order to falsely substantiate his claim for a chassis no. for the car.

If you want more details come and buy me a glass of wine in Molsheim in September.

Royale at pebble

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I Live only for... Bugatti!!! "Nothing Is Too Beautiful, Nothing Is Too Expensive..." -Ettore Bugatti-

1. Here is a direct link to the largest version of the photo: (a smaller version is pictured below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamlitt ... 4/sizes/o/

2. If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts!

3. I wished I could. However, when you arrive in Molsheim, I will already be gone...

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Vive la Marque !!

51133 :

















to see : http://www.bugattiregister.com/wiki/ind ... itle=51133