Johan[/quote] What would our God Ettore say about his wonderful creations left to rot? What do I know ? I am just a mechanic.

Bugatti Type 50
Chassis Number : 50131
Engine Number : 22

It was only in 2003 that Malcolm Gentry was able to confirm that this car was one of the works team of 3 T50s that started Le Mans in 1931, or at least the engine was. It is believed this was the car driven by Roust involved in the accident which killed a spectator. Roust survived but faced a long and painful recovery. Immediately following the accident the two remaining cars were withdrawn. Back at the factory the engine from the crashed car was mounted in a new chassis frame, sold to Guy Bouriat, and given the chassis number of 50131. In 1933 she raced at Le Mans again, driven by Marie Desprez & Pierre Bussienne, sporting race number 3, before being sold to M. Bourgival, director of the firm Le Blanc Mineral in Paris in November of the same year.

There is some confusion as to who was responsible for the new coachwork, one source claiming it was Van Vooren, while another claims it to be one of Jean Bugatti's Landaulet designs. Personally I have my doubts, as far as I know the only two-door Landaulet designed by Jean was for the T46/T50T and not the short wheelbase T50. In any event Michel Dovaz bought 50131 in April 1952 and was another of the 7 to be sold to M. Bonabosch, but the only one to be restored by him. Together with 3 other un-restored Dovaz Bugattis this was put on auction at Lyon in 1993, apparently only needing a new canvas top to complete the restoration. Selling for 1.5 million Francs to the same mystery French buyer of the other 3 Bonabosch Bugattis, this one is different in being sold on by this gentleman to Herbert Handlbauer in 2001. Recently the body was removed and a replica Le mans touring body installed - the fate of the original is unknown. Lovely.

Incidentally, Christian if you are reading this, is there some confusion, or perhaps overlap in Wiki between 50131 and 50112?



PS. Lazarus, no-one who works on Ettore's sacred creations are EVER "just a mechanic." Really Sir.

Bugatti Type 55
Chassis Number : 55233
Engine Number : 33 (Source : Wiki)

Jean Bugatti was responsible for the faux cabriolet body on this T55 which was delivered via the Swiss importer Bucar to Baron Tositza who kept the car until 17 October 1953 when he sold it to Michel Dovaz. Some time during M. Dovaz's long ownership the engine was damaged beyond economical repair, and the engine and wheels from a T35B (number unknown), also in the possession of M. Dovaz, was then fitted. I believe the T35 was scrapped. No comment.

This would become the third and last Dovaz Bugatti to go to the unnamed French owner via Bonabosch. During the restoration the T35 wheels and engine was replaced by T55 items, although I am not sure whether engine 33 is the new engine or the original. And now I'm going to bed, plagiarising the op de Weeghs is a tiring business. I shall deal with the 4 T57s including one of only 2 T57SCs over the weekend.

the second T50 from douvaz: an ex-les mans car, which was crashed, it
got a fabric body, similar to that of # 5o112. it was one of the few cars,
where mr. bonabosch had started restauration. later it was sold to austrian mr. handlbauer, who also ownes a T23 and is current in italy
for restoring it back to les mans configuration.
but dont cry: the second body will stay with the owner.

regards
mike

I am waiting patiently whenever you get a chance
Erik

I prefer the post war appearance as well.

Johan : Rost or Roust ?

There are two distinct and separate arguments over the exact identity of this car. First that of Ard and Arnoud op de Weegh :

Bugatti Type 57
Chassis Number : 57407
Original Engine Number : 289
Current engine Number : 141 (ex - 57294)

Delivered 27/03/1936 to Vuatine as a chassis only, then to coachbuilder Fontana (original Dutch wording : Fontana uit het Zwitserse Renens-Vaud. This translates as "Fontana from the Swiss Renens-Vaud. I am not sure if Renens-Vaud is a town, region or province, except they're not called provinces in Switzerland, I believe.). When M. Dovaz acquired her is not sure, but this was another of the Bonabosch Bugattis to be auction in 1993. When auctioned this car was fitted with engine 141 from 57294, also owned by M. Dovaz from 1956 -1967 (the latter date I deduced from the list of subsequent owners as described by Ard op de Weegh, he does not specifically state that 57294 was sold by Dovaz in 1967)

Sold for 850 000 Francs to an Italian owner who had it restored locally, Turin to be exact. This car is still in Italy. Unfortunately I have not seen any photos of this car as restored, if anybody has photos please post them ; this a wonderfully beautiful car.

However, Pierre-Yves Laugier is of the opinion that this is probably chassis 57250, or thereabouts. It is Laugier's contention that the Van Vooren Cabriolet, now carrying chassis number 57294, is the real 57407. According to the LEVRAISONS(?) CHASSIS TYPE 57 (the writing is unclear on the facsimile reproduced in Laugier Tome 1, pp17-21) 57250/engine 168 is a chassis only, delivered to Bucar, first owner Sechaud, on 08/02/1935. Through Bucar , Sechaud also received chassis' G.R. 57246/129 on 23/02/1935 ; 57256/180 on 01/03/1935 & 57260/187 on 02/04/1935. Laugier further believe this car to carry a body by Gangloff.

I include photos from Wiki of 57407 (this coupe) & 57294 (the Van Vooren cabriolet). I have no opinion as to the correct identity of this very beautiful car.



57407

57294

Enough for tonight I think. The thread continues 12/02/2009.

Regards
Johan

Bugatti Type 57
Chassis Number : 57286
Original Engine Number : 205
Current Engine Number : 49

This Ventoux was delivered to M. Poisson in Morigny, Normandy on 02/10/1935. In 1947 the car was sold to Francis Leclerq (Roubaix) who imported it into Belgium. Three years later, in 1950, M. Dovaz returned it to France. Another Bonabosch Bugatti to be auctioned in 1993. This one sold for 570 000 Francs to famed French restorer Andre Lecoq. At this stage the original engine, 205, had been replaced by engine 49 from 57166. Incidentally, 57166, originally a Galibier, has disappeared without a trace, and Ard op de Weegh suggest it may have been scrapped during the sixties.

Lecoq used this car as a display for his skill as craftsman and restorer by only restoring the driver's side, and leaving the left half completely "as found." After delighting visitors at the 1994 Retromobile, the restoration was completed and the car sold to one Andre Dufilho who owns it still.

Bugatti Type 57
Chassis Number 57476
Original Engine Number : 4C
Current Engine Number : 549 ex-57752

This rare 2nd Series Galibier was delivered 01/02/1937 to Conchon-Quinette of Colmar. Subsequent history is unclear including when Michel Dovaz acquired her, but he thinks he bought it during the early 1950's from someone called Boyer from Paris. There is some mystery about the engine swop ; 57752, from which engine 549 was taken to be fitted to 57476, received engine 4C, 57476's original engine. Dovaz never owned 57752, and why he would fit a non-supercharged engine in place of the original supercharged unit is a mystery. Does anyone know more? Wiki has a most complete chapter on 57752 and a photo of her can also be seen on page 232 of the Conway/Greilshamer work (1st ed.) And on page 113 of the Kestler work, Evolution of a Style, there is a profile drawing of a pale grey 2nd Series Galibier, I wonder if 57476 served as inspiration?

I have already dealt with the sad demise of the Galibier coachwork in my post "Another Galibier bites the dust" so I am not going to repeat it here except to say that I take some pride in being one of the few who mourns dead Galibiers.

Bugatti Type 57SC
Chassis Number : 57542
Engine Number : 28SC

This Atalante, the only one delivered new as a SC, was originally finished in black with red side-flashes, and the only one whose interior was finished in red leather. Completed in May of 1937, test driven by Pierre Marco on the 20th of May, temporary registration 1245 W 5, it finally left Molsheim on June the 15th 1937. The next day Pierre Marco tested it one last time and delivered the car to the Avenue Montagne Bugatti showroom for its first owner, Mr Vidal, the day after, the 17th. In Laugier's English translation the date of registration is given as 3 June 1937, but I am convinced this to be an error, so I assume the correct date is 3 July 1937. In any event the car was registered 4703 RL in the name of Vidal who kept this Atalante for barely a year before selling it to one Madame Anna Magnin-Dufaux in Versailles.

This lady kept 57542 until the 20th of November 1948, when registered 7566 PB 6, it was sold to an unknown buyer. By 1949 it was on display at Dominique Lamberjack's showroom at 68 Rue Bayen, where it was spotted by Michel Poberejsky, a.k.a. Mike Sparken who became the next owner. On the 24th of January 1954 Poberejsky sold 57542 to his childhood friend, Michel Dovaz. (They both attended the International School in Geneva) For 4 years Michel Dovaz used 57542 enthusiastically, and unlike most T57SCs, was completely reliable, testimony to the mechanical fettling she received by Lamberjack while owned by Sparken. In 1958 Dovaz parked her up at the Monthlery Circuit awaiting the completion of a car museum, which never happened. During the 1960s it was moved to Ville-Marechal, and in 1984, German photographer Hesselman's dark treachery revealed the Dovaz Collection to the world. 57542 suffered more than most, some miscreant stealing the front axle and gearbox with the aid of a gas torch! This front axle and gearbox is currently fitted to a T57S with Koux aluminium Atlantic coachwork now in the south of France.

Shortly after this mindless vandalism 57542 was exhibited at the Sarlat Museum, and then Michel Dovaz gifted his beloved "La S" to his friend Michel Brieuil from Penne. After three years of keeping 57542 completely untouched it went to Philippe Salvan where it still resides in highly original condition. Remarkably enough, the original red leather interior is still intact and may just be salvageable. This Atalante makes for some very interesting debate, certainly she will require a comprehensive mechanical rebuild before being useable, the coachwork has crossed the line of having a patina, to being ripe for restoration a long time ago, the interior may, I repeat, may be salvageable, and the owner has an interesting dilemma on his hands. He can either have a perfectly preserved piece of driveway sculpture or a useable car. As I said, an interesting dilemma.

Still more photos

<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/57542.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/normal_57542.jpg" alt="Type 57S #57542"></a>

<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/57542-3.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/normal_57542-3.jpg" alt="#57542"></a>

<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/57542-5.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/normal_57542-5.jpg" alt="#57542"></a>

Mrs Sparken is involved with a Formula one magazine.On the wall of her house is a columbo drawing of the T251 with independant suspension as originally offered to the bugatti family.She promissed me a copy but forgot ! so if any one is in contact with her please ask her for me.

Hi Lazarus

Aren't the Sparkens the couple who swopped the Le Mans 8C 2.9 Berlinetta for an Alfetta 158? Remarkable people.

Johan

Johan, the mysterious french owner who owns #44580, #49410 and #55233 is mister X from Y, France.

Michel Dovaz is born in august 1928 the 14th, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Jean-Michel Bonabosch was dead in january 1996, the 30th, in Lyon, France. He sold the four cars in march of 1993 by the AMAF auction in Lyon. He was born in december 1948, the 19th, in Lyon, France.

Michel 'Mike Sparken' Poberejsky (Neuily, France) has bought #57542 via Gaston Docime (Neuilly, France). He effectively owns a Alfetta 158 swopped against the Le Mans Berlinetta in 1988..