Bugatti Type 46
Chassis Number : 46556
Engine Number : 400
Rear Axle Number : 408

This car is one of the many lost T46 Bugattis. A pity really, this must count as one as one of the most beautiful of them all, although that is most definitely a subject for debate. Courtesy of Klein, Saunier & Jansen's Type 46, La Petite Royale, Wiki and The Bugatti Trust's photo albums, herewith all the known information : The first owner was a M. Casamayou who took delivery on 19/10/1931 (the order date is given as 21/01/1932 - I presume a misprint, perhaps 21/01/1931?) from Agent Lamberjack in Paris, and fitted with a most glorious Roadster body by Gangloff. M. Casamayou paid FF57 500 for 46556 and she was registered first as 5106-NM1 in 1931. According to the T46 work this was later changed to 78BQ64 (Pyrenées Atlantiques - this is a direct quote, I am unsure of either the meaning or the significance.)

Another direct quote : "Biarritz : Mr. Casamayou won the Grand Prix with his no 46556 bodied by Gangloff." Definitely a Concours d' Elegance, but I am unsure whether it was called the Biarritz Concours etc. or was merely a Concours held in the town of Biarritz. I am fairly sure that "Grand Prix" means he won Car of the Show though.

Please enjoy the photographs - they are all that is left of this glorious car.




First photo courtesy of Wiki. The second and third ones courtesy of The Bugatti Trust.

Kind Regards
Johan Buchner

Johan,
What happened to this car?
Erik

Hi Eric

A complete mystery ; I have seen no evidence that this car survived WWII. The only photos I've seen are these ones which look to me like coachbuilders photographs taken upon completion (not a fact - an assumption on my part) and one or two photos taken at Biarritz.

The authors of the T46 work do mention those cars known to have been broken up, but 46556's fate remains a mystery. Beautiful car though, I wish someone would build a recreation of this body instead of another Coupe Profilee. (I believe there to be about 5 of these already.)

Kind Regards
Johan

Hi Johan,
As you noticed in the T46 book, 46556 has been first registered 5106-NM1 and then 78 BQ 64.
5106-NM1 is a number issued in October/November 1931 in the Basses Pyrénées département, the area on the South West coast of France, around Biarritz, the main city being Pau.

The second registration number, 78 BQ 64, has been issued in 1956 with the then new numbering system. The last number, 64, represents the Basses Pyrénées département. Note that in 1969, the name of the département was change for the cleverer name of the Pyrénées Atlantiques département.
So back to 46556, we can be sure that this car still existed in 1956.
Laurent

Thanks Laurent, this is incredible news! If this car was still around in 1956, and with such beautiful coachwork to boot, then this car possibly (probably?) survive.

Glorious news indeed. Thanks for brightening up a bad day.

Kind Regards
Johan