Voiturette Class Races - Is there a way to research, not only which Bugatti drivers and types of cars, but which specific "chassis numbers" of Bugatti's raced in these Voiturette races?

I am specifically trying to find out with regard to Voiturette races with these three cars, "37265", "37264", and "37266":

On April 2, 1927, a batch of three Bugattis T37 factory works cars were registered in Strasbourg (préfecture of dept. Bas-Rhin), respectively 37264 (as “4129-J4”), 37265 (as “4127-J4”) and 37266 (as “4128-J4”). These three works cars were, undoubtedly, registered for a race on behalf of the Molsheim factory. After being used by the factory in this voiturette race(s), the factory order book shows that 37264 and 37265 were two Type 37s ordered by 'Magasin' (Bugatti Paris) in March 1927, and delivered to the Bugatti Showroom in Paris on May 27, 1927.

As a result, the Voiturette race(s) that these cars would be in, most likely, have to be between April 2, 1927 and their date of delivery on May 27, 1927.

Here are links I could find to learn more about Voiturette races during this time:

Link is: http://www.racing-database.com/Mstarts. ... atti%20T37

Link is: http://www.teamdan.com/archive/gen/1927.html

Wiki has this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1927_Grand_Prix_season

I can learn about the Bugatti cars and their drivers, but can't find out any Chassis numbers. Does anyone know other websites, books, etc. to learn more info about these Voiturette races?

Although I am trying to find out more about T37's and which specific Voiturette race(s) these cars were in, I thought a new thread on Voiturette Races might be interesting for others to learn about the Bugatti cars and drivers in Voiturette races also.

Thanks!

VLM,

Andrew

You can try these books:
1) Racing Voiturettes by Kent Karslake
2) Small car racing and record braking by Mike Hawke
3) Bugatti- a racing history by David Venables
4) The racing fifteenhunrdeds by David Venables
5) A RECORD OF GRAND PRIX AND VOITURETTE RACING By Paul Sheldon

1-4 I have in my posession - bu no time right now to check for chassisnumbers- will try to do so later and let you know
regards
Bart

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"Barttore has left the forum"

Dear Andrew and Bart:
"The Racing Fifteen-Hundreds" by David Venables will not help...it is subtitled, "A history of voiturette racing from 1931 to 1940"...too late for what Andrew seeks.
Cheers,
Sandy

This book looks terrific (suggested by Bart)! Does anyone have the 2nd Volume, where they could check Chassis numbers for Bugatti T37's between April 2, 1927 and May 27, 1927?

A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturrette Racing by Sheldon
This series is like no other history of Motor Racing that has ever been published. Each volume is a reference book, which together with the other editions gives a complete documentary and statistical record of Grand Prix, Voiturette, Formula 1 and Formula 2 motor racing from 1900 until 1994 in thirteen volumes. They contain no illustrations for two reasons. Firstly, excellent pictorial records of Grand Prix racing are already widely available. Secondly the inclusion of pictures would add substantially to the cost of the books.

Despite the scholarly nature of the work, many readers have described the narrative in the books as very readable and many claim to have read the books from cover to cover.

After a preface summarising the period of a volume, each year is covered in order. Every known race run to Formula 1 and Formula 2 rules is covered in great detail. A full entry list with starting numbers and chassis numbers (where known) is given. The starting grid with practice times is given with full results, retirements and so on. In addition, a lap chart is given for the more important races including almost all the World Championship races. The work is full indexed.

The books are beautifully hard bound in black leatherette.

The series comprises of 13 volumes;

Volume 1 (1900-1925) - The dawn of Motor Racing
Volume 2 (1926-1931) - The evolution from 2 seaters
Volume 3 (1932-1936) - The growth of international single seater racing
Volume 4 (1937-1949) - The pre and immediate post war eras
Volume 5 (1950-1953) - World Championships begin
Volume 6 (1954-1959) - The end of the front engined cars
Volume 7 (1960-1964) - The rear engined evolution
Volume 8 (1965-1969) - The return of power
Volume 9 (1970-1973) - The evolution of wings
Volume 10 (1974-1978) - Wing cars arrive
Volume 11 (1979-1984) - Ground effect
Volume 12 (1985-1989) - End of the turbo
Volume 13 (1990-1994 - Into the nineties

Sounds wonderful,perhaps a little expensive though?

Go through this link, and see if you you can contact people. Might be a little difficult, though (link is pretty old)

http://forums.autosport.com/lofiversion ... t1178.html

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Vive la Marque !!

Andrew,

Checked the books I suggested -and some others.
found various references to T37's in races between April 2, 1927 and May 27, 1927 - but no chassis numers specified.
Relating to the chassis numbers you are searching I found just the data jou already have.

Paul Sheldon's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturrette Racing, Volume 2 (1926-1931) will be the best chance. I have tried finding these rare books (I'm interested in vol 1-4) at a reasonable price, but remain unsuccesfull for 4-5 years now. Copies I found are € 150 and up.

Have you tried contacting the Bugatti Trust ? They may have records that can help you, at least I think they could have.

According to The Grand Prix Bugatti by Conway, 37266 (eng. 194) was delivered to Friderich in Nice.

regards, Bart

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"Barttore has left the forum"

Bart,

Thanks for checking the books. I really appreciate it!

I have "Bugatti - A Racing History by David Venables". It discusses with regard to the Targa Florio on April 24, 1927 that "a large supporting cast of T35s and T37s, running under the eye of (Meo) Constantini who was also responsible for the customers' cars as well as the factory team." (page 82)

If 37264, 37265 and 37266 were all registered by the Factory for the works team on April 2, 1927, most likely they were part of this "supporting cast of T37s" that were at the Targa Florio on April 24, 1927.

I did try the Bugatti trust, and they supplied the order, delivery and invoice date of my car, but they did not have anything else, unfortunately.

If anyone has a copy of Paul Sheldon's "Volume 2 - 1926-1931" A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing", and can look if there are any chassis numbers listed for the races between April 2, 1927 and May 27, 1927 for T37s, that would help tremendously.

Thank you again!

Andrew

If 37264, 37265 and 37266 were used by the factory for a race, those races would have to be between April 2, 1927 and May 27, 1927.

Here are the races I can find that were during this time:
1) April 3, 1927 – I Course du Tourist Trophy Francais – Montlhery
2) April 10, 1927 – II Course due Tourist Trophy Francais – Montlhery
3) April 17, 1927 – II Grand Prix des Voiturettes - Montlhery
4) April 24, 1927 – XVIII Targa Florio
5) May 8, 1927 - IV Circuito di Alessandria
6) May 8, 1927 – I Coppa Messina

Are there any other races I might be missing? Any other sources where we might be able to find chassis numbers of cars that were in these races?

Thanks,

Andrew

Andrew chassis numbers is a very difficult task for racing cars, and very difficult to trace. ex Targa

According Canestrini, We have
Caberto Conelli
"Sabipa"
Eckert
Caliri

BUT WITH NO CHASSIS NUMBER

Robert

You're making a mistake in thinking. In 1926/27 the Grand Prix formula was 1.5 litres, thus the voiturette class substituted the then 1100 cc cycle car class. Or in other words, the voiturettes became full GP cars, and the cycle cars were promoted to voiturettes.

It is very unlikely that the T37 was used for GP racing, where Bugatti used the T39A. Possible are sports car events, where the T37/37A was good for class wins. However, could not find any fitting entries in my archive. No sports car race but Formula Libre, the Targa Florio saw no Bugatti works entries that year.

Michael,

thank you for checking! Was there a specific name for the sports car events, such as Formula Libre, etc., so I can try to learn more?

Also, in the Targa Florio, Coppa Messina and Alessandria races, there were T37's entered, but today's records have them listed as private entries. Could those have been from the factory?

My research shows these were Factory works cars 37264, 37265 and 37266, so if they were all registered together on 2, 1927 and 37264 and 37265 went to Magasin Bugatti Showroom in May 27, 1927, and 37266 didn't go to Friderich in Nice until August 1927, what could they be doing during this time, except either Grand Prix or Sports Car races?

I appreciate the insights,

VLM,

Andrew

Although I believe in 1926, the Grand Prix reduced their engine size to 1500cc's, when I look at these races in April and May 1927, the T35's seem to have been entered ( and won), and both T37 and T37A's have been entered in these races. If the Grand Prix class was only 1.5 liters, how could these T35's raced in these races?

I Coppa Messina
8 May 1927 - Messina: 312.00 km (52.00 km x 6 laps)
Formula Libre, Voiturette & Cyclecar Race
1 Antonio Caliri Bugatti 37A 4h14m23, 73.59 kph voiturette
2 Renato Balestrero Bugatti 35C 4h17m20
3 Salvatore Marano Bugatti 37A 4h26m03 voiturette
4 Baconin Borzacchini Salmson VAL 4h57m58 cyclecar
5 Giorgio Ciolini Salmson VAL 5h15m22 cyclecar
6 Giuseppe Pini Bugatti 37 5h19m22 voiturette

Fastest Lap: Renato Balestrero, 39m28.6 (79.03 kph)

Did Not Finish
Emilio Materassi Maserati 26 (8C/1500) 5 laps/Crash voiturette
Alfieri Maserati Maserati 26B (8C/2000) 0 laps/Crash
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV Circuito di Alessandria
8 May 1927 - Alessandria: 256.00 km (32.00 km x 8 laps)
Formula Libre, Voiturette & Cyclecar Race
1 Gaspare Bona Bugatti 35B 2h47m19.4, 91.80 kph
2 Federico Valpreda Chiribiri 12/16 2h55m37.2 voiturette
3 Francesco Valle Bugatti 37 3h00m00.0 voiturette
4 Abele Clerici Salmson VAL 3h00m55.4 cyclecar
5 Antonio Brivio Derby - SCAP 3h04m15.4 cyclecar
6 Borgatta Bugatti 37 3h07m47.6 voiturette
7 Gino Cassone Fiat 509 3h07m42.6 cyclecar
8 Luigi Beccaria Ceirano N150S 3h10m20.0 voiturette
9 Giorgio Cerrato Alfa-Romeo RL 3h12m20.0
10 Ogniben Alvera Bugatti 35B 3h14m12.0
11 Elio Pistarini Fiat 509 3h17m23.0 cyclecar
12 Aldo Crosti Salmson VAL 3h18m42.6 cyclecar

Fastest Lap: Umberto Pugno, 19m15.2 (99.72 kph)

Did Not Finish
Umberto Capello Fiat 509 cyclecar
Cavanna Senechal GS cyclecar
Roberto Serboli Chiribiri 12/16 voiturette
Nino Cirio Bugatti 37A voiturette
Luigi Plate Chiribiri 12/16 voiturette
Carlo Tonini Maserati 26 (8C/1500) voiturette
Giovanni Alloatti Bugatti 37 voiturette
Paolo Pavesio Ansaldo 4CS
Umberto Pugno Bugatti 35B Crash

1927 Targa Florio - April 24, 1927
RACE RESULTS
Pos # Driver Entrant Chassis Laps Time/Abandon
01 24 Emilio Materassi Automobiles Ettore Bugatti Bugatti T35C 5 7h35m55.4
02 6 Caberto Conelli Private entry Bugatti T37A 5 7h39m06.0
03 26 Alfieri Maserati Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 26B 5 8h01m36.0
04 36 André Boillot SA des Autos et Cycles Peugeot Peugeot 174S 5 8h27m35.0
05 22 Ignazio Palacio Private entry Bugatti T35 5 8h33m32.2
06 38 André Dubonnet Automobiles Ettore Bugatti Bugatti T35C 5 8h37m56.6
07 14 Heinrich Eckert Private entry Bugatti T35 5 9h15m00.0
08 8 Salvatore Marano Private entry Fiat 509 5 9h27m41.0
DNF 16 Aymo Maggi Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 26 4 Chassis
DNF 30 Mario Lepori Private entry Bugatti T35C 4 ??
DNF 10 Ernesto Maserati Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 26 2 Front axle
DNF 20 Renato Balestrero Private entry Bugatti T35C 2 ??
DNF 18 Saverio Candrilli Steyr-Werke AG Steyr VI Klausen 2 ??
DNF 34 Elisabeth Junek Automobiles Ettore Bugatti Bugatti T35B 1 Accident
DNF 32 Ferdinando Minoia Automobiles Ettore Bugatti Bugatti T35C 1 Steering
DNF 28 Nicolò Valdes SA Diatto Diatto 20S 1 ??
DNF 12 Antonio Caliri Private entry Bugatti T37 0 ??
DNF 4 Sabipa Private entry Bugatti T37A 0 Accident

those races mentioned are Formula Libre, mixing all category

Robert

Do not mix up the Grand Prix formula fixed by the AIACR (predecessor of the FIA) with the term "Grand Prix" used by organizers even for events like "3 laps around the clock tower". Only the real "Grande Epreuves" which counted for the manufacturer's championship were held acc. to the official formula. Most race organizers preferred "Formula Libre", meaning "anything goes", in order to attract sufficient entries. The field then very often was divided in classes, and in case of enough entries different class heats were held.


No. I don't think that you should look to Italy at all. If indeed there had been some factory racing we can be quite sure that the cars after that had been left there, either because customer had been fixed already, or sold on the spot. Therefore it was common to drive the cars on temporary plates (WW code), the customs procedure was much easier.

Bugatti was not interested to enter works cars at secondary events, there had been enough customers who did. They concentrated that year on the constructor's championship with the T39A, and if they raced Formula Libre they opted of course for the T35B. There had been non-racing events, like reliability and economy runs, which had been rather important for manufacturers for public relation, but such events are barely documented in today's literature. You may check the archives of some French automotive papers like e.g. "Omnia" for the period in question.