Bugatti Atlantic (57591): many questions

Herman · **Posted:** Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:02 pm

To be able to faithfully create a replica of 57591 I need some info, and I hope you can fill in the blanks:

I am asking these questions on the original car, not the restored state as it is in now.

-transition of fenders to bonnet. was this flush / one piece, or done with a leather strip / bead? (a picture perhaps?)

-How did the dashboard look? Both in terms of material (light wood, dark wood, aluminium) and position of clocks. I have a suggested dashboard layout, but I think it is wrong (4 small clocks in the middle (2x2), 2 large clocks next to them left and right).
Same goes for windshield wiper motors. Where were they?

-colour of the wheels. I have seen so many colours, but what was the colour to start with?

-same for body colour and interior. Suggested is a dark saphire blue, with light cream interior.

-does anybody have a close-up of the mysterious screws on the bonnet (2 per side). What were they for?

-the fin in between the 2 front windshields. How high was it. And was the fin aluminium coloured in that place?

-was the car fitted with yellow or white lights?

Uwe · **Joined:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:12 pm **Posts:** 2285

small information

Attachment:

57591-1.jpg [ 63.65 KiB | Viewed 7467 times ]

approximately 1939

Attachment:

57591-2.jpg [ 43.95 KiB | Viewed 7467 times ]

Herman · **Posted:** Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:54 pm

OK, pre-war colour picture. Nice! One would think before 1950 everything was black and white...

What do we learn:

1939:
Colour slightly dark "French racing blue"
Blue wheels
Windshield wipers: 1 up, 1 down

Tan interior? (more probable than cream)

Uwe · **Joined:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:12 pm **Posts:** 2285

also approximately 1939

1970 still in the original state

Herman · **Posted:** Sat Oct 08, 2011 12:21 pm

See the differences between the 2 1939 pictures:

-the fin between the windshields
-the plaquettes of the RAC on the front.

X-Filer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2011 12:33 am

Could that be Mr. Pope? Note here the car has no indicator lights on the mudguards.

Here it doesn't support the RAC plaquettes:

If this is Mr. Pope, than it could answer some questions? If it's Barry Price, idem. Either way, the wndshield fin is aluminium here but it already has the side indicator lights.

Of any help or by the contrary?

Herman · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:40 am

It is realy difficult to date the pictures, which essentially is the key to the truth.

To date the pictures, does anybody recognise the people on the pictures (I am really bad at that...)

X-Filer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:48 pm

Indeed the ID of the old folks is the key to the mistery.

davids · **Joined:** Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:10 pm **Posts:** 143

The person standing by the car EXK-6 in the foto is Mr Pope circa 1939 according to p49 of Bugatti yesterday and today.

X-Filer · **Posted:** Mon Oct 17, 2011 6:43 pm

Hmmm... then he sure liked to swap whis wheels often, since the blue-painted wire wheels come and go...

Herman · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:03 pm

summer and winter tyres?

Indeed the wheel colour is one of the questions. I guess I will make them blue...

Only major things are the connection of fender to body: Is there a bead, or not?

And the dashboard layout. 2 large clocks in the middle, and 4 smaller to the sides, or the 4 smaller in the middle, and the 2 large on the sides?

X-Filer · **Posted:** Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:21 pm

Herman wrote:

summer and winter tyres?

Indeed the wheel colour is one of the questions. I guess I will make them blue...

Only major things are the connection of fender to body: Is there a bead, or not?

And the dashboard layout. 2 large clocks in the middle, and 4 smaller to the sides, or the 4 smaller in the middle, and the 2 large on the sides?

Looking to the thread on the last two pics one can find straight ply on the upper foto (with blue painted wire wheels) and a more carved surface on the pic with Mr. Pope (chrome wire wheels). That might be the case of summer and winter tyres.

Regarding the fender, I don't understand what you mean. Bead? Where?

Unfortunately I can't help you on the dashboard, never seen any pics of it in the original form. Maybe someone has any? I'd like to know how it looked like too!!

sjordan47 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:24 pm **Posts:** 86

I'm sure you have the Matthews "Yesterday and Today" book, with the Paul Russell restoration article on page 81 of the English version, which gives a few clues to its original state.

Somehow, I downloaded 64 small images of the car at Russell's shop, showing it in its French Blue version and being taken apart and inspected in every detail. I can't remember where I got these images, but I could try to send you the folder if you give me your regular e-mail address. It's a little over 900 KB.

sjordan47@comcast.net

tilomagnet · **Joined:** Mon Sep 28, 2009 12:22 pm **Posts:** 9

IMO the car has painted wheels in all these pics...in the last pic w/ Pope standing next to it, they aren't chromed either, just compare the wheels with the headlights housing.

The whole car looks a lighter color in that pic, you wouldn't guess it's actually dark blue. Interior looks more like black or very dark blue to me, definately not tan as has been suggested.

In the photo of the car parked in front of the villa, the gentleman looks very similar to the person standing in the middle between the two others in the 1970 accident pic. Could this be Barrie Price?

http://sites.google.com/site/leafrancis/BarriePrice.jpg

It would seem that the car had changed very little during Pope's ownership. Of course after that faux pas it got a respray and also had the wheels chromed when Bamford owned it later in the 70ies.

sjordan47 · **Joined:** Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:24 pm **Posts:** 86

Here are a couple of shots of the car when it came to Russell's shop in 1988.

Bugatti Atlantic (57591): many questions

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