PRESTON, Michael S.P. A Cheltenham, UK, optician and computer software specialist who, at the latest count, owned three Bugattis who joined the UK BOC in June, 1995. The car he has used most latterly is an immaculate fully road equipped emerald blue type 35B (SV 4798). According to the BBR (p.65) the car is probably based on a type 37 (37165) which was imported from Argentina in the early nineties and was rebuilt to 35B specifications by Ivan Dutton Ltd in 1995/6. The car which was owned by George Minden for most of the nineties was issued with the no. BC 080 in April 1994. He has recently taken to running the car in stripped form in racing car events and achieved second place in the 2005 Williams Trophy race run at Cadwell Park behind Geraint Owen also driving a 35B. His most recent success was a Second Class award in the 2006 VSCC Pomeroy Trophy event. He also owns a slightly less immaculate type 43 (43239 with UK reg. no. GK 17) which was rebuilt by Geoffrey St. John. The car is fitted with a maroon Grand Sport body from car 43161 and the engine from 43168 and in recent years has been tended to by the Dutton organisation. He has also recently acquired a 1931 Le Mans type 50. He has used all three cars for hill-climbs and races in the UK and abroad. His best times at Prescott (long course) have been 60.17 (type 35B), 67.02 (type 43) and 65.82 (type 50). In 2005 he won the Bugatti class at Prescott ahead of Terry Cardy’s type 51. (13/04/06). He used his 35B and his type 50 in 2006 with a good run at VSCC Prescott in 53.95 secs. to win the over 3000cc Standard Vintage class.
