Aérolithe recreation

Scuderia CC · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:26 am

Firt pictures of the Bugatti Type 57 Aérolithe recreation at the Techno Classica of Essen 2006 :

J.J.Horst · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:36 am

Nice car, thanks for the pictures!

However, I think the color is wrong... It now reminds one of the old color of EXK-6, while the known color for the Aerolithe, seen from old pictures, should be Silver or a very light metallic blue or blue/green.

See the picture:

Herman · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:36 pm

I did not like the color. They used a color that we referred to in the flooring business as "halogen type color" which is very bright. Hard to look at in bright light.

Indeed a light grey or another light color would be more appropiate. Or just lacquer on aluminium...

However, the car itself looked very nice. I made quite some photos, and I will post them on the photoserver. (http://photo.bugattibuilder.com, everyone is invited to take a look. They are in the T57 section.)

About the chassis number: I did not speak to the owner, but a german guy from the Bugatti Club Deutschland said it was chassis 57645. True or false? Who knows...

Scuderia CC · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:02 pm

Herman wrote:

About the chassis number: I did not speak to the owner, but a german guy from the Bugatti Club Deutschland said it was chassis 57645. True or false? Who knows...

Although not speaking German except some words, I manage to understand certain sentences but I read that also on the site of Bugatti Club Deutschland relating to this famous Aérolithe. If somebody can translate this article, it is it welcome :wink:

http://www.bugatti-club-deutschland.de/ ... lithe.html

Herman · **Posted:** Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:58 pm

History

The Aerolithe was designed by Jean Bugatti, son of Ettore Bugatti. It was built in 1935, and was exhibited in October of the same year on the Paris and London automobile exhibitions.
According to workers at that time, after the exhibitions, the car was scrapped. Some parts were used for the first ordered Atlantic (1936) for Lord Rothshild (GB).
Like the first one, also the second (for J. Holtzschuch (F)) and the third (1938, R.B. Pope (GB) were supplied with smaller engine, and a V-shaped grille. The windshield is larger than the prototype "Aerolithe".
The existance of a second "Aerolithe", built after 1935, has not been proven untill now. Also, no other recreation of an "Aerolithe" is known.
The Danish Erik Koux, living in the south of France, built 5 recreations of the Atlantics during the 90s, based on T57S chassis,a nd with original Bugatti technique.

This is the first part. Working on the rest now...

Project, history

The initioator of the project, owner of a T44 cabriolet since 1968, learnt about the Aerolithe prototype in 1996 for the first time. It was described in an article of "Auto Motor Sport" edition 16/1995, "Jurassic Park" (Martijn, do you have this one? Ed.). The article was about the recreation of the Atlantic bodies by Bugatti specialist Erik Koux. However, with the purchase of a second Bugatti, a T57 Stelvio, Serie I, 1935, the idea was forgotten, untill spring 2004, when it was activated again.
At this time, the initiator came into contact with Mr. Hero Alting. In his restauration workshop "Carismatic Classic Car" in Dissen (Teutoburger Wald) with help of foreman Jurgen Munch a complete restauration was being done on the historic T57 (57300). This car was equipped again with the lightweight sports body, designed by Bugatti agent Descollas from Marseille. This body was lost since 1937. Descollas won a couple of races (long distance and hill climbs) with this car.
Key to the succes of this restauration was a fully dedicated restaurer, and a bodyshop with great engagement.
After getting into contact with both companies, with help of "Carismatic Classic Car" and with help offered from Erik Koux, the "Project Aerolithe" was reborn.
Already in July 2004 a T57 chassis was found, with help of a Dutch Bugatti friend. The chassis was complete with suspension, engine, gearbox, firewall, radiator, dashboard with gauges, etc. With these parts, the project could be started.

Project, the build

For the construction of the Aerolithe, the following changes were made to the chassis:

For the body, aliminium was used, which was rivited together with 1200 special rivets. A special tool was made for that.
The interior, of which only very little was known, was kept very spartan, in Jean-Style. It is more spartan than the Atlantics, more like a Grand Prix Bugatti.
The final presentation is expected in June 2006, at the International Bugatti Treffen Deutschland. (50 years BCD, 125 years Ettore Bugatti)

Thanks

Erik Koux for borrowing a 1:1 Atlantic Body, made from polyester, and also for making available some fittings.
Dr. B. Simon und Julius Kruta for drawings and photos.
Dr. Kees Jansen (NL) for the help finding a T57 chassis.

Appendix

The chassis, on which the Aerolithe was created, bears the chassis number 57 645, and was delivered in 1938 as a cabriolet, with engine number 473.
The cabrio body was removed in 1950, and a design study by the Paris based, but American designer Brown was mounted. (ed: also see this topic: http://www.bugattibuilder.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=23)
Later, this body was removed again, and in the 70s, also the engine disappeared, complete with gearbox. These were mounted in original Atlantic number 2 (Holtzschuch). This Atlantic was destroyed completely in 1955, when hit by a (Renault) train, but was repaired/reconstructed in the 70s, and is owned since 1974 by Seydoux. In the meantime, the engine 473 was equiped with a compressor.

The assumption of Hugh Conway, that chassis 57645, after losing its 2 bodies, and losing its engine, would probably have been scrapped, is not right, and even proof for that has been found in the archives of the French Authorities.
Now a connection between 57645 and atlantic nr2 can be made:
The original engine from 57645 now drives chassis number 57473A (after the reconstruction, car 57473 got number 57473A).
The engine now driving 57645 is probably from a T57S chassis

Scuderia CC · **Posted:** Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:53 am

Thanks Herman... merci :wink:

Scuderia CC · **Posted:** Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:10 pm

Anothers pictures of the Aérolithe recréation on this link :

http://www.autogalerie.org/galerie.php? ... delnr=1765

Bugattiart · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 8:45 am

I don't understand why they made the dashboard all wrong??? The instruments are in the wrong places, and the dashboard is made of Steel/aluminium??? I wonder why!!!

Best

Carsten

Herman · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 8:48 am

There is very little known about the interior of the original Aerolithe. However, they assumed that the interior would probably look like other prototypes which Jean created, thus having more or less a similar interior as a racing Bugatti, instead of a touring model.

The aboe I read somewhere, but I do not know where anymore...

Good to have you back, anyway.

Did you check http://photo.bugattibuilder.com yet?

Bugattiart · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 8:57 am

I have seen pictures showing the dashboard of the original car, and I guess you wll have seen them too, as they are very wellknown pictures!

Thanks Herman,

No I did not check out photo.bugattibuilder yet, but I definately will!

I have been busy lately helping the Danish Ferrari importer at a National Ferraridays event, and I'm also in the progress of doing two new drawings for Tom Kristensen to be handed over to Tom at Le Mans this year, so I have had way too little time for Bugattibuilder.com lately!

Best regards

Carsten

Bugattiart · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 9:09 am

Picture of the dashboard on page 162 in "Bugatti 57 the last French Bugatti" by Barrie Price (Revised edition)
This picture shows a dashboard made from something that looks very much like grain tree, and divided in the middle just as seen on many type 57S'
The two big "clocks" are placed towards the center of the dash and the four small "clocks" arround the big ones! The solution chosen for the recreation seems to be totally different from that!!!!

Herman · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 10:48 am

I will check the picture when I am home. You are probably right, and if so, we should go to Germany and pull this dash out.... :wink:

Than at least the owner can create a historically correct one...

J.J.Horst · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 11:01 am

Color:

The new owner, Peter Borstel, explicitly requested this color, though Hero Alting (who built the car), thought that a silver-like color was much better.

Peter's reply was that it was he who was to look at the car all the time, so he decides on the color!

Herman · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 12:39 pm

I agree with Hero Alting.

Besides that, the color that the car is in now, is such that looking at it for more then an hour, makes you end up blind.

I have seen the car in person, and for some reason it is hard to keep focused on the car. It is like looking into the sun.

Aérolithe recreation

Who is online