Through a stroke of luck about 2 years ago I met a very nice man called Ard de Knegt, a previous owner of 49451. Since then a friendship evolved through our common passion, Bugattis.

49451 is a very original car with a Swiss body by Ruckstuhl (a sister car to 49450, also by the same body-builder)

Ever since I met him I am intrigued by the radiator of this Bugatti, which is different from those we are used to. Maybe it looks like this because the upper tank of this radiator is bigger than usual- but that is just a theory of mine.

So I informed about it with Ard. He said: "I never found out however where this radiator came from. It must have been made by Bugatti (I think) because the details are so typical. An old Bugatti mechanic that I visited in Molsheim with the 49 confirmed this but could not give me further details. "

And in correspondence between Ard and the current seller of 49451, the seller responded: "The radiator is still a mystery but I was told two versions: Either Bugatti had different radiator makers (it is typical of the early German Bugatti ) or it is a special radiator made for cold countries (there are several Bugatti's in Scandinavia with such a radiator)."

I would like to know more so I hope this topic wil bring more info on the Radiator issue. Are there more alike ? Which ones and what is the function and reason- if there is any ?

We found out that this Bugatti MAYBE was involved in a serious head-on accident. We have a B&W (Police?) picture of a very similar car (but not into detail), probably owned by a Soutter of Aigle, Switzerland involved in a crash stating that the car pictured is (French: verre) green. So maybe the car had a different radiator before the accident or was it a similar but different car that was involved in this crash. If anyone knows of very early pictures of this car, this might help solve this part of the puzzle. When owned by Ard there were no signs that the car he owned ever had been involved in a crash. But it might be possible that the chassis was replaced or repaired very well afterwards - we do not know.

Also I am interested if there are more cars with a body by Ruckstuhl of Luzern - Switzerland, I found one more, 441322.

Any info obtained as a result of this topic may be used in an update for 49451 in part 3 of the Netherlands and Belgium Bugatti Register.

Thank you in advance for your info's and contributions on this topic.

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"Barttore has left the forum"

As there have been no positive reactions on the statement that "there are several Bugatti's in Scandinavia with such a radiator", may I conclude that there aren't any, not in present and not in past: as no pictures nor reactions of forum members have turned up ?
If there were any they would have been easy to remember - so I expect one of our forum experts would have posted it by now.
Or are all Bugatti Experts too busy following the Winter Olympics.... (I cannot imagine that !)

Until I am proven different my point of view now is that this radiator is absolutely unique and that it is an original, because it has been recognized as such by a Bugatti mechanic. As to it's history why it was made: maybe sometime something will turn up. For now this will stay a blind spot in Bugatti history.

As to the further (early) history of this car, I hope something will turn up. Until then we can only guess and make up our own opinion of what is most probable.

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[quote="barttore"]As there have been no positive reactions on the statement that "there are several Bugatti's in Scandinavia with such a radiator", may I conclude that there aren't any, not in present and not in past: as no pictures nor reactions of forum members have turned up ?
If there were any they would have been easy to remember - so I expect one of our forum experts would have posted it by now.
It is so dangerous to be catagoric about what is real and what is not .I suppose most people are unwilling to comment ! I shall stick my neck out here and suggest that it is a replacement and not to Bugatti's drawings. The radiator is such an important part of the front of the car and is the most recognisable feature.RR would never countenance any change to their trademark and I suspect that Ettore was no different.Even when the later type cores were introduced on T44/49 replacing the honeycombe they still retained the same front even though it caused headaches to do so.The top part of the radiator is in any event closed off behind dummy honeycombe so it is difficult to see any advantage to this modification.

meanwhile I found another T49 with a similar radiator: 49255
now a Grand Sport but originally a Gangloff limousine
in both guises it has clearly this radiator type.

the more I find - the more I am convinced of originality.

I wrote to the Bugatti Trust regarding this radiator: maybe they know more - but until now no response.

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"Barttore has left the forum"

number three (thanks Herman)



T40 chassis 40696

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Recieved response from the Bugatti Trust today:

Dear Bart
(....) The Bugatti factory drawings for radiators (which we have here at the Bugatti Trust) were prepared in order to give enough information to the radiator manufacturers. None of the drawings shows the blank plate covering the header tank as shown in your picture. Some of the drawings such as 33 CH 2, which is the radiator for Types 38 and 43, clearly show a false honeycomb in front of the header tank. It is drawn and noted "Faux Nid d'Arbeilles - aussi court que possible".

The drawing for the Type 49 (49 CH 1) is less explicit. It does not show any honeycomb – the area within the normal edge band is simply left blank. Perhaps one of the radiator manufacturers chose to misunderstand this drawing and produced a batch of radiators with the blank front plate to the header tank.

I would like to write this up for our next Trust newsletter in the hope that someone might know more.

Best regards

Richard Day
Curator
The Bugatti Trust, Prescott Hill, Gotherington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 9RD, UK
Tel. +44 (0)1242 677201: Fax +44 (0)1242 674191
info@bugatti-trust.co.uk
www.bugatti-trust.co.uk

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"Barttore has left the forum"

In the general discussion area, there is a post of new fotos.
one of which shows a t57 with similar infilled top area of the radiator.

You are right, but this is a "common" thing for T57's with a radiator with thermostatic operated louvres: There are many more T57's like that.
When you look in the T57 Photo section you will find more alike the one you noticed: they all have the plate in the top area of the radiator profiled to look like the vertical louvres below (when in closed-position). But there are also normal radiators on T57 with a regular honeycombe structure

The difference is that on the T49's and the T40 now identified in this forum topic this top area of the radiator is a flat piece of metal - which is unusual because normally there is a honeycombe structure instead.

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Found another one; apparently it is probably 40221



source:
http://cgi.ebay.nl/12-Bugatti-Photograp ... erature_ET

see also http://www.bugattiregister.com/wiki/ind ... itle=40221

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"Barttore has left the forum"