57817
A 1939 type 57C with engine C 91. The car was invoiced to Baylet (the editor of "La Depèche"; the local newspaper in Toulouse) as a rolling chassis on 31st March 1939. It was fitted with 2-door 4-seater Stelvio drophead coachwork by Gangloff. The car survived WW2 and remained with Baylet until his death. In 1960 it was purchased from his estate by J. Du Montant of 6, Rue Jean Pouyat, Limoges (F). It was listed in his ownership in November 1962 with the registration 101 CZ 87 painted red with black mudguards. It was later owned by Yves Dalmier and Maurice Trintignant and carried the registration 406 JG 75. In 1992 it was displayed at the Centre Automobile de Pantin (F) and has subsequently appeared at a handful of events. In March 2009 it participated in the Avignon Motor Festival registered as 6571 XY 31 (F). It is currently owned by Philippe Salvan painted bright red with burgundy wings and in immaculate condition.

Note that Jean Baylet was from Toulouse not Toulon.

Thanks. I do appreciate corrections like this. I will amend the posting - to me its seems crazy to leave a known error uncorrected.

Here's something else to think about.

Monsieur Baylet had previously owned car 57121-107 which later passed to one Debegnac who I have not been able to trace. (Does anyone know what became of the car ?)

However, I have traced Helene Debegnac who was apparently one of a team of engineers at Messier Bugatti which patented some mechanism connected with aircraft landing gear.

A relative ?

Dear GCL,

This is what happened to 57121. The car hit a Ford with a couple of American soldiers and was totalled. The Americans were blamed for the accident and convicted whilst it was stated that they drove too fast!

I simply cannot believe this official version of the courtcase:

The Bugatti (Plate 467 AK 15) came just around the corner and was clearly on the left side of the road. The Ford (PLATE CF 11504) was driving towards the corner but clearly on its own side. If the Ford would have driven so fast it could be expected to have cut the corner. The cars in the drawing made by the police are identified by their licence plate.