The British Bugatti Owners Club used to indicate "new" or "recreated" Bugattis adding an "R" for replica after the type number, e.g. type 35B/R.

The latest copy of "Bugantics" and other BOC publications seem to have abandoned this system.

It was an inappropriate use of the word "Replica" anyway - a replica is a precise copy, which most of them aren't.

Would it not be better to use the suffix "I" for imitation of "F" for fake ?

Dear God, my Brothers!

He is one of US!!!

Poor guy - he'll learn how rare Bugatti ownership combined with common sense really is.

And you do not want to get me started on that whole 3 out of 5 thing! Ask anyone - once I start, you just cannot shut me up.

Welcome; at last I'm no longer the "new guy"

Regards
Johan

R pour replica, recréation ou reconstruction.
I pour imitation.
F pour faux.
C pour copie.
etc....

Ce serait plus simple de préciser une notation à Replica.

Replica sans pièce d'origine > exemple T35-R.
Replica avec une pièce essentielle d'origine > T35-R*
Replica avec deux pièces essentielles d'origine > T35-R**
Bugatti avec trois pièces essentielles d'origine et plus
devrait être considérée comme d'origine avec un numéro de chassis.

les éléments essentiels étant le moteur, le châssis, la boîte de vitesse, la carrosserie.

Le châssis étant la pièce essentielle par excellence mais pas toujours facile à identifier comme d'origine. Mais avec 3 autres éléments essentiels devrait être considéré comme d'origine (avec numéro de chassis non confirmé).

----

R for replica, re-creation or rebuilt.
I for imitation.
F for falk.
C for copy
etc....

It would be simpler to specify a notation with Replica.

Replica without part d'origine > example T35-R
Replica with an essential part d'origine > T35-R*
Replica with two essential parts d'origine > T35-R**
Bugatti with three essential parts d'origine and more should be regarded as d'origine with a number of frame.

Essential elements being the engine, the frame, the gear box, body.

The frame being the essential part par excellence but not always easy to identify like d'origine. But with 3 other essential elements should be regarded as d'origine (with number of frame not confirmed).

bugatti69

Indeed a good idea to give cars a "rating" which indicate the "originality" of the Bugatti in question.

Why not follow the 3 out of 5 rule, (engine, frame, gearbox, front axle, rear axle) extended with the body.

So it could be:

Originality:
Engine: Original
Frame: Original
Gearbox: replacement (ex 7777)
Front axle: Original
Rear axle: replica
body: replica
Bugattibuilder rating: 3/1/2 (original/replaced with original item/replica item)

My opinion is that something should be constructed, to protect the original Bugattis that are around.

Replicas and law make it difficult: To get a replica on the road (street legal) one needs a couple of original Bugatti parts on it, to have it registered as a 1920;s Bugatti, and hence not having the need to comply with current regulations (hydraulic brakes, seat belts, etc etc).

Not mentioned are the "artists" that buy an original Bugatti, and a replica. The curtain goes down, the curtain goes back up, and tadaaa, 2 original Bugattis.

With this proposal I will probably be stepping on peoples toes, but all for the sake of the original Bugatti.

Luckily for the con-artists I can be bought... An Atalante will do... Or that nice Profile type 46...

_________________
Vive la Marque !!

What should I call mine? It doesn't have any original parts. It is not exactly the same in any conceivable way. It has a six cylinder engine and, as we all know, Bugatti never built a six cylinder engine. I'm thinking that the best thing to do is to leave the badge blank - maybe with the border of dots and nothing more.

I suppose if it was absurd enough, I could buy a badge and glue it to something like the radiator like some of those converted VW masterpieces.

I saw one here in the U.S. that was made into a "Rat Rod". That whole concept is one that I find to be a source of curiosity. I don't know if there are rat rods in Europe or if it is an American concept that we have the common decency to keep at home. For those of you who may not know what a rodent rod is, it is a car made to look as horrible as a car can possibly look and still be legal. Remove the paint and display rust and lots of dents. Rivet old licence plates over holes, have a bent steering wheel, brake peddle made of toilet parts, bolts made from bullets, etc.

Hi William, you built it; you call it, and badge it, any way you damn-well please. Period. Yours is a unique creation, and no Bugatti had to die in the process.

The debate about originality has become far too complicated. Either a car is original, or it is not. So in the interest of clarity I shall now provide the Official Johan definition of Original.

Original means Complete : Original chassis, engine, gearbox, front and rear wheel assemblies and, most importantly, the original coachwork.

There are only two classes of original : Preserved Original and Restored Original. Preserved cars have their original paint and upholstery; Restored cars do not.

I believe the above covers, perhaps, fifteen percent of surviving cars. There are only 4 original T13's. And only 1 (one) is preserved intact. There are no Preserved Original T57S's left.

"Yes but" I hear you historical revisionists whine. Spare me, I really do not care what you call the rest of them. They are not original. They have been raped by the Bugatti-owning Mafia.

Those who will not recognise the historical and cultural worth of OUR heritage, must be turned into Bugatti lepers. Shun them. Death to their social ambitions. I am determined to teach these evil-doers that Hell is in the Internet. Let us make it so.

The forces of Mammon will rise. The time for the Bugatti Jihad has come. Be Ready, Dear Friend, Be Vigilant. We must fight, we must agitate, we must uncover the bottomfeeders. We must NEVER Surrender.

Ask yourself this : If we do not safeguard this precious heritage, who will?

I am
Johan Buchner

There are no Replicas and no Original Molsheim Bugattis.

According to my Oxford English Dictionary a Replica is a perfect copy. There are some very good copies around using C & G and Brineton components but none are exactly the same as any car that left Molsheim.

There are no Original Bugattis left. As soon as a plug cap or tyre valve is changed with a non-Molsheim component, the car ceases to be original.

Incidentally there is an unrestored type 57S still in existence - the ex-Lord Ridley car which has been lying in a suburban garage near Newcastle for around fifty year. Its owner (Dr. Carr) died shortly before Christmas and the car will be put up for aution in due course.

A plug cap, like a clutch, like a tyre is a consumable. We are talking about machines here; tools for driving if you will. It is a Bugatti, not the Shroud of Turin.

Of course there are original Bugattis left, you are deliberately skewing my reasoning. Your argument that a replacement spark-plug has the same detrimental effect on a car's originality, as a replacement engine or body, is ludicrous.

As for the ex Lord Howe car, I believe that this car has not been in running condition for a very long time. The new owner will have 2 choices; either be in possession of a perfectly preserved static monument to past glories, or sacrifice the originality, and have a functioning car.

Either way, at least this car now has a chance to return to the public domain. Squirreling away a car such as this in a suburban garage for fifty years, is as harmful as a Paul Russel restoration.

Restoration of a surviving Bugatti, is not an engineering challenge. It is, I assure you, far, far more important than that, it is no less than a challenge to our collective morality.

Mocking the earnest intentions of those precious few of us who abhor financial gain from the cultural and historical treasure that is Bugatti, simply reinforces the strangle-hold that profit-based organisations, like the Bugatti Trust, has on a fast disappearing heritage.

Yours
Johan Buchner

In the Uk, the cheapest running, useable Bugatti (i.e a "Brescia"- probably with a new engine, chassis or both) will now cost around £100,000. The inheritors of a genuine, and generally original orignal type 13 recently turned down an offer of £175,000 (GPB).

Prices have almost doubled in the past two years and the increase shows no sign of abating.

A group of young UK enthusiasts have recently set-up the BLF with the intention of encouraging people and organisations with dismantled, unloved, unused cars to either to get the cars running and in circulation or sell them to people who will use them for the purpose they were made.

I say ; BEST OF LUCK TO THEM.

Bugatti Liberation Front? I have never heard of them. Perhaps you can provide us with their contact details. I, for one, am dying to know how these young Britons intend to liberate the Lauren, Keller and Louwman Bugattis.

You are right though; best of luck to them. I wish to tell them so myself. Hope to hear from you soon.

Johan Buchner

Hi,

Two points:
1) Having recently read the Octane Magazine article on the Bugatti Type 35 Pur Sang replica I have even less respect for what they do than I had before.

Creating the impression that your replicas are world class when the car - as mentioned in the article - has numerous glaring innaccuracies and modern parts fitted seems weird to me.

It is a bit like saying you have restored a Georgian house spending thousands of pounds and hours making sure every detail is correct, except you couldn't be bothered with getting the windows right and used some uPVC double glazed units. Hardly an approach that would make you popular with house conservationists and the same applies to all collectable items. I mean if the wonderful original instruments T35 don't matter, why not make the body out of carbon fibre and slap on low profile tyres.

2) With a due sense of trepidation, I must take issue with Johan about The Bugatti Trust.

They are set up as a Charitable Trust and are therefore by definition none profit making.

I have just noticed that they have put up some pictures on their website http://www.bugatti-trust.co.uk/news/news-2007-highlights.shtml.
showing the best bits of 2007. As you can see, the focus is definitely on getting youngsters involved, taking the Bugatti message out to the world and being pro-active about the subject.

As previously mentioned, I would thoroughly recommend visiting them. You don't have to make an appointment, it is free, the exhibits are superb and at present even include some Carlo Bugatti furniture. I am sure you will be treated courteously.

Kind Regards



SB