the image of the chassis found after 50 years...


here more...
http://www.corriere.it/gallery/Cronache ... ugatti/1&1

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I Live only for... Bugatti!!! "Nothing Is Too Beautiful, Nothing Is Too Expensive..." -Ettore Bugatti-

One of the many things this forum has taught me is that appearances can be deceiving. Certainly this car appears very original, but how has it been maintained all these years? Did Dr. Carr at least start her up regularly, or has she been immobile all these years? And if so, what mechanical components will still be serviceable, and what will have to be replaced? Does anyone know the state of the ash-frame? Is that interior still salvageable?

I could be wrong, but I think this one will fetch more money than the late Dr. Williamson's Atalante. It seems the anticipation of loving this slightly down-at-heel, but oh so romantic, jewel back to rude good health will make collectors dig deep indeed for the privilege. I hope it stays in Britain, it belongs there, I think.

Final thought : This one and the Dovaz Atalante are diamonds in the rough, most of the others have been restored, some better than others, yet nothing can detract from their beauty. Atalante more beautiful than Atlantic? Maybe.

Kind Regards
Johan

I have no idea of the circumstances in which the car resided. A garage, yes, but what kind of.

If it was a dry environment, not in direct sunlight, and the engine was taken care of before putting it on hold for 50 years, it can be in surprisingly good shape.

I would say: A good wash, some leather cream, and a dab of grease here and there, and it will at least drive again.

To make it a roadworthy car, some things will need to be revised, like brakes, carburettors very probably, and perhaps some other things, but hopefully that is it. Oh, and change the tyres. I would not rely on 50 year old tyres, would you?

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Vive la Marque !!

Engine +C !

<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/57502-12.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/normal_57502-12.jpg" alt="#57502"></a>

Not beeing a technician and of course never having seen 57502, I suppose the car needs a complete restauration. Jus read the following quotes.

Pierre-Yves Laugier in his book on the 57S: 'Dr. Carr, with the approach of any self-respecting psychiatrist, took the 57S completely apart in order to better understand it. To this day, the car has still not been rebuilt, and, for more than forty years, its parts have been lined up on dr. Carr's shelves'.
Simon/Kruta in their book on the 57S: 'The condition of the car is described as >partly dismantled<.'

From auctioneer Bonhams website: 'Dr Carr drove the car for the first few years but in the early 1960s it was parked in his garage where it remained for nearly 50 years, until Dr Carr’s death in 2007. The T57S is being sold on behalf of the family of Dr Carr, and will be offered with an extensive file of correspondence documenting its fascinating history. James Knight said: “The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is “restoration” in the true sense of the word. From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality."'

I think Bonhams is doing a good job (and of course it is their job!) trying to fetch the highest price possible for 57502 at their Retromobile auction. Couldn't it be possible that the Atalante has been assembled just for a nice photoshoot (and for exposition at Retromobile) - the pictures truly are amazing! - but still is in need of a thorough rebuilt? The story which I've seen in quite a few newspapers about the heirs who had no idea what they found in the garage next to the E-type and the Aston simply adds to the legend. I've never known dr. Carr but even I knew for several years already of the existence and importance of this Atalante.

From a price point of view it is interesting that this is the third 57S Atalante on the open market in the last six months or so. At first, there was the Williamson 57511; 57551 will be auctioned in a week or so and 57502 early february. But of course, they're all different and this is one of the very few which has obviously never been restored (do we like Lord Howe's alterations of the car or would we remove them?).

Note the compressor, this has been later fitted, and is not a Bugatti compressor!

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In 1947, when the car was bought by John P. Tingay from the East Coast in Middlesex, he modified it with a Marshall K200 compressor, making it in effect a Type 57 SC (although Bugattis used Roots superchargers)

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Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

The origins of the Roots supercharger were explained in "Bugantics" in a letter from G.C. Little.

From memory, Roots designed a positive displacement pump for ventilating mines which operated by pulling air through a pair of meshing lobes.

Roots was therefore the original designer of the lobed air pump but Bugatti employed a clever draughtsman to produce him a nice design in the mid-twenties which he manufactured himself thereafter, with variations being mainly to the length of the body.

Marshall superchrgers used the same Roots principle as Bugatti. In the fifties you could buy kits for fitting them to popular engines such as the Ford 1172cc unit.

See this vidéo : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8SE0JyOqTM

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Make your dream devour your life, so that life doesn't devour your dream.
[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]

everybody who lves theese sleeping beauties should subscribe " the automobile" devoted only to cars up to 195o. they have a " finds and discoveries" each month, and during the last, nearly 3o years on the market ( I have it since nr.1) great discoveries, also some nice bugattis.

in the meantime I ve heard that the dovaz- T57sc is restored ??

regards
mike

you mean this ?
<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10003/57_562.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10003/normal_57_562.jpg" alt="#57562"></a>#57542

No, this is T57S Atalante 57562 photographed at Pebble Beach in 1990 when owned by Noel Thompson. It was shown again at Pebble Beach in 2003, painted black and yellow as per original. The ostrich interior and chrome wire wheels, on the other hand, are not as per original.

The Dovaz car, as you mentioned, is 57542/ eng.28SC one of very few factory original supercharged T57SC's. Originally black with red side panels, the last photos I've seen showed her fitted with wheel disks in red, but no spats over the rear wheels. Not sure if this is as original.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that 57542 has been restored, from the photos in Laugier she looks a little rough around the edges.

Kind Regards
Johan

Sorry, you are right !
<a href="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/57542-4.jpg"><img src="http://www.bugattibuilder.com/photo/albums/userpics/10107/normal_57542-4.jpg" alt="#57542"></a>#57542

Yep, that's the one. It does look wonderful doesn't it? There is something so romantic about decayed masterpieces. Beautiful.

link?