I wonder if we are not all missing the point here?There is little doubt that the aerolith was on the prototype tapered frame.But was it so bad for some reason that they changed the design and thus no trace exists of this strange car?Was the straight frame cheaper? or easier to make?Or did the tapered frame handle badly? So there we have it maybe the canadians should make the correct frame and then we will all know if it was so bad.

When this thread started I was so sure of myself, the T57S and its progenitors was my one area of expertise. I've just reread the entire debate, and I made a most startling discovery : I am a MORON!!!!

Next time one of you feel the need to cut me down to size, just quote one of my replies to contributor Gap05.

Yours in Shame
Moron

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The happy owner with his (Re)creation…

Thanks Uwe.

In 1934 the T57 was introduced, shortly after the T59 in fact. From this 3.3l Tourer the path to the Bugatti's final Grand Sport goes something like this : the Grand Raid, the T.T, the Torpedo Sports, the Aerolithe and then came the T57S. Now most of the Grand Raids, most of the T.T.'s and most of the T57S's survive, but both the Torpedo Sport and Aerolithe has disappeared without a trace, and their exact specification remains a mystery still.

I think Lazarus might have a point - perhaps the two lost cars were technological blind alleys? Although to give this as the reason for them being scrapped is perhaps a bit of a stretch. I'm loving this, a new opportunity for learning, for discovery, for getting to know Bugatti.

I thank thee all.
Johan-the-not-quite-so-stupid-anymore.

PS. Thanks for the photo of the owner and his recreation Martijn. I took one look at those trousers and I found myself overcome with sympathy for the builder.

Johan:

"Ready, Fire, Aim!"

Don't feel too badly...at least you aren't spending hundreds of thousands of dollars building an inaccurate replica, foolishly believing you'll have something of extraordinary value when you are done. I hope Grainger's client knows the views of the "real" experts.

CK

I was interviewed by Jodi Lay for the article about the Aerolithe, the surprise was quite high that, where an original Atlantic will fetch millions (32 have been rumoured for the Williamson one) , this replica will never reach such figures. Millions were suggested, but even when the Guild-replica will be 100% accurate, such prices will never be achieved...

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Jaap:

The Guild-built replica won't be 100% accurate! They are using the 57104 chassis frame, cut down to the correct wheelbase. Just the very thought of Molsheim "cutting down" a chassis frame to build a prototype is hilarious to contemplate. By 1935 the Works had a clear pattern of building or contracting to have built different wheelbase chassis frames for various models...T13/22/23; T30; T40 (early and late); T49; T50/50T; T52(!); and, later, T57/57S (gondola)/57S (standard). Drawings exist for each of these different frame lengths. Again; the thought of Molsheim taking a hack saw to a chassis frame is ludicrous.

CK

Just imagine if everyone took every Bugatti with a common or less than glamorous coachwork and tossed it away to rebody as an Atlantic / Aerolithe iteration. What would be so special about the originals then? Would we all be talking about this almost magical Aerolithe Bugatti done by Jean Bugatti if there were 2 or 20 more recreations floating around claiming to be the "most like the original"?

Unfortunately since it has a serial numbered chassis, the owners typically (not always) assume it should be then allowed into concours and regular shows as if it was an "original". Thus why the BOC chassis registration is important to differentiate these from true originals. Hopefully the owners don't expect there newly bodied chassis to be worth more than a regular (original) bodied chassis in the future either!

I do wish we could see more Bugatti inspired projects like Ron Kellogg's project from a few years ago. Tastefully done and it wasn't passed off as something it wasn't. Plus it wasn't a replica/recreation of something already existing.

Hopefully the Bugatti world doesn't become like the Alfa world where all the great 2.3 chassied Alfa's that have died needless deaths just to be shortened and rebodied as generic Monza's.

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me: Mark - home: Gilbert, Arizona now

Not quite so ludicrous I feel.If the mood took Ettore to try something NOW i think that a hacksaw might very well have been tried.Maybe copperkettle has hit the nail on the head, They had indeed made this car in a rush for a show and it was not up to the standard Ettore would have wanted for a car to be sold to a customer and so the hacksaw came out again and it was cut up

I never stated that the Guild one will be correct, chances are high though that it will be better than the German one (not so difficult). They are using magnesium for the body, I do not know what the metallurgical differences are compared with the electron of which the original was presumably made. Does anybody have proof that the Aerolithe was made of Electron, or was that just to draw attention, and was it regular aluminium?

It seems that a shortened standard chassis is preferred, buyers probably are more impressed by a "once original" chassis then a complete replica chassis.

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As far as I know, everybody with an original chassied Bugatti, regardless of the body, can go to any meeting he wants, and will be accepted. Some of the Pebble Beach cars are more rebuilds than restaurations!


Already true! There's a lot of cars, especially special - bodied T43's but also T40's and others, that loose their period body, to receive a replica GS or other Molsheim body. For example the Zagato-bodied T43, Czech-bodied T46 and many other examples are available. Pity

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Mr. Kellog has produced a beautifully made special but I would strenuously object to it carrying a Bugatti badge or being called a Bugatti type-59.

The car is a "Kellog special" not a Bugatti.

Earlier this evening I received an e-mail from Lionel Decrey about my posting two chapters from Laugier in this thread. As it turns out Mr. Decrey is very much in favour of the free to everyone ethos of Bugattibuilder.com, and a chapter here and there, properly credited to the author of course, is okay. Naturally enough, posting the entire manuscript will be frowned upon!

Just a quick word of thanks to all contributors to this thread ; as much fun as I have writing and posting, with this one I am now getting pleasure from reading. But you know me, I do like stirring things up, so let me end by making a contentious statement ; the Aerolithe is a better balanced design than the Atlantic, and for sheer beauty I think the T57S Atalante tops them both. Kindly note, this is an opinion, not a fact.

Please go to the book Forum for some good news.

Kind Regards
Johan

jap !

quite right you are. but this is not only a bugatti fate. today there are more mercedes SSk around than ever produced. many mercer touring cars becmae short chassis raceabouts. nobody really can count the simplex chain driven racers, which never really existed.
I remember a large edwardian renault with an original rothshild limousine body, which was only bought, that the body, which had been with the car since new could be transfered to a RR silver ghost to raise its value..
and for bugatti: see the brescias, who were rebodied as bolster tank racers, the T3o with the distinctive skiff-bodies a.s.o.

best regards
mike