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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2009/01/03/rare_37_bugatti_found_in_britain/
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Crew
Posts: 70
Location: Naples, Fl | Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
I hope it comes to SW Florida. We have one of the best private auto collections anywhere, The Collier collection. I have friend who works there and I was able to see the collection. Mr Collier mainly collects cars with a racing history. And they are all drivable. He purchased a Mercedes Benz pre war gran prix car that was found in a salt mine for 9 mil.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 619
| Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
Ettore Bugatti was an eccentric legend. Most of his cars were made to order and you did not necessarily get exactly what you ordered if Bugatti decided to make you something else. You had to take what he made or he would never let you back to buy another.
His engineering was unique. He believed the head gasket was a weak point in an engine, so all of his were machined in one piece, head and block. Valves went in thru the bottom and cams and valve operating gear were mounted on top. [Maintenance was neither simple or cheap]. He didn't believe in hydraulic brakes, so all of his were complex cable operated contraptions.
There is s story, most likely true, of a very rich [all of his customers had to be very rich] nobleman who picked up his new sports car, took it out for a test drive and came right back to the factory complaining that the brakes didn't work. Bugatti screamed at him, "I build my cars to go, not to stop, now get out!". The customer took his new non-stoppable car and left.
His race cars and factory team were legend. At one point in the 1930's, Bugattis had won more European Grand Prix than all other makes [that includes Merecedes and Auto Union] combined.
Anyway, there are a bunch of books on the Bugatti legends. If you're interested just truck over to any decent size library and pick one or more up.
AtoZ |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 811
Location: NW Connecticut | Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
Mama Mea be stilla my hearta Rocco, Datsa nize automobilia..I maka u en offa harda to refuze Englisa bozs..
I tink ita be a niza for da olda bubbleatesta sailora manz.. eh...
Chow!  |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2191
Location: Port Ludlow, WA (the Olympic Penninsula) | Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
Some of the comments that caught my ear during a radio story were: they were made entirely by hand, that this was one of only 17 made, that no replacement parts would be needed for resortation (that good of shape) and that it would probably fetch some NINE MILLION bucks at auction! Oh yeh, he had an Aston Martin, Jag and other cheap cars... |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 606
Location: Citrus County FL | Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
In 1964 I was in New Orleans trying to make some money -- a guy sent us over to the BMC distributor -- they were unloading a ship full of cars and needed drivers from the waterfront to the warehouse. Yadda, yadda, didn't get the job (under 21), but while waiting around at the distributor we found a room full of old cars including a cherry red Bugatti. It was the first live one I'd ever seen and I was giving it a lot a attention. A guy comes up and starts telling me all about it -- milled and sealed engine, weird lubrication system, etc... We spend about a half hour yakking. Then he says he's gotta go to work and leaves. Another guy comes up and says something like, "Well kid, did Pete Fountain teach you anything about his Bugatti?" Seems like I found the beginning of his car collection. (Jeez, I hope it made it through the hurricane....) |
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Plankowner
Posts: 9165
Location: Upper lefthand corner of the map. | Subject: RE: Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
WOW, Pete Fountain , that is a name I haven't heard in a Long, long time. |
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Rare '37 Bugatti found in Britain
