Beschreibung:

1939 BUGATTI TYPE 57 STELVIO DROPHEAD COUPÉ COACHWORK BY GANGLOFF OF COLMAR Registration No. GHT 610 Chassis No. 57725 Engine No. 533 Two tone blue with tan leather interior Engine: eight cylinders in-line, twin overhead camshafts, sixteen valves, twin-choke Stromberg UUR2 updraft carburettor, coil ignition, 3257cc, 135bhp at 4500rpm. Gearbox: four-speed manual; Suspension: beam front axle with half elliptic springs, live rear axle with reversed quarter elliptic springs and telescopic shock absorbers to front and rear; Brakes: finned drum brakes with hydraulic actuation. Right hand drive The Series 3 Type 57 Bugatti was the final version of the company's last production model. It was introduced in March 1938 and refinement was enhanced by the adoption of Lockheed hydraulic brakes and Allinquant telescopic shock absorbers all round. Additionally an improved linkage served to reduce the force required to operate the clutch. This particular example was invoiced for delivery to Bugatti's London agency on Brixton Road on 6th February 1939. Unlike many examples which came to London in chassis form for fitment with English coachwork, this car was delivered complete, in the form of a Stelvio cabriolet by Gangloff of Colmar in Alsace who manufactured the coachwork for all factory supplied drophead versions of the Type 57. The car was first registered for road use with the number GHT 610 on 22nd June 1939, only a few weeks before the outbreak of war. This number was issued by the Bristol registration authorities so it is evident that the first owner resided in the Bristol area. The car was then featured in a 'Talking of Sports Cars' article which appeared in the 24th January 1941 issue of 'The Autocar' . It was supplied for test by London dealers Brooklands of Bond Street, although its licence disc indicated that despite the hostilities it had remained in use in the Bristol area until November 1940. Its mileometer showed that it had covered only 3000 miles and the asking price was £1,150. The whole car was reportedly in showroom condition and The Autocar's road testers were favourably impressed, particularly by its performance, its road holding, the superb finish of its engine and the lightness of its steering. After the war was over the car was owned from 1945 by RG Sutherland Esq and was then acquired through Friary Motors of Old Windsor by Arnold Lawrence in 1950. It is in his ownership that the car is noted in Eaglesfield's 'The Bugatti Book' in 1954. The old log book confirms that neither Sutherland nor Lawrence used the Bugatti much, it being taxed for only 17 months in total for a decade to 1955, and was later laid up in 1957 by which time it had covered just 30,000 miles. It remained untouched until 1980 when some restoration work was initiated, but was not completed, the present owner purchasing the car in 1989. Upon acquiring the car a sympathetic restoration was begun, with necessities such as the paintwork being refurbished to a very high standard whilst the original upholstery was carefully retained. It is now resplendent in duo-tone which entirely befits its French origins, whilst all bright-work has been correspondingly polished and replated to a matching high standard. Mechanically it is superbly presented, as the previous owner had lavished all his attention to this particular aspect of the car. He was fascinated by the quality and engineering design of the Bugatti engine which he continually kept prepared to exacting specification. The fact is that with its low mileage history its thoughtful refurbishment by the current owner in preserving what he could of the original parts, with special detail to the interior that the result is a charming combination of the quality that one associated with the marque, whilst still retaining the character that an old car should have. Its debut public appearance after restoration was in the Louis Vuitton Concours at Hurlingham in 1992, where its attributes just listed elevate