Vehicle Description
When Bugatti's spectacular Type 57 debuted in 1934, nobody knew it
would be the final all-French design in the legendary marque's
brief yet brilliant history. The firm's patriarchal leader Ettore
Bugatti was fully committed to developing the petrol-powered rail
cars ordered by the French government, so he charged his son Jean -
just 23 years old at the time - with the task of designing the
firm's latest high-performance touring car. Jean and senior
engineers Pichetto and Domboy were wholly responsible for the car's
specification from the ground up, including the chassis, engine,
and even the factory body designs. Bugatti needed a new vehicle to
remain competitive, one that retained the performance and style for
which Bugatti was known while offering new levels of comfort and
easy operation. At the heart of the Type 57 sat an all-new
twin-cam, inline eight-cylinder engine displacing 3,257-cc. The
basic layout was familiar, though the block (with integrated head)
and crankcase were new items. Bevel gear-driven camshafts were more
refined than the previous straight-cut style, and in standard form,
the new engine produced a highly respectable 135 horsepower or 160
with the optional supercharger. While the Type 57 was not
officially used for competition, legendary Type 59 Grand Prix cars
shared the fundamental engine design. The chassis borrowed heavily
from Bugatti's playbook, with the well-proven solid front axle that
guided all previous Bugattis to countless motorsport victories, but
with ride and handling tuned to suit the intended purpose as a fast
yet luxurious touring car. Jean Bugatti designed four distinct
in-house bodies for the Type 57;
theGalibiersaloon,Ventouxfour-passenger coupe,Stelviofour-seat
cabriolet, and theAtalantetwo-seat coupe. Of course, independent
coachbuilders, including Figoni et Falaschi, Gangloff, and
Saoutchik, also created spectacular designs for the Type 57. Jean
Bugatti tragically lost his life in a testing accident in 1939, and
the onslaught of war all but destroyed the Bugatti family concern.
The Type 57 stands as the last of a proud line of pure French
Bugattis, with provenance that only comes with the great motorcars
from Molsheim. Offered here is chassis number 57617, a highly
desirable, late-specification Type 57C equipped from new with a
supercharged 3,257 cc, 160 horsepower engine. A detailed report
compiled by the noted marque historian Pierre-Yves Laugier reveals
this chassis, fitted with engine number 16C, was delivered to
Carrosserie Vanvooren on November 25, 1937. The buyer, Mr. Jean
Gapiand, had specified acabriolet decapotablebody similar to the
one he had seen on the coachbuilder's stand at the Paris Automobile
Salon. Records show that Gapiand paid Frs.70,000 in part exchange
for his 18-month old Type 57 Ventoux, chassis 57364. Gapiand was
known to have a short attention span when it came to his cars, and
he sold 57617 after just one year, switching to a Bentley 4
�-litre. After the war, the Type 57 was owned by Jean-Claude
Georges, a chemical engineer and sports car enthusiast who had the
car serviced by Roger Teillac in Paris. It passed through two
additional owners before landing in the collection of Jean Serre of
Montebeliard. Serre and his family handled many Bugattis in the
1950s and 60s, amassing one of the largest hordes of Bugatti cars
and spares. When it emerged from the Serre collection in the 1990s,
the original Vanvooren coachwork had been transferred to another
chassis or possibly lost. It came stateside via a broker, joining
the Malcolm S. Pray Jr. Collection in Greenwich, Connecticut. On
joining the Pray collection, experts determined the car retained
its original engine, no. 16C, and supercharger, no. 6S; while the
gearbox, 38C, is known to be from chassis 57726, a supercharged
Letourneur et Marchand cabriolet. It is believed that the gearbox
was fitted in the 1950s while in Teillac's Paris garage. In the
early 2000s, Mr. Pray enlisted the services of the renowned Alan
Taylor Company in California to fully restore the chassis and craft
the beautiful, French-inspired aluminum alloy coachwork. Taking
cues from Vanvooren and Figoni et Falaschi bodies of the period,
the sweeping lines and gracefully curved wings form an arresting
shape. Receipts and photo documentation of the restoration are all
on file, along with historical records and reports from marque
historians. Taylor and his team completed the project late in 2006,
and Mr. Pray debuted the car at the 2007 Meadowbrook Concours. He
showed great pride in his Bugatti, exhibiting it at numerous events
and taking many awards and Best in Show accolades along the way.
While in his care, the supercharged engine was tuned and fettled by
the historic specialists D.L. George Coachworks, ensuring the car
not only looked the part but performed at the peak of its ability.
Following Mr. Pray's passing, the Type 57C found a home in a
private collection where it was meticulously maintained and shown
on rare occasions and has been kept in exquisite condition as it is
presented here. The gorgeous aubergine paint is accented with
sweeping chrome motifs that highlight its flowing lines, while the
tan leather cabin is finely detailed. A tan canvas soft top
features matching side curtains, which all stow neatly behind the
seats for a clean, uncluttered look. The superb cosmetics are
matched by its excellent mechanical condition, with the distinct
mechanical howl announcing the presence of the optional factory
supercharger. Above all, this Type 57 remains in concours
condition, with the power and performance to thrill occupants on
driving events. There's no doubt that chassis number 57617 is a
highly desirable example of Bugatti's finestGrand Routier, pairing
a matching numbers chassis and supercharged engine with striking
period-inspired coachwork by a renowned specialist. Then as now,
this Type 57 owes its existence to the skill and art of the master
coachbuilder. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional
details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7063-1937-bugatti-type-57c-cabriolet/
