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FACTORY GALIBIER COACHWORK
Details
1934 BUGATTI TYPE 57 GALIBIER SPORTS SALOON
FACTORY GALIBIER COACHWORK
Registration No. Not UK registered.
Chassis No. 57225
Engine No. tba
Red and black with grey cloth interior.
Engine: eight cylinders in-line, 72mm by 100mm, 3257cc, twin overhead camshaft; Gearbox: intergral constant-mesh four speed manual and reverse; Brakes: mechanical all round; Suspension: leaf springs front and rear to beam front and live rear axle. Right-hand drive.
The Type 57 may be seen as the considered response of Ettore Bugatti and his capable son Jean to the rapidly changing circumstances they faced in the 1930's. With a powerplant giving 125bhp at 4500rpm, it was powerful enough to offer traditional Bugatti levels of performance even when the chassis was equipped with a luxurious four-door saloon body. It was given a relatively easy-to-use constant-mesh gearbox with centre change and had superlative mechanical brakes. Earlier Bugatti fast-touring designs had legendary maintenance costs; the Type 57's engine had plain bearings throughout, offering greatly extended engine life between overhauls. With a range of glamourous body styles built in the Bugatti factory's own body shop at Colmar and given names invoking Alpine adventures, the car sold briskly through the 1930's, with 750 of all varieties built before production ceased in 1940.
This nicely preserved example of an original early Type 57 was delivered new in 1934 to the French owner with the factory's grand touring Galibier four-door pillarless Berline (saloon) body, a well-balanced example of current French taste set off by elegant detailing and inspired use of Jean Bugatti's favoured dual colour scheme. Thoughtful touches include doors which overlap on the centre shut line, making it impossible to open the rear ones unless the front doors are open.
The condition now represents a very good older restoration and it is known that there is a new cylinder block fitted, one of a small batch produced to the order of Hugh Conway. An enthusiastic owner has at some time added an engine revolution counter. When driven, the car performed very well indeed. The present vendor is a former Chairman of the Bugatti Club in France, who purchased it in 1976 from another former Chairman of the same Club. It comes with French documents.
FACTORY GALIBIER COACHWORK
Registration No. Not UK registered.
Chassis No. 57225
Engine No. tba
Red and black with grey cloth interior.
Engine: eight cylinders in-line, 72mm by 100mm, 3257cc, twin overhead camshaft; Gearbox: intergral constant-mesh four speed manual and reverse; Brakes: mechanical all round; Suspension: leaf springs front and rear to beam front and live rear axle. Right-hand drive.
The Type 57 may be seen as the considered response of Ettore Bugatti and his capable son Jean to the rapidly changing circumstances they faced in the 1930's. With a powerplant giving 125bhp at 4500rpm, it was powerful enough to offer traditional Bugatti levels of performance even when the chassis was equipped with a luxurious four-door saloon body. It was given a relatively easy-to-use constant-mesh gearbox with centre change and had superlative mechanical brakes. Earlier Bugatti fast-touring designs had legendary maintenance costs; the Type 57's engine had plain bearings throughout, offering greatly extended engine life between overhauls. With a range of glamourous body styles built in the Bugatti factory's own body shop at Colmar and given names invoking Alpine adventures, the car sold briskly through the 1930's, with 750 of all varieties built before production ceased in 1940.
This nicely preserved example of an original early Type 57 was delivered new in 1934 to the French owner with the factory's grand touring Galibier four-door pillarless Berline (saloon) body, a well-balanced example of current French taste set off by elegant detailing and inspired use of Jean Bugatti's favoured dual colour scheme. Thoughtful touches include doors which overlap on the centre shut line, making it impossible to open the rear ones unless the front doors are open.
The condition now represents a very good older restoration and it is known that there is a new cylinder block fitted, one of a small batch produced to the order of Hugh Conway. An enthusiastic owner has at some time added an engine revolution counter. When driven, the car performed very well indeed. The present vendor is a former Chairman of the Bugatti Club in France, who purchased it in 1976 from another former Chairman of the same Club. It comes with French documents.