Info für Besucher ohne Javascript

Premium

Bugatti 57 C - the century of barn finds is not over yet

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on February 11, 2015

Text:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

32

Archiv

17

Daniel Reinhard

32

Archiv

17

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - once the pinnacle of motorization

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - looks quite sad

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - typical - small rear window

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - beautiful Ventoux line

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - with a hint of a sliding roof

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - also elegant from above

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - beautiful proportions

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - marked by long periods of standing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C (1937) - like a sculpture

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the ravages of time have also taken their toll on the glass

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - Seats like garden chairs

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - Wooden dashboard and steering wheel rim

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the steering wheel broke at some point

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - all original

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - large steering wheel

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the beautiful wooden steering wheel

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - rev counter up to 8000 rpm - however, the eight-cylinder engine was not intended to rev quite that high

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - Speedometer up to 200 km/h

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the watch had to be wound, but then ran for some time

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - beautiful Jaeger instruments

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - complete Jaeger instrumentation

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - some people would have loved to drive it in the past

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - solid switches

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - racing car technology for the touring car

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - Eight-cylinder in-line engine with supercharger

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the slanted look is photogenic

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the famous horseshoe-shaped radiator

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - the design was by Jean Bugatti

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - Mudguards with battle scars

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - voluminous fenders

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - tires almost as old as the car

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux (1937) - ornate cooling vents

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57G (1935) - the racing version of the Type 57

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - as a two-door coupé "Ventoux"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57C Ventoux (1936) - side by side with one of the four original Atlantic cars with chassis no. 57453

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 Ventoux (1936) - View of the interior

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - the engine on the test bench in Molsheim

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - as a convertible "Stelvio" for four people

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - as the four-door "Galibier" saloon

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - as a two- to three-seater coupé "Atalante"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57S (1936) - as the elegant "Atlantique" coupé

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57S (1936) - as the two-door coupé "Atalante"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1938) - with four-door aluminum body by Figoni et Falaschi

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1936) - one of the factory bodies

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57C Ventoux (1936) - elegantly presented

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 Atalante (1937) - still competitive in races after the war

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 57 (1935) - in October 1984

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 44 (1933) - Walter Grell in Veltheim in 1979

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bugatti 37 (1926) - Walter Grell from Reinfelden on the "little" Bugatti"

You have only

1 out of 49

images seen in high resolution

Summary

At the end of the 1960s, it was still possible to discover a Bugatti 57C Ventoux on the open field and buy it for cheap money, because nobody wanted these rusty pre-war cars. Swiss enthusiast Walter Grell, however, had a knack for rare French cars and stored the elegant supercharged Bugatti for many decades, so that it has been preserved in its weathered original condition to this day and will be on display in an exhibition of barn finds at the Pantheon Basel in spring 2015. This report explains the development and technology of the Bugatti Type 57 and shows the original preserved car in detail, supplemented by historical illustrations and a 24-page original brochure.

This article contains the following chapters

Jean Bugatti and the Bugatti 57
Different body variants
Technology at its finest
One of the best cars of the time
A completely original car from 1937
Barn finds at the Pantheon Basel

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Around 40 to 50 years ago, car enthusiast Walter Grell was driving through France and spotted a familiar radiator shape among the bushes. Although he didn't have time to take a closer look at the find, he later returned, identified the parked car as a Bugatti Type 57 and convinced the owner to sell it to him for a few French francs. The owner is happy to finally have the scrap heap removed from his land and is overjoyed that someone will even pay him something for it. At the end of the sixties, nobody was interested in pre-war cars and some of them were cold-heartedly scrapped. Walter Grell, however, transports his find to Switzerland and has no export problems to contend with, as the French have not yet realized that they will one day be proud of their automotive heritage.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

Continue reading this article for free?

Images of this article

Source: