Bugatti Replica

This Bugatti Type 35 replica was built by the seller between 2009 and 2014 using a combination of reproduction, period correct, and custom-fabricated parts, the latter based in part on factory drawings from 1924. Handmade aluminum body panels are wrapped over a custom frame that was constructed using laser-cut pieces. The powertrain consists of rebuilt Alfa Romeo components, including a 2.0L twin-cam four with a single downdraft carburetor and a five-speed manual transmission. Additional features include a Pur Sang steering box, Alfa Romeo rear end, custom radiator with a modern core, custom Dayton wire wheels, Ford brake drums, and brown leather upholstery. A number of reproduction parts were sourced from the Bugatti Owners Club, while original or period-correct parts are said to include the Brooklands windscreen, front friction dampers, and Bugatti fuel cap. Shortly after its completion in 2014, this Type 35 replica was driven by the seller in the American Bugatti Club’s 1,000 kilometer Lake Placid rally around upstate New York. The car is now offered with photos from the build and New York transferable registration that lists it as a 1924 Bugatti Convertible. Ettore Bugatti’s Type 35 race cars debuted at the French Grand Prix in Lyon in August 1924. They featured lightweight construction, as well as a hollow front axle and alloy wheels that reduced unsprung mass. In its various evolutions the Type 35 won over 2,000 events between 1924 and 1930, including five consecutive Targo Florios and the 1926 Grand Prix championship. The seller based construction of this re-creation on factory drawings for a 1924 Type 35. A Type 35 chassis was replicated by the seller using a CAD system to laser-cut frame sections based on factory drawings. Aluminum body panels were then hand-formed to recreate factory bodywork, including a louvred hood, boattail rear section, and horseshoe-shaped radiator with a honeycomb grille. The latter was also fabricated by the seller, though the brass radiator cap, aluminum Bugatti emblem, and thermometer were sourced from the Bugatti Owners Club in the UK. The single windscreen is said to be an original Brooklands part. A combination of original and BOC reproduction fasteners were utilized, including original-style external safety-wire screws. Headlights and brake lights have been added, though the seller notes they can be removed for a Grand Prix look. Black-painted 19” wire wheels were custom made by Dayton Wheels and wear Blockley tires, as does the matching side-mount spare. Custom front hubs were machined to allow the use of four rear drum brake units from a Ford F1 while limiting protrusion of the drums inside the wheel. Braking is actuated hydraulically via Wilwood master cylinders. The hollow front axle was fabricated by the seller to replicate the factory design. The front and rear crossmembers and split tubular crossmember sections under the footwells were made to factory specification, though the crossmember under the engine was modified to accommodate the Alfa Romeo powertrain. The interior features a bench seat that was trimmed in brown leather by the seller’s uncle’s upholstery shop. Seatbelts are in place for two occupants. The steering wheel is situated on the right-hand side of the cabin and incorporates a CAD-cut center, while the wooden rim was handmade. A conventional shift lever is mounted to the driver’s left in lieu of an original-style outboard shifter. Brake controls mirror the setup in original cars, with full braking at all four wheels controlled by a foot pedal, while a lever outside the cabin engages hand brake mechanisms at the rear wheels. The bulkhead was laser cut via a CAD process and is attached to the frame using Bugatti castings purchased from the BOC. Smiths and Jaeger instrumentation includes a reverse-sweep 6,500-rpm tachometer and gauges for coolant temperature, amperage, and oil pressure. An odometer is not present, though the seller states that the car has been driven approximately 2k miles since completion. The aluminum 2.0-liter DOHC inline-four was sourced from an Alfa Romeo Spider, as were the five-speed manual transmission and rear end. A single downdraft carburetor from a 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulia was fitted in lieu of dual carburetors to allow clearance of the hood. The radiator features a modern core and a cooling fan while maintaining a factory aesthetic. A five-gallon fuel tank is utilized instead of an original-style 20-gallon tank, and the fuel filler cap is said to be a factory part. A cold start is shown in the video above. CAD-drawn, CNC-machined dumb irons connect the front crossmember to the frame and support the front end of the front leaf springs, which pass through the front axle like on a factory Type 35. The front friction dampers are said to be original units from a Bugatti, and the steering box is a reproduction unit built to factory specification by Pur Sang in Argentina. A selection of images from the build are shown in the gallery, and additional photos will accompany the sale. Videos attached below feature onboard driving footage as well as footage of the car being driven past.