1932 Bugatti Type 49

This 1932 Bugatti Type 49 is one of approximately 470 examples built between 1930 and 1934 as the manufacturer’s final iteration of its range of touring cars powered by a single-overhead-camshaft, eight-cylinder engine. Chassis 49639 was originally fitted with Gangloff “Conduite Intérieure” sedan coachwork and was delivered new in Nantes, France, on February 23, 1932. Early in the car’s life, the 3.3-liter SOHC inline-eight was replaced by the factory, and it features three valves per cylinder, twin-plug ignition, and a single updraft carburetor. In 1955, the Gangloff body was replaced with that of a four-seat coupe built by P. Marsaud, formerly of Lavocat & Marsaud, that had been removed from a different Type 49. Within a decade, the car was imported to the US by Bugatti collector Steve Juillerat, who retained the car until at least 1973, when it changed hands to marque collector Bill Serri, who sold it in 1980 to its current owner. Refurbishment work over the ensuing 32 years included the replacement of the bodywork from the cowl rearward with Jean Bugatti-inspired roadster coachwork based on the shell of a Ford roadster. Finished in black with maroon accents, the car is also equipped with a four-speed manual transmission that has been fitted with electric overdrive, cable-actuated finned aluminum drum brakes, a solid round-section front axle, semi- and quarter-elliptical leaf springs, 18” center-lock wire wheels, a removable black soft top, and red leather upholstery. This Type 49 is now offered on dealer consignment with historic photos and documents, service records dating back to 1980, removed and spare parts, and a Vermont title listing the car as a 1927 model. The Type 49 was the ultimate evolution of the family of touring cars that first arrived in March 1926 with the Type 38, which carried over the single-overhead-camshaft eight-cylinder powerplant that had debuted in the Type 30 four years earlier. The Type 38’s redesigned frame featured a longer wheelbase than its predecessor and was utilized in various forms to underpin the Types 40, 43, 44, and 49, with the latter model gaining a displacement increase, dual ignition, a cooling fan, and a ball-change gearshift lever. The Type 49 was available with either in-house-provided coachwork or as a chassis to be supplied to the coachbuilder of the buyer’s choice. This example originally wore a Gangloff-built sedan body that was replaced in the 1950s with a P. Marsaud coupe body that was in turn removed under current ownership. The current configuration features a four-panel louvered aluminum front hood with recreation coachwork from the cowl back that was inspired by period Jean Bugatti roadsters. The replacement body utilized a Ford roadster shell as a starting point, and the owner then fitted replacement fenders that were also inspired by the original Jean Bugatti roadster designs of the 1930s. Finished in black with maroon accents, the car features a honeycomb radiator surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped shell, Scintilla headlights, a tilt-out windshield, dual side mirrors, and a removable black soft top. Crazing and other imperfections in the finish are visible on the rear fenders. Black-painted wire wheels are secured by octagonal nuts and are wrapped in 5.50-18 Excelsior Comp H tires that are said to have been mounted two years ago, while two matching spares wearing Firestone tires are secured to the rear of the car under a fabric cover. Stopping is handled by finned aluminum drums with actuation via a series of stainless steel aircraft cables and pulleys. The right-hand-drive cabin houses a single bench seat trimmed in red leather with matching upholstery over the door panels. Additional features include rubber floor mats, a central ball-change shift lever, and door pockets. The split-wood-rimmed steering wheel sits ahead of a wood dashboard fascia that houses rebuilt Jaeger instrumentation including a 120-mph speedometer and a tachometer as well as gauges monitoring fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and amperage. The five-digit odometer shows 8k miles, and total mileage is unknown. The selling dealer notes that the fuel gauge bounces. The 3.3-liter inline-eight was a larger-bore evolution of the Type 44’s 3.0-liter engine and features two blocks, a single detachable cylinder head housing a single overhead camshaft, and a split crankcase with a finned sump. Induction is via a Schebler updraft carburetor, while ignition is handled by dual coils, a Scintilla distributor, and two spark plugs per cylinder. The car’s Bugatti Registry entry notes that the original engine was exchanged by the factory for a spare, which was then stamped with chassis number 49639. The engine is said to have been overhauled during the multiyear refurbishment performed under current ownership by Leydon Restorations in Lahaska, Pennsylvania. Work reportedly included welding fissures between the valve seats, honing the cylinders, magnafluxing the connecting rods, and installing higher-compression pistons. The camshaft lobes and bearings were re-ground and hardened, and new camshaft bearings were installed. The ignition wires and coils were replaced, and a rotor was sourced and installed, with the twin-spark engine said to be able to run on either set of plugs or both. The carburetor was rebuilt in 2021, at which time the radiator was re-cored and the water pump overhauled. An adapter allowing the use of a conventional oil filter has been added. The engine is said to feature modern Babbit-style main bearings, and an engine-out service in 2024 included purging the oil passages. The four-speed manual transmission was fitted with a Laycock de Normanville overdrive unit in 2014 and sends power to the rear wheels via a Spicer-jointed driveshaft. Constant-mesh gears and a sintered clutch were reportedly installed in 2022 during a transmission rebuild. Suspension incorporates a polished solid round-section front axle through which semi-elliptical leaf springs pass and a solid rear axle sprung by cantilever springs. Rebuilt Telecontrol shock absorbers are utilized all around. A photo of the car with its Marsaud body the year it was purchased by the seller is shown above. Additional records and correspondence regarding the car are also included in the sale and shown below. The Vermont title lists Classic and Exempt brands.