1936 Bugatti

This 1936 Bugatti Type 57 is one of approximately 700 examples built between 1934 and 1940 and was ordered new by Circus Pinder director and animal tamer Roger Spiessert with Jean Bugatti-designed Ventoux four-light coupe coachwork. Chassis 57364 was completed on February 10, 1936, for delivery to Spiessert, who reportedly drove the car with an elephant calf while promoting the circus under his stage name Roger Spessardy. The car changed hands twice over the next two years and was subsequently abandoned in Paris, where it was discovered in the 1950s before being purchased in 1959 by a California owner who had it shipped to Los Angeles. It passed through a series of owners as a deferred project before remaining in storage with a single steward for 40 years, at the end of which it was sold to its current owner in 2018. The rolling chassis carries steel bodywork that is finished in worn black paint and retains design touches including three-row bonnet louvers, the absence of bumpers, a recessed license plate holder with provisions for backlighting, a flush-mounted rear spare, a small trunk compartment with luggage handles, a small oval rear window, and a polished prancing elephant radiator mascot. The chassis is also equipped with 18” wire wheels, mechanically actuated finned aluminum drum brakes, a rear axle and differential unit, a hollow front axle, semi- and quarter-elliptical leaf springs, a horseshoe-shaped radiator shell with thermostatically controlled shutters, door panels trimmed in red leather, and a four-spoke steering wheel. The car is accompanied by its partially disassembled 3,257cc DOHC straight-eight as well as a Stromberg updraft carburetor, a four-speed manual transmission, the remnants of rear window privacy curtains, a pair of seat frames, dash panels, and various other components and trim pieces. This Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux project is now offered on dealer consignment in Sunnyside, North Carolina, with a Montana title. Introduced in 1934, the Type 57 was designed by Jean Bugatti, son of Ettore, and was offered in a range of body configurations, most of which were styled by the younger Bugatti himself and built either in-house or by Swiss/French coachbuilder Gangloff. One of three body styles named after Alpine peaks, the Ventoux featured four-seat coupe coachwork that was designed and constructed in-house with two rear-hinged doors, a steeply raked windshield, and either two or four side windows. This example’s body is said to have been originally finished in black paint, which has worn off several areas of the exterior surfaces. Corrosion is exhibited on the steel panels, while the windshield is broken and partially missing, the right-side door window glass is damaged, and the fabric roof is missing. Features include a horseshoe-shaped grille with thermostatic shutters, a headlight bar, aluminum hood panels with three rows of louvers on each side, a recessed rear license-plate mounting point, and a rear luggage rack affixed to a small trunk lid. The prancing elephant radiator mascot was reportedly commissioned by original owner Roger Spiessert and was polished in preparation for the sale. Various uninstalled exterior parts including side windows, Scintilla headlights, and trim pieces accompany the car. The parts collection does not include the rear window glass, fuel-filler cap, or left-front or rear fender braces. Wire wheels are secured by two-eared knock-offs and wear older and cracked mismatched tires at the rear and 5.50-18 Excelsior Comp H tires up front. A spare is housed in a recessed compartment at the rear of the car and is wrapped in damaged Michelin rubber. Five additional wire wheels are included in the sale. The car is equipped with finned aluminum drum brakes designed for actuation via a series of cables and pulleys, although the cable system is not currently connected. The cabin is stripped of much of its interior trim and flooring, although door panels trimmed in red leather and a steering column hosting a four-spoke wood-rimmed wheel wearing a St. Christopher’s badge are present. Two seat frames with remnants of upholstery are included among the project’s uninstalled parts along with various other pieces of flooring and trim. Also included are the remnants of privacy curtains for the three rear windows. The selling dealer notes that the right sun-visor mounting hardware and right upper door check are missing. A refurbished Jaeger 170-km/h speedometer with inset gauges monitoring fuel level, amperage, oil pressure, and coolant temperature is included in the sale along with a Jaeger clock. Chassis mileage is unknown. A wood dash and an instrument bezel are also included along with a Dufaux & Repusseau shock absorber adjustment knob. A plaque affixed to the dash is engraved with the name of the car’s last known registered French owner. The 3.3-liter inline-eight is uninstalled and partially disassembled, and a hole in the bottom of the finned oil sump is shown in the photo gallery below. Engine characteristics include a block and cylinder heads cast en bloc, gear-driven dual overhead camshafts, polished aluminum cam covers, a two-piece aluminum crankcase, and a Stromberg UUR-2 updraft carburetor. Pistons, connecting rods, valve springs, a Bosch distributor, dual coils, and various ancillaries are among included uninstalled parts. A radiator is mounted in the engine bay, as is a steering gearbox. A four-speed manual transmission is also included and is designed to be mounted directly to the engine. A rear differential stamped with a 4.2:1 gear ratio is mounted in the car as part of a solid rear axle featuring quarter-elliptical leaf springs and adjustable lever-arm shock absorbers. A forged hollow front axle through which semi-elliptical leaf springs pass is also mounted on the car. An uninstalled right-front shock absorber is included, while the left front shock is missing. A chassis tag stamped with number 57364 is riveted to the firewall. Engine number 267 is shown stamped on the block in the gallery and matches the engine number listed in a previous Bugatti Register entry for the car. Additional markings shown below include gearbox number 267, rear axle number H05 and ratio 12×50, body number derivative 11, and various engine component stamps. Photos of components, trim, hardware, wiring, and other parts included in the sale can be viewed in the gallery. The Montana title is in transit.