1938 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster
- Engine
- 3.3L supercharged straight-eight, 135 bhp (normally aspirated rating)
Chassis 57661 is a 1938 Bugatti Type 57 with an unusual history: originally bodied as a Gangloff Stelvio Cabriolet, it was rendered unroadworthy by an accident and remained incomplete for decades. Following passage through several owners, it was acquired in Australia by Richard Longes, who commissioned new coachwork from Auto Classique Touraine in the style of an unbuilt wartime Gangloff design, with mechanical restoration by specialist Jim Stanberg of High Mountain Classics. Completed in 2010, the car subsequently earned awards at leading North American concours events.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$841,000
- 1938-09-01 →Factory deliveryInitial client via Crequy agencypartial documentation
Chassis delivered through the Bugatti agent Crequy in September 1938, originally fitted with Gangloff Stelvio Cabriolet bodywork. A collision subsequently left the coachwork badly damaged and the car unusable for an extended period.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownPrivate buyer in Wurzburg, Germanypartial documentation
Acquired the car during the 1980s with the goal of returning it to working order, but the original engine had seized and the restoration was never finished.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRichard Longespartial documentation
Australian owner who received the chassis along with a spare engine from chassis 57646; commissioned new coachwork from Auto Classique Touraine in the Gangloff 3449 style and engaged Jim Stanberg of High Mountain Classics to complete the mechanical and chassis work, finishing the project around 2010.
Competition
- 2010The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2010Best Pre-war Sportscar
Served as the concours debut following completion of the full restoration project.
- —Amelia Island Concours d'EleganceBest New Coachwork
Recognised for the newly constructed body in the wartime-unrealised Gangloff 3449 style.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2010RestorationHigh Mountain Classics
Comprehensive drivetrain and chassis restoration carried out, along with the construction and fitting of entirely new coachwork styled after unbuilt Gangloff design 3449, executed by a specialist coachbuilder. A replacement supercharged straight-eight engine (no. 25C, formerly of chassis 57646) was used to bring the car back to full running condition.
Coachwork was fabricated by Auto Classique Touraine; mechanical and chassis work was overseen by Jim Stanberg. Project concluded in 2010.
- —Repair
Accident damage to the original Gangloff Stelvio Cabriolet body left the car inoperable; the bodywork was not repaired at this stage and the car sat unrestored for a prolonged period.
The original engine also seized during this dormant period and was considered beyond economical repair.
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