If I paint it Bugatti Blue and . . . .
Discussion
About 15 years ago there was an article in Classic and Sportscar about chap that built a T35 from parts, some original, many new, he bought and sold Bugatti parts along the way to get what he needed. Built an engine from new castings, sold it for a few extra £££ and did another.
When finished he'd spent £40k. He had a T35 with no provenance.
When finished he'd spent £40k. He had a T35 with no provenance.
My father in law had a Bugatti in his barn for years, sold about 15 years ago, sorry I never saw it run, ended up in Ireland I believe, a chap who sold a chain of chemists apparently bought it.
Would love to know more about it, fairly sure the chassis, engine, wheels and other parts were original but had been rebodied, he died 5 years ago and sorry I never asked him about it.
Anyone got an ideas what it may have been ? looked type 35 ish, had the big spoked alloy wheels, was French Racing Blue and dong think it had headlamps.
Would love to know more about it, fairly sure the chassis, engine, wheels and other parts were original but had been rebodied, he died 5 years ago and sorry I never asked him about it.
Anyone got an ideas what it may have been ? looked type 35 ish, had the big spoked alloy wheels, was French Racing Blue and dong think it had headlamps.
Edited by J4CKO on Monday 14th December 23:09
Huntsman said:
About 15 years ago there was an article in Classic and Sportscar about chap that built a T35 from parts, some original, many new, he bought and sold Bugatti parts along the way to get what he needed. Built an engine from new castings, sold it for a few extra £££ and did another.
When finished he'd spent £40k. He had a T35 with no provenance.
Bargain. When the Bugatti was raised from the Swiss lake about 10 years back after 60+ years underwater...When finished he'd spent £40k. He had a T35 with no provenance.
...it was found the very same car, with the same chassis number was part of a Japanese collection!
Anyhow, the Bugatti blue is the French national racing colour, so this Grand Prix car could have been an inspiration too..
nicanary said:
I think Vettriano may have been inspired by one of Sir Malcolm Campbell's early "Bluebirds" - in this case a Darracq. Hence the "Bugatti" blue.
In case anyone is unaware, Vettriano's picture is based on a very specific episode in the 'Blue Bird' mythology.Allegedly, Campbell had been to see a play called 'The Blue Bird' by a poet and playwright called Maurice Maeterlinck, the night before a Brooklands race, and was so taken by it that he rushed home and repainted his Darracq (which he had previously named 'Flapper') there and then, re-christening it 'Blue Bird' in time for the next day's race... hence the picture is of the creation of the very first Blue Bird.
The story goes that Campbell went off and knocked a local chandler up out of bed to buy the paint in the middle of the night - in which case it would have been whatever shade of blue happened to be on the chandler's shelves.
Of course, the story is almost certainly an elaboration at best, and quite possible a complete fabrication (alternative stories exist from credible sources).
Apart from anything else, it is very difficult to imagine Campbell (a wealthy, snobbish martinet who ultimately ran a team of 11 mechanics to work on his cars) running off down to the chandlers himself, then rolling his sleeves up with a paintbrush.
Edited by Equus on Tuesday 15th December 12:13
Vettriano did a whole series of paintings on the theme of Campbell's Bluebirds, commissioned by Terence Conran for his Bluebird Club. I've got a print of the "Bluebird at Bonneville" one, think I've maybe had it for nearly 20 years now.
https://artdaily.cc/news/21031/jack-vettriano-s-bl...
https://artdaily.cc/news/21031/jack-vettriano-s-bl...
Edited by Alpinweiss on Wednesday 16th December 00:07
Edited by Alpinweiss on Wednesday 16th December 00:11
I had this post in mind this afternoon when I was tinkering with my Scirocco, preparing it for spring. The print has hung in my garage for over 10 years. It motivated me to extend the garage to fit the Scirocco, and restore it.
I remembered today about this post when I read it back in December.![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/h2PMo2DY.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/K5F1y45J" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/K5F1y45J.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/AjFiD5dh" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/AjFiD5dh.jpg)
I remembered today about this post when I read it back in December.
Jim H said:
I had this post in mind this afternoon when I was tinkering with my Scirocco, preparing it for spring. The print has hung in my garage for over 10 years. It motivated me to extend the garage to fit the Scirocco, and restore it.
I remembered today about this post when I read it back in December.
That's quite a slope you've got in that garage, what's going on there?I remembered today about this post when I read it back in December.
Equus said:
Apart from anything else, it is very difficult to imagine Campbell (a wealthy, snobbish martinet who ultimately ran a team of 11 mechanics to work on his cars) running off down to the chandlers himself, then rolling his sleeves up with a paintbrush.
Unlikely that the DJ and trousers were on hire from Moss Bros then? 
The angle is two things!
One, the Scirocco is up slightly to try and cure the mild
Oil leak by changing the sump pan and gasket.
Or try and live with it after 26 years of ownership.
And I’ve done everything to that car!
But I’ve ive bought a new sump pan, decent gasket, low range torque wrench!!! So maybe!
But also the floor runs down.
My Elise is in the other end, building regs decried I could only go one way with the extension .
Common sense prevailed!!!
One, the Scirocco is up slightly to try and cure the mild
Oil leak by changing the sump pan and gasket.
Or try and live with it after 26 years of ownership.
And I’ve done everything to that car!
But I’ve ive bought a new sump pan, decent gasket, low range torque wrench!!! So maybe!
But also the floor runs down.
My Elise is in the other end, building regs decried I could only go one way with the extension .
Common sense prevailed!!!
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