Bugatti Type 13 Sports 1913, França

Bugatti Type 13 Sports 1913, França

Fotografia

By the early 1930s, Ettore Bugatti - 'Le Patron' - had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track, the world's greatest racing drivers enjoying countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products and often choosing them for their everyday transport. Bugatti's origins, though, were a far cry from the glamorous world of Grands Prix.
Italian-born engineer Ettore Bugatti had learned his trade with De Dietrich, Mathis and Deutz before setting up his own factory in 1910 at Molsheim in Alsace, which was then part of Germany. While with Deutz he designed the Type 10, its number reflecting his nine previous designs, and this would serve as the prototype for the first Molsheim-built Bugatti: the Type 13. Introduced in 1910 and the first Bugatti production car, the Type 13 was powered by a four-cylinder, single-overhead-camshaft, 8-valve engine of 1,327cc, which drove via a four-speed gearbox and was mounted in a short-wheelbase chassis carrying a simple open two-seater body. Making its debut at the 1910 Paris Salon, the Type 13 was described by The Autocar as a "most delightful looking runabout". The design was developed through Types 15, 17, 22 and 23 until approximately 1920, by which time 435 of all types had been made.
The Type 13 offered here consists of the 1,327cc 8-valve engine number '155' (ex-chassis '506'), a replica chassis frame built by Alan Wragg, and a new body made by Michel Blanchard. This car's major mechanical components passed through the hands of several well-known Bugatti collectors over the years before coming together as a rolling chassis while owned by John F Comey Sr of Ohio, USA. Among the genuine Bugatti parts Comey used were a non-braked front axle, a steering box and column, an oval radiator, and non-demountable wire wheels. In this form the Bugatti was sold from the late Mr Comey's estate at a US auction in June 2005, finding a new owner in France. The new body was ordered circa 2007 while the car was with Atelier Renaissance Automobiles. In early 2015, the body was modified by Theo and Juri Castricum of Castricum Collector Cars; the handbrake was moved outboard, new wings fabricated, a new fuel tank made, and the rear end redesigned to accommodate luggage.
Since returning to Europe, this Type 13 has been displayed at Époqu'Auto, Lyon (2008 and 2013), Rétromobile, Paris (2011) and Techno Classica, Essen (2010, 2011 and 2014). The Bugatti has belonged to the current (Belgian) owner since 2017. A full account of this Type 13's history and owners may be found in the accompanying Provenance Report compiled by Kurt Jansen of The Bugatti Registry.