Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff 1939, França

Bugatti Type 57C Aravis Special Cabriolet by Gangloff 1939, França
Fotografia




Gangloff and Bugatti's Type 57C:
The Type 57 is one of the most celebrated of all non-racing Bugatti chassis. Its unbeatable combination of style and performance made it an instant success, and from its introduction it provided Jean Bugatti with a final, lasting legacy for the automotive history books.
Prior to its introduction in 1934, Bugatti had set the lofty goal of creating an automobile that exuded the excitement and racing heritage of the company, while incorporating the refinement and drivability of a road car. The Type 57 was successful in combining some of the temperament of the racing chassis while offering a level of comfort that even the most polished of European elite appreciated.
Some of the most memorable designs on this chassis carry the Bugatti name, as many came from the creative mind of Jean Bugatti and were offered as factory catalog body styles. Although a number of Type 57 convertible bodies in his catalog were dignified and pleasing to the eye, they lacked the flair of his racy closed cars, such as the Atalante or Atlantic. As a result, Bugatti envisioned a more exotic open car that would set a new standard for styling; the coachbuilding firm of Gangloff was entrusted with the task of crafting the new model. The results were nothing less than spectacular.
Chassis 57798 is one of only three extant examples of the Aravis body style by Gangloff, which were built in 1938 and 1939. Like other Bugatti bodies, the Aravis was named after a beautiful mountain range, and it was designated as a 2/3-seater cabriolet when it was first offered in the 1938 catalogue. Only Gangloff and Letourneur et Marchand were allowed to dub their 2/3-seater cabriolets “Aravis,” and it is believed that each coachbuilder produced six of these bodies.
Le Aravis du Dr. Chauvenet:
This Type 57C was originally ordered from Bugatti in the fall of 1938 by Dr. André Charles Chauvenet of Thouars, France via the local dealer J.B. Arnaud. Chauvenet, who had owned no less than five previous Bugattis over the years, further specified a dual-overhead-cam engine with supercharger, Rudge wheels, electric starter, Stromberg carburetor, and Aravis Convertible Coupe body by Gangloff; the car’s final retail price was an eye-watering 135,000 Francs.
Correspondence on file between Gangloff and Arnaud show that this particular Aravis “Special Cabriolet” body is derived from a synthesis of Bugatti style drawings 3888 (8 August 1938), and 3942 (25 November 1938) which were subsequently refined with modifications including headlamp guards, a foam-stuffed rear seat, black top with red leatherette piping, chrome side molding, and three sets of vertical hood louvres. Its original color is reported to have been black, or an exceedingly dark shade of blue or purple, over a red leather interior.
According to a report on file from marque expert Pierre-Yves Laugier, Gangloff had completed the body for the car by mid-November 1938, although Bugatti apparently did not send the coachworks the rolling chassis until late December. The union of the two did not occur until the new year, and chassis 57798 was finally delivered to Chauvenet in January 1939. At the time of his purchase, Dr. Chauvenet was a decorated World War I veteran, leading surgeon at the Thouars hospital, and a repeat Bugatti customer; he only enjoyed a few short months with the car before he was called back into service as a medical officer for the French Army.
Less than a year after accepting delivery of this striking Bugatti he would become a leading resistance coordinator against the Nazi-Vichy regime in Western France. By July 1941, his resistance cell had been infiltrated by a Vichy double-agent and all were imprisoned or executed. Chauvenet himself was kept in France, and later, German, prisons until early 1945 when he was then sent to the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp. Miraculously, both Chauvenet and his collection of Bugatti automobiles survived the war; all were reunited in early May 1945.
To Switzerland:
In February 1946, 57798 was sold to Didier Soriano of Bordeaux via the originating dealer J.B. Arnaud. It then passed to the hotelier, restauranteur, and amateur racer Hermann Trümpy of Glarus, Switzerland in October 1947. Interestingly, Trümpy was also one of the financiers for the famous post-war sports car company Veritas GmbH. Period photos on file show that Trümpy raced the car quite spiritedly in several amateur hill climb events throughout Switzerland. By the time he was powering this Bugatti sideways through the Alps, its original body, top, color combination, headlamp guards, rear spats, bumpers, and Rudge wheels were still present.
Circa 1951, Trümpy sold 57798 onward to André Turrettini of Geneva. Much like its first owner, Turrettini was a doctor (in his case, a noted obstetrician and gynecologist) and dedicate Bugatti enthusiast, owning at least three over the years. He would retain this chassis until 1959; photos on file dated 12 October 1951 indicate that he was involved in an incident with the car that damaged the front driver’s side fender, but this speed bump clearly did not put him off ownership of this beautiful machine. Its next custodian was Geneva-based collector Pierre Strinati who, in 1959, commissioned the coachbuilder Graber to mount a solid steel roof to the body—thereby converting this Aravis Cabriolet into a fixed head coupe. At this time, Strinati also had the car sympathetically redone in a two-tone red and black paintjob over maroon leather.
The car remained on display in the Strinati Collection until 1984, when it was subsequently exported from Switzerland. After briefly passing through the impressive stables of the late Bill Serri, Jr. of Cherry Hill, New Jersey and then the late Myron Schuster of Bedford, New York, this remarkable Type 57C was acquired by Oscar Davis in August 1993.
With Oscar Davis:
Upon acquiring this fine Bugatti, Oscar Davis immediately set about researching its history in preparation for an accurate and complete restoration to its original specifications. Gathering information from disparate sources including marque historians, previous owners, and the car’s extensive history file, he revealed much about its early appearance; by late 1995, the car’s restoration was starting to take shape.
The full restoration of the Bugatti's bodywork was entrusted to Classic Coach Repair of Elizabeth, New Jersey in order to return the car to its original 1939 cabriolet configuration. A full binder of photos documenting the disassembly and body restoration illustrate that, although much of the car’s structure and body was intact and original, its original split bumpers, spats, and other unique details were gone or altogether in need of correction. As a measure of remediation, new wood framing was masterfully installed throughout, and the body modifications by Graber were also carefully reversed to bring back Gangloff’s signature Aravis styling.
Concurrently, the chassis and drivetrain were delivered to Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania to be restored as a complete running chassis. The car’s correct-type 3.3-liter dual-overhead-cam straight-eight engine was entirely rebuilt and returned to its original supercharged configuration. It should be noted that Bugatti owner registry listings on file indicate this engine was previously installed in a 1937 57C Stelvio (57619). Put simply, absolutely no cosmetic or mechanical component escaped redress during the course of this seven-year restoration.
Davis also had 57798’s exterior returned to a dark shade that more closely resembled its original livery, which was once again paired with a red leather interior—a handsome black soft top was provided, and a set of chrome Borrani wire wheels was installed, perfectly complementing Chauvenet’s specified chrome trim.
Since emerging from this impressive restoration in 2001, 57798 has lived a lavish life of public exhibition at many of the world’s preeminent automotive concours. Showings at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (and Tour), Louis Vuitton Classic Concours, Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, and other leading events have rightfully elevated the provenance and public appreciation for this remarkable Aravis Special Cabriolet.
This Type 57C offers its next owner membership into a fantastic community of enthusiasts—one that holds events and rallies which celebrate the Molsheim marque worldwide. The other two surviving Bugatti Aravis examples by Gangloff are in the hands of long-term collections, making the offering of this particularly flamboyant car a special opportunity indeed.

Chrysler CL Imperial Convertible Roadster by LeBaron 1933, Estados Unidos

 

Chrysler CL Imperial Convertible Roadster by LeBaron 1933, Estados Unidos
Fotografia

The Classic Era in America brought about many beautiful automobiles, but the Chrysler CL Imperial of 1932-1933 was hard to beat for overall greatness. It featured a potent inline-eight-cylinder engine, a sweet-shifting transmission, and handsome bodywork, with a hoodline extended back to the windshield—emphasizing the car’s length and the size of the motor lurking beneath the sheet metal. Each body was meticulously constructed to the highest standards. The result was an automobile that was smoothly powerful, easy to drive for its era, and built with quality as the foremost consideration. It was a superb car—and it looked terrific.
Despite the latter-day fitment of LeBaron plates to many closed cars, only the open CL Imperials boasted genuine LeBaron coachwork. In 1933 this included a mere nine Convertible Roadsters, using the last bodies originally built for 1932; only six of the nine remain extant today. Perfectly proportioned from any angle, with a lean, tapered appearance that almost suggests the Auburn speedsters of the same era and a nearly disappearing top, it was truly one of the best-looking American automobiles of its time. No wonder then that the survivors very seldom become available for sale, often remaining in private collections for years or even decades before appearing. Yet, in keeping with the engineering focus of their manufacturer, they are also superb driver’s automobiles that are remarkably modern-feeling, smooth, and enjoyable to use on the road.
The Convertible Roadster offered here was originally delivered to New York City on 17 March 1933. Its earliest known owner was Raymond Burgess of Greenville, South Carolina, in the early 1950s, followed by James A. Nelson, Jr., of Tyron, North Carolina, and finally Myron M. Reichert of Rancho Santa Fe, California, who purchased the Chrysler in 1988.
A decade later the Chrysler was acquired from Mr. Reichert by the prolific Classic collector, David Kane of Bernardsville, New Jersey, who in 1999 commenced its long-awaited restoration with marque specialists Stone Barn in nearby Vienna. The car was finished as originally built, in the correct color of black with a tan top and a tan leather interior, the latter installed by the noted Sharp Auto Upholstery of Elyria, Ohio. Dual sidemounted spare tires with body-color covers, double whitewall tires, and an opening windshield completed the sleek and dashing exterior appearance. Every component was meticulously, correctly finished as-new, with the result being among the very finest survivors of its kind.
The car was debuted at the 50th anniversary Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2000, winning 1st in Class in the always fiercely contested American Classic 1933-1941 Open category. Afterward the Chrysler continued its victorious tour, eventually achieving its CCCA Senior Premier award after no fewer than three perfect 100-point scores, and receiving the Warshawsky Award as the highest-point judged Classic at the Annual Meeting in 2001. In 2002 it was judged Most Significant Chrysler at the Meadowbrook Concours d’Elegance, then received a Palmetto Award at Hilton Head the following year.
In 2006 the car was sold to Tom Kowalski of Colorado, who retained it for another seven years, meticulously upkeeping it to the same standard. In 2013 it joined a secluded collection where it has continued to enjoy the best of care. It remains in pristine condition from tip to tail, with the quality of its restoration still clearly evident in the fit and finish of every last nut, bolt, and stitch. Having been tucked away in recent years, and with its major concours appearances now in the past, it would be welcomed back to virtually any major event in the hands of its new caretaker, who will be able to enjoy it on road or show field with no small measure of pride.
This is an immaculate, excellent CL Imperial, with a svelte swagger all its own.

Ferrari 625 F1 1954, Itália

 

Ferrari 625 F1 1954, Itália
Fotografia


"Ciccio" Ascari and the rise of Formula Two:
1952 and 1953 were watershed years for Scuderia Ferrari, notable not only for what the team was able to achieve, but also the surrounding circumstances. By the start of the 1952 season, the once-formidable Alfa Corse team had faded, and the British-based BRM remained the only credible challenge to an expected romp by Maranello. When BRM withdrew from competition early in the season, the FIA had little choice but to cancel Formula One altogether for the foreseeable future. Setting its sights on a new formula to commence in 1954, the FIA elevated Formula Two as the determining series for the World Drivers’ Championship for the years 1952 and 1953, making Formula Two the highest level of racing for those two years.
Enzo Ferrari was well prepared for this eventuality, for by late 1951 Maranello was already testing a new naturally aspirated 2-liter inline-four-cylinder engine in monoposto form, with very promising results. Chief engineer Aurelio Lampredi had steadily advanced the concepts of simplicity and reliability, and his latest engine was a masterful study in these qualities, featuring a 65% reduction in moving parts and weighing 92.8 pounds less than the outgoing Colombo-designed Tipo 166 V-12. Featuring dry-sump lubrication, the new Tipo 500 engine was ignited by dual sparkplugs powered by twin magnetos and fed by two twin-choke Weber carburetors, combining to develop an impressive 170 horsepower—an improvement of 15 horsepower over the outgoing Tipo 166. In short, the inline-four was lighter, more reliable, and more powerful than its predecessor.
The new 500 engine was mated to a four-speed transaxle and dropped into an equally simplified and reliable short-wheelbase chassis of 2,160 millimeters, equipped with independent double-wishbone front suspension, a De Dion rear axle, and capable drum brakes, all clothed in minimalist monoposto coachwork. Weighing a svelte 1,235 pounds, the new 500 F2 had a top speed of over 149 mph, making it a clear favorite among Formula Two competitors.
The beloved Alberto “Ciccio” Ascari, one of the day’s most popular drivers, led a team consisting of Nino Farina, Piero Taruffi, and Luigi Villoresi, and during the next two years they established a dominance that has rarely been matched. During the 1952 and 1953 seasons the 500 F2 won an astounding 30 out of 33 races in which it participated, and Ascari became Ferrari’s first Drivers’ Champion—actually becoming a back-to-back Champion—while Farina and Taruffi finished 2nd and 3rd in Championship driver’s points in 1952.
Maranello built six of these remarkable factory team cars during the model’s two-year reign, all stamped with three-digit numbers ranging from 001 to 006. Midway through the first season the company began offering privateer versions to preferred racing clients, and five such cars were built with standard even-numbered competition chassis numbers. Referred to as “starlet” cars in Italy, these privateer examples performed nearly as well as the factory cars, exemplified by Rudi Fischer’s 4th-place standing in 1952 Championship driver’s points.
Within a couple years the factory had upgraded most of the 500 F2 examples with 2.5-liter engines, effectively rebranding them as 625 F1 monopostos, and these cars joined the new 553 Squalo in 1954 Formula One competition (only to be outclassed by the sensational Juan Manuel Fangio, who drove Maseratis and the revolutionary Mercedes-Benz W196 to the 1954 Drivers’ Championship). In addition to being the cornerstone of two of the Scuderia’s most successful years ever, the 500 F2/625 F1 examples were the forerunners of the inline-four-cylinder sports cars that performed so admirably during the mid-1950s, including the 500 Mondial, the 750 Monza, and the 500 and 625 TRC Spiders.
Chassis number 0540:
This incredibly rare early Formula One car began life as chassis number 0208F, the fourth of the five starlet 500 F2 examples. Purchased new by the future preferred client and Belgian marque distributor Jacques Swaters, the car was the first Ferrari ever raced by Ecurie Francorchamps. The 500 was campaigned in 17 events during 1952 and 1953, twice finishing as high as 2nd place (at the 1953 Helsinki Grand Prix and the 1953 GP Frontiers) and notching an impressive overall victory at the 1953 AVUS Grand Prix. For 1954, the Formula One championship had shifted back to F1 qualifications, and as a result most of the surviving 500 F2 cars were sent back to Ferrari and upgraded to 625 F1 specifications in order to participate in the various F1 events; such was the case for this car as part of its rebuild at Ferrari. Ecurie Francorchamps then ran the car at seven more races during 1954 before trading the car back to the factory for a 750 Monza.
All of the surviving Scuderia Ferrari Works 500 F2 cars were re-numbered from their three-digit Works chassis numbers to four-digit even-numbered cars and resold to privateers in 1954 in 625 F1 specification. This car followed a similar path and, according to the research of Ferrari Historian Marcel Massini, after being renumbered as chassis number 0540, the 625 F1 was sold to the legendary Marquis Alfonso de Portago in early 1955. Portago campaigned 0540 in four Formula One events during 1955, at Turin, Pau, Bordeaux, and Silverstone, finishing as high as 8th place at the Pau Grand Prix in April.
In late 1955 the Ferrari was purchased by the celebrated British engineer Donald Healey. Five years later he sold the 625 to fellow Briton Ian Sievewright, who campaigned the car once at the Shelsley Walsh national speed hillclimb in August 1964 before selling it in 1967 to the most prestigious Ferrari collection ever assembled, Pierre Bardinon’s Mas du Clos collection. After undergoing a partial restoration in the late 1960s, the car remained with Bardinon through the 1970s, and he sold the 625 in 1983 to Jacques Setton of Paris. Setton retained possession for 10 years before selling the car through Uwe Meissner’s Modena Motorsports to Pierre Fandel of Bitburg, Germany. Mr. Fandel then ran the Ferrari for three consecutive years (1994 through 1996) at the Meissner-Fandel meeting at the Nürburgring, the final year of which the car was piloted by former factory team driver Maurice Trintignant (who had won the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix in one of the sister cars).
Acquired by Carlos Monteverde in the late 1990s, the 625 was sold in 1998 to David Vine of Plymouth, England, and he enjoyed the car at various vintage events including the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Goodwood Revival, the Monaco historic races, and Coy’s Historic Race Festival. In December 2000 the rare Ferrari was purchased by a collector based in Cologne, Germany, and he stewarded the car through 21 years of fastidious care, contributing to its current impressive state. In April 2022 the 625 was inspected by Ferrari Classiche, and the inspection report on file indicates that the car is stamped with the correct chassis and engine numbers, and that the gearbox is the correct type. It is rare enough to have an opportunity to purchase one of these extraordinary early Ferrari Formula One cars, and a car of this level of originality should be at the top of the most discerning collectors' lists.
Representing one of the most dominant periods in Scuderia Ferrari history, including Ferrari’s first Drivers’ World Championship, and claiming important ownership provenance and racing use by Jacques Swaters’ Ecurie Francorchamps and the legendary Marquis de Portago, this extremely rare 625 F1 would make a fabulous addition to any collection. It is eligible for the some of the most exclusive vintage racing events worldwide, and can expect a warm welcome at premiere concours d’elegance. It invites admirers to indulge in its brilliant engineering mandate, fostered by the genius of Aurelio Lampredi, and employed to such overwhelming success by the luminary Alberto Ascari.