Bodywork by Emaille s/n 2461 Just in the case that some of you didn't already read it: www.meinklassiker.com/de/magazin/menschen/ein_bugatti_fuer_damiano_aus_dem_lago_maggiore/7/1/2208 www.classicdriver.de/de/magazine/3300.asp?id=4973 www.bugattipage.com/#News Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Me neither, but the T13 was the first real production Bugatti from around 1912 or so and I found this picture a while back while looking for old Bugattis. It is a T23 Brescia and I think the "lake-car" looks identical. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have a sneaking suspicion that this is probably a repost somewhere. I did a search and found nothing so here it is... Bugatti lifted from the bottom of Lago Maggiore Written by Michiel van den Brink, 14 July 2009 Bugatti Brescia Lago Maggiore For over 70 years a Bugatti has been lying on the bottom of Lago Maggiore near Ascona, Switzerland. Last Sunday the Ascona Life Guard Society lifted the wreckage from a depth of more than fifty metres. It appeared to be a Brescia. The Bugatti seemed to be in a relatively good shape and is currently on display before eventually being auctioned in favour of the Fondazione Damiano Tamagni. You can see by the absence of bodywork on one side she's been lying on her right side. Bugatti Brescia Lago Maggiore How the Brescia ended up on the bottom of the lake is not exactly known. Bugatti expert Mr. Hans Matti has been able to find out that this Bugatti dates from April 11, 1925 and was first delivered in Nancy, France. According to Heinz Müller, spokesman of the Damiano Foundation, a Swiss dealer had ordered three cars from Bugatti, but only two buyers had payed the import taxes. Eventually the third 'taxfree' car got somehow submerged in the lake. The coachbuilder-tag reads: "Emaille". Unfortunately, this name is unknown to us... Anyone? http://www.coachbuild.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5lL9d-Nuqc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq4CW-qMzxw Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Larger pics. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That had to be a nerve wracking moment when the whole car was out of the water and the full weight of it was supported by the straps. The chances of it just crumbling and falling apart had to be pretty high.
Any news? Did some research last night and found nothing on "Emaille" which translates to Enamel right? Anyway, if you have any more clues we will hit the books to see if we can find anything more about the car. Here is a shot of my daughter thumbing through some of the 5000+ historical auto books stashed away for research like this! Cheers Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
From the look of the car (worn and missing tires) it may have been a wreck before going for a swim. In 1925 it wouldn't have been a rare, valuable treasure. There are many old cars that end up discarded in ponds and lakes. It is unique only in it's marque. A restoration will be a significant task (opportunity of a lifetime, perhaps) but considering the hand-made nature of the original car, far from insurmountable. I expect within a couple years we will see it reborn.
From Classic Driver: http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3300.asp?id=14253 "A 1925 Type 13 Brescia Bugatti has recently been recovered from Lake Maggiore, in northern Italy. The car has lain submerged since 1937, when its then-owners abandoned it rather than pay the punitive import duties of the time." Frankly, those of us living in California now usually drive our cars into lakes when we're not using them. The car tax here doubled recently.
Comment on the YouTube video: "In the 1920's a trader has imported 3 of theese beauties into switzerland. 2 of the cars got to their new owners but the last owner disappeared. the car, (an T22 Brescia Modifiée) had a high import tax wich the trader never paid. After many years of waiting, the goverment decided to take and throw it into the lake of Maggiore in 1937." Awesome post! I want to see this thing after it's been restored!