Need Help Identifying Old Bugatti

Today, I found this old Bugatti on the road. After a ton of research, I decided that it is a late 1920s Type 35C Racer. If it is real, it is worth up to 2 million dollars. I didn't get phenomenal shots of it because I was so flustered, but I hope they will help.

I would like to know if it is indeed a Type 35C, and also if you believe it is a genuine vehicle. It certainly sounded the part.

This was spotted in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Left hand drive? Does it have an automatic transmission... I can not see a gear lever or hand brake... Of course they should be on the right which means a riding mechanic would be needed for this one for sure to actuate both while the driver steered from the left.

Did it by chance have an engine in the rear?

Best guess from the two photos suggests its not the real deal.

Ciao,

Bill

 

I see the photo is from a mirror so the car is actually a correct right drive but still no gear or brake lever leaving me to believe you change gears with your left hand meaning an auto box or incorrect central shift of some type... so likely still not a real period car.

Cheers,

Bill

 

Suspension and other bits make me think it's a kit car from the 1970s that used a VW donor.

 

Thanks a lot for the replies! I am leaning more towards kit myself since I can't find any pictures of them with silver hoods. This is depressing..oh well haha. I will wait for a few more replies until I write this off.

 

Actually it looks as if he is changing gears with his right hand (see right hand in the mirror image) unless that is the brake.

I am not suggesting its real but the front end does not appear to be a VW torsion bar front end.

This one is a VW front end,
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I can't make out too much detail on the front end, but it looks like the driver is with his hand on a lever, tyres are period-correct looking (but it appears to have wire-wheels), bonnet appears aluminium, but weren't there way more louvres?
Now if one could only see the beam front axle. Convex headlight glass?
Radiator looks in-correct, but it's been ages since I looked at one of these.

 

The little slits on the back end look larger than what I have seen in prior photos...I think I am leaning much more towards this being a replica. Upsetting..

 

Tyres look incorrect to me as well.

 

Look again. The OP picture has a chrome plated steering rack, which is partially hidden in your picture under the red box. But the steering is identical and not Bugatti.

Any Type 35 Bugatti has a front axle that passes through the frame in a very unusual and distinctive way, and the frame horns on the blue car look wrong for this.

 

The basic proportions don't look right to me - the body is sitting up too tall, for instance, and the radiator grille shell is too fat.

 

I'm not an expert on Bugatti's, but I think a Type 35 should have the steering linkage on the outside of the body, with a vertical drop arm just below the lower edge of the engine cover on the drivers side, connected to a horizontal linkage arm running forward. I don't see the drop arm or the linkage arm in the pictures.

 

It's called a pitman arm, and was used with just about any car with a steering box.

The blue car doesn't have one because it has a chrome rack and pinion steering instead of a steering box.

Because it's not a Bugatti.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I have written it off as a replica...depressing, but kind of what I figured already. I appreciate your time!

 

Geez - what are you guys doing on this thread ! Is that magum PI you see in the mirror?

Oh, I forgot VW does make Bugattis .....

 

????

 

???? x2

 

it looks a lot like a "teal" bug kit made in the uk.....you can check out their website...or perhaps a homegrown item made by someone a bit more sensitive to the gp look than a vw based thing....