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Using my best Sherlock Holmesian powers of deduction, I see a cast bronze filler cap, a characteristic wood-rimmed, 4-spoke steering wheel, it was obviously photographed in a setting with green patinated gas-light posts, which to me can only indicate the "Schlumpf Collection" in France, an automtive museum which contains the greatest concentration of Bugattis on earth.

 

Putting it all together, and given the stark simplicity of this little car, I will take a risky guess and say that we're looking at an Ettore Bugatti designed Type 19 BEBE of about 1912-1915. Not a Bugatti made car - yet - since he designed it for the German Wanderer brand ( who represent one of the four circles of the AUDI marque ), but it was Peugot who actually wound up producing them.

 

I know the the British Racing Green color does not support this conclusion, but, it was a very popular little car that was sold widely in Europe in its day.

 

How far off am I ?

 

JZG

Edited by John Z. Goriup
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Near enough or correct depending who you believe. Bugatti “experts” will bore the pants off anyone in less than 5 minutes about whether this was designated a type 16 or 19. Hugh Conway, who was close friend of Ettore, was sure it was a type 19, whereas my old friend Peter Hampton, whose Bébé I drove, was sure it was a type 16. Bugatti themselves say type 16. Now these cars may have been designed for Wanderer but the majority if not all of the 3000 odd built, were made in Molsheim. The first Wanderer is generally held to be the Puppchen W1 of 1912, which had a considerably larger engine than the Bébé (maybe 1200cc).

 

This must be the slowest car I have ever driven, which is just as well as the chassis feels like it is made of chewing gum and like all period Bugattis I have driven other than the 57SC, the brakes were dreadful.

 

I have posted this before but the Cité de l’Automobile is a disgrace. It has been starved of funds for years and the cars are deteriorating significantly. They have huge stocks of cars not on display, hidden away in various warehouses round Molsheim, which are in a worse state than those on display. Various people, me included, have tried to persuade them to sell some of the multiple duplicates they have stored away, in order to fund the proper restoration and upkeep of this very important collection. They tell you that it is not permitted by some French law but can’t actually quote which law it is. Volkswagen/Bugatti have tried to get involved as well but without success the last time I talked to them. My personal view is that the civil servants running this place don’t want anything to do with commerce and are happy just to sit on their pile of mouldering cars, polishing them but doing little else. The cars were in a far better state when the Schlumpf Brothers owned it. The whole thing was very far from the secret that the French Government tried to make out, as the cars were seen all the time out and about around Molsheim and were lent out free of charge for weddings etc.

 

Over to you

 

Wilson

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As a relative newcomer to participating on the Leica forum, I finally took the time to dig into this thread a little more thoroughly and noticed that it's in its fourth year and has accumulated 300 + pages………. therefore, I hope I'm not duplicating something that's already been shown, solved, discussed and dismissed as too obvious & basic with my next post.

 

As interesting as this thread is to me, I simply haven't had the time to look at it all.

 

JZG

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Edited by John Z. Goriup
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I have pretty much run out of car photos until the end of the month, when I am doing the Scottish Malts Rally. May I therefore pass the baton on to anyone else who would like to post.

 

Wilson

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Okay. Let's try this one:

 

[ATTACH]

429789

[/ATTACH]

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Very good, a TD, with more modifications than you picked up --Of course that was the only one visible in that crop. Here's the full shot during some parade. At the very least the red piping, the chrome edging, the dog and the wheels are also modifications. Your turn

 

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Edited by stuny
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Given the TD's 54 BHP, the 72 spoke wheels might be a bit OTT. They have a slightly unfair reputation as a "hairdressers'" car, when they are actually rather nice to drive. They also had a successful competition history, especially in the USA, when they were not up against the lightweight Ford 10 specials. I would have one anyday rather than an MGB. I am not at home at the moment, so anyone else is free to post.

 

Wilson

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Well, while awaiting wilson's return home, try this one:

 

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