1928 Bugatti Type 44 Cabriolet

The Bugatti Type 44 was offered from 1927 to 1930 as a mid-size car and built to the same high standards as the Bugatti race cars. It became the firm's best-selling model, with over 1,100 examples sold. This Type 44 was completed at the Molsheim Bugatti works in October 1928 and then was fitted with a cabriolet body by Marcel Pourtout. The completed car was delivered to Parisian Bugatti agent Stand-Auto in December 1928 and purchased by a Mr. Bucson, who later sold the car to Bugatti expert Jean De Dobbeleer. In 1960 the Type 44 was sold to Jerry Prochaska of Reno, Nevada, who began a five-decade restoration. The car was finally completed in September 2007 and was shown at the American Bugatti Club Grand Prix and Rally at Watkins Glen. The present owner purchased the car in 2013, and a further restoration was undertaken to this very original car. It is believed that this Bugatti is one of only two surviving Pourtout-bodied Type 44s.

As the 1930s came into view, Ettore Bugatti had established a reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on track or road. With the help of the world's greatest racing drivers, the cars enjoyed countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products.

The Type 44 was introduced in 1927 and remained in production until 1931. Their introduction was made at the October 1927 Paris Auto Salon and replaced the 2-liter Type 38. It shared much of the Type 38's chassis, although strengthened to handle the increased power output.

Over the production lifespan, 1,095 example were built, of which around 10 percent are believed to survive today. Power was from the revised single-overhead-cam straight-eight engine.

Ettore Bugatti remained committed to his single-cam design, only adopting the double-overhead-camshaft method of valve actuation on the Type 50 of 1930, after considerable persuasion by his eldest son, Jean. The Type 44's twin-block, three-valves-per-cylinder, single-plug engine displaced 2991cc and offered approximately 80 horsepower.

The engine received an entirely new camshaft, one with nine plain bearings for the eight cylinders, thus becoming one of the most reliable and solid crankshafts Bugatti ever produced. The cars were given a four-speed gate-change gearbox and large drum brakes to enhance the performance.

This particular example was completed at the Molsheim Bugatti works in October 1928. The new type 44 was delivered to the Parisian Bugatti agent, Stand-Auto, in December of that same year. It was offered with a considerable price tag of 44,450 French Francs to its first owner. The car remained in Europe, where it was later owned by a Mr. Buson. Mr. Buson would later sell the car to Bugatti expert Jean De Dobbeleer.

The current owner acquired the car in 1960. The car was shipped by boat to the United States that year and has remained here ever since. At the time, the car was barely running and was in need of restoration. Soon a nearly 5-decade-long restoration process began. The car was basically untouched, having all original chassis parts with original consistent factory numbering throughout. The engine was rebuilt during the same period, including restoring the crankshaft back to standard bearing size, rebuilding of the rod and main bearings as well as the oil pump. The distributor was replaced with a Vertex magneto for reliability. During the mid-1990s, the bodywork was removed and a frame-up rebuild of the chassis was undertaken. Going down to the bare metal, any rusted areas were carefully replaced with new metal, and the wood was refurbished as needed.

Final assembly began in 2004, installing a new cherry wood dash, a set of matched Jaeger instruments purchased in Paris in 1966, and a new wiring harness from Rhode Island Wiring Co. In September 2007, the car had its maiden outing at the American Bugatti Club Grand Prix and Rally at Watkins Glen, NY.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2013