1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B
1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B
1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B
1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B
1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B 1927 Bugatti Type 35B
More Photographs    Interior Photos   Engine Photos   

View more photos
Chassis Num: 4884
 
This vehicle is a 1927 Bugatti Type 35B with chassis number 4884. It was originally delivered by the factory in April 1927 to Matarazzo in Sao Paulo, where it was extensively raced in South America prior to World War II.

After a series of owners in South America, including being run as a dirt track speed car, the car came to Australia where it was restored in the early 1990's. It has participated in historic racing and rallies in Australia, Europe, and the USA.
View more photos
Chassis Num: 4849
 
Formerly owned by Le Mans winner Duncan Hamilton.

An excerpt from Duncan Hamilton's autobiography Touch Wood. where he recounts a particularly challenging preparation session for a hill climb:

'We worked all weekend to get it ready for a meeting at Shelsley. I was so anxious to road test her when we had finished that I did not take into account the fact that we had fitted twin-rears in readiness for the hill-climbs. I arrived at the exit doing perhaps fifty miles an hour, only to find that though my front wheels passed through safely enough, the gap was too narrow to accommodate twin-rears, and I left the entire back axle assembly behind. There was nothing for it but to begin all over again. We worked all day-various odd
friends lending a hand from time to time -- and then right through the night; it was not until ten-thirty the next morning that she was ready for the road once again. I was so tired that I completely forgot about the twin-rears and proceeded to execute a repeat performance of the previous day's happenings. Once again the back axle assembly and the car parted company, to the astonishment, not only of myself, but of all the well-wishers who had gathered to lend a hand and to offer encouragement.

Ownership History
This Bugatti Type 35B has led a long and active life spanning nearly 80 years. It served its first owner as a road car and then began an active racing career which endured into the 1950's. It was most notably driven
by Jaguar LeMans winner, Duncan Hamilton, in the mid 1940's and remained competitive even during that period. It later found a home at the Harrah's Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada where it was restored to its former glory. Since the mid 1980's it has been in the William Lyon Family Collection. It is as much a piece of automotive history as art.

Bugatti Chassis No 4849 was one of only two Type 35B's imported new to England. It was unusually delivered by road under its own power from Molsheim to London. No 4849 was received in May of 1927 by Alexander Keiller, a member of the Scottish family business famous for jams and marmalades. Keiller was not a racing driver but rather an enthusiastic owner who enjoyed driving his cars on the public highway, notably in his native Scotland. Like the Type 35 he owned previously, Keiller had No 4849 painted black. He kept this car for no less than seven years before trading it to Thomson & Taylor's the Brooklands-based
racing car specialists. After years of road use No 4849's racing career would begin in earnest when it was purchased by CEC (Charlie) Martin in 1934.
Martin was an active racer, having campaigned a Type 37 throughout 1932 and 1933. He recalled the car fondly in the January 1937 issue of Bugantics, the Bugatti Owner's Club Magazine, where Martin provided a very detailed account of the modifications he made to the car and his racing successes. At some point during Martin's ownership, he repainted No 4849 blue. Having ordered a new Type 59 from the
factory, Martin sold No. 4849 at the end of the 1935 season to the Hon. Jack Leith. Leith raced the car with a fair degree of success throughout 1935 and the start of the 1936 season, like Martin principally at Brooklands and Donington, then the only two English racing circuits. He also entered events at other venues, notable at Shelsley Walsh and in Ireland for the Mannin Moar race where he unavoidably collided with an errant Alfa Romeo on the second lap. At some point during his ownership of the car, No 4849 was repainted red. Thought it appears possible that No 4849 may have had another owner briefly, in 1936
it passed to Andrew Leitch who made his debut appearance with it at the Brooklands Whitsun meeting held on June 1, 1936 when he also drove the Type 37 in which he had competed during the previous season.
Though it is personal preference the Bugatti Type 35 is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful pre-war racer from the legendary Bugatti Company. Its beauty is matched by its accomplishments, being one of the most successful pre-war racer winning over 1000 races and capturing the 1926 Grand Prix World Championship with 351 races. During that two year period it also claimed 47 records. From 1925 through 1929 the Bugatti Type 35 dominated the Targa Florio.

The first Bugatti Type 35 was introduced on August 3rd, 1924. It was powered by a modified engine used in the Type 29. The 3-valve 2-liter overhead cam straight-eight engine had five main bearings and producing around 90 horsepower. The suspension was comprised of leaf springs attached to solid axles. Stopping power was provided by drum brakes in the rear operated by cables which could be seen on the exterior of the vehicle. In total, there were 96 examples produced.

There were multiple versions of the Type 35 which were specifically designed to accommodate many types of racers. The Type 35A, nicknamed 'Tecla' was an inexpensive version of the Type 35 and made its first appeared in May of 1925. Its nickname was given by the public after a maker of imitation jewelry. The engine was a reliable unit borrowed from the Type 30. It used three bearings, had smaller valves, coil ignition, and produced less horsepower than its Type 35 sibling. In total 139 examples of the Type 35A were created.

Though Ettore Bugatti favored naturally aspirated engines, the Type 35C was given a Roots-Type supercharger which boosted power to an impressive 128 horsepower. There were only fifty examples created with many providing historic victories for the company. The Type 35C won the 1928 and 1930 French Grand Prix, undoubtedly their greatest accomplishments.

The Bugatti Type 35T, commonly known as the Targa Florio, was specially prepared for the Targa Florio race. There were only thirteen examples produced. It was powered by a 2.3 liter engine. When Grand Prix rules changed stating that engine displacement sizes of up to 2 liters were required, the Type 35T became obsolete and production ceased.

The Bugatti Type 35B was introduced in 1927 and was the final iteration of the Type 35 series. The name Type 35TC was pondered since it shared the same 2.3 liter engine as the Type 35T and a supercharger just like the Type 35C. The engine produced an astonishing 138 horsepower, by far the most of the Type 35 series. In total there were only 45 examples produced with one of their greatest accomplishments being the victory at the 1929 French Grand Prix.

The Type 39 was produced alongside the Type 35B but adhered to current Grand Prix regulations which limited engine capacities to 1.5 liters. Only ten examples of the Type 39 were produced.

Photos grouped by event

Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca

Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen

The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering

Monterey Historic Automobile Races

1927 Bugatti Type 35B

Year1927
MakeBugatti
ModelType 35B
Engine LocationFront
Drive TypeRear Wheel
Production Years for Series1927 - 1929
Weight750 kg | 1653.8 lbs
Combined MPG0.00

Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown
Chassis Number4849
Chassis Number4884

Performance
0-60 mph7 seconds.
Top Speed130 mph | 209.2 km/h Similar top speeds

Engine  
Engine ConfigurationS
Cylinders8
Water-Cooled
Aspiration/InductionSupercharged
Roots Type
Displacement2261.00 cc | 138 cu in. | 2.3 L.
Valves24 valves.
3 valves per cylinder.
ValvetrainSOHC
Horsepower140.00 BHP (103 KW) @ 5000.00 RPM
HP to Weight Ratio11.8 LB / HP (Vehicles with similar ratio)
HP / Liter60.9 BHP / Liter
Fuel TypeGasoline - Petrol
Fuel FeedCarburetor
Solex Carburetor
Vehicles with similar horsepower and weight

Standard Transmission
Gears4
TransmissionManual
Final Drive3.6:1


 
View more photographs
Similar Automakers
Add Review
Bugatti History
Manufacturer Website
Other models by Bugatti
View Specifications
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Vehicle Ratings
Rate the Vehicle
Add Review

Articles and Event Coverage
Monterey Historic Automobile Races at Laguna Seca
Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen
The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering
Monterey Historic Automobile Races

Additional Resources and Links
Quail : A Motorsports Gathering Official Website
Watkins Glen US Vintage Grand Prix Official Website
Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca Official Website

1927 Bugatti models
37A
38A
Type 35C
Type 38
Type 40
Type 44 Roadster

Other Model Years
1929 Type 35B
1926 Type 35B
Recent Vehicle News
Alfa Romeo GT Veloce 2000Ferrari F355 BerlinettaLamborghini 350 GT
Cisitalia 202 Spider NuvolariBentley Speed Six SurbicoAudi Metroproject Quattro
Cadillac SixteenChrysler Imperial ConceptBMW Mille Miglia Concept
Volkswagen EOSRolls-Royce Pininfarina HyperionHamann 911 Turbo Stallion
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 VersaceEdo Competition Gallardo SuperleggeraToyota Aygo Crazy Concept
2008 Lamborghini ReventonAudi R10 TDiLotus Elise SC Clark Type 25
BMW GINA Light VisionaryBreckland BeiraSpada Codatronca TS Concept
Maserati A8 GCS Touring CoupeBugatti Veyron Sang NoirBMW M1 Homage Concept
Maserati Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback