1928 Bugatti T35B news, pictures, and information

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Chassis Num: 4938

This 1928 Bugatti Type 35B is a Pur Sang recreation that is identical to the original car. It is finished in blue paintwork with matching black upholstery. It has traveled less than 100 miles in its life with only minor indications of its age. It is equipped with a straight-eight supercharged engine with nine-roller bearings capable of producing 130 horsepower. There is a four-speed manual gearbox with four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. In the front are Marchal headlights and comes equipped with a side-mounted spare.

The Type 35B Bugatti's had a very glorious racing career, one that captured 412 racing victories. It was a dominant force in international competition from 1924 through 1929 and one of the most respected vehicles from the Ettore Bugatti legacy.

The Type 35 made its racing debut at the French Grand Prix in 1924. It was able to exceed speeds of 100 mph. With the adoption of the supercharged in 1926, horsepower rose from 90 to 130. Speeds of 120 mph were now able to be obtained for the lightweight and nimble 800kg machine.

This recreation, with chassis number 4938 and should no way be confused with the Molsheim-built Bugatti T35B bearing the same number, was offered for sale at the 2008 Automobiles of Amelia presented by RM Auctions. The estimated value was set at $175,000 - $225,000 which was not obtained. Bidding reached $160,000 which was not enough to satisfy the reserve and the car was left unsold.

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.

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