1927 Bugatti Type 38 news, pictures, and information

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Touring Car
Coachwork: Lavocat and Marsaud
Chassis Num: 38240
Engine Num: 151

This 1927 Bugatti Type 38 Touring Car has coachwork by Lavocat & Marsaud of Boulogne-sur-Sein, France. It is a lightweight open, four-passenger body which it has carried all its life. Its list of early owners include Frank Willis and D.Rowe. Subsequent owners include noted collector/dealer Tiny Gould in the mid-1970s. It remained in Gould's care for only a short period of time as ownership changed to Wisconsin collector David Uihlein. While in Mr. Uihlein's care, the car was treated to a complete restoration.

In 2003 the car was sold at auction at which time it came into the care of the present owner. During that time it has seen very little use but properly maintained.

Since leaving the Molsheim factory it has been given several replacement electrical components, including the starter, generator and fuel pump. The original starter/generator is still with the car, in the current owners care.

It is chassis number 38240 and was brought to the 2007 Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA where it was estimated to sell for $130,000 - $170,000 and offered without reserve. Those estimates were shattered as bidding settled at $220,000 including buyer's premium. Needless to say, the lot was sold.

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Roadster
Chassis Num: 38385
Engine Num: 4001

The Bugatti Type 38 chassis was basically a Type 35 Grand Prix fitted with a straight-eight engine that had a one-piece crankshaft with three plain bearings and one ball bearing, plain connecting rod bearings and a pair of carburetors. The engine produced 60-70 horsepower and with the addition of a supercharger, resulted in even more power and the new name - the Type 38A.

This 1927 Bugatti Type 38 Roadster is believed to have been purchased new by Elizabeth and Vincent Junek, the Czech racing couple who exchanged it for their Type 29/30 Strasbourg Grand Prix car. Elizabeth, who had been racing seriously since 1923, was one of the best female drivers in Europe. Her list of accomplishments in the sport included several hill climb victories, a second in the Klaussen climb in 1926, and winning the two-liter class at the Nurburgring.

It is believed that this Type 38 Roadster was used as a reconnaissance car by Elizabeth in the 1928 Targa Florio. It was used to inspect the course and to learn the route. Being fully prepared, she drove her Bugatti Type 35B fifth overall. Her racing career would come to an end a short time later after her husband was killed in a racing accident. After this tragedy, she withdrew from the sport.

It is believed that the car was imported from Prague by Ed Jurist's Vintage Car Store and was acquired by Fred Beddiges and later by Dr. Peter and Susan Williamson.

This car is currently unrestored and finished in blue with black leather interior. It has a pair of SU carburetors, Type 30 radiator, an electric fuel pump, silver-painted wire wheels, Marchal headlights, rear-mounted spare wheel and tire, and a pair of Scintilla tail-lights.

In 2008, this Series E Bearcat was brought to the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA. It was estimated to sell for $80,000 - $120,000 and offered without reserve. Those estimates were smashed as the lot was sold for $198,000, including buyer's premium.

The Bugatti Type 38 was produced from 1926 through 1927. The Bugatti Type 38 had a straight-eight that displaced two-liters. Performance was further increased with the adoption of a supercharger, making the Type 38A. During its short production lifespan, 385 examples were produced with less than 40 being equipped with superchargers. They were replaced by the Type 43.

In comparison to the vehicles they replaced, the Type 30, the Type 38 sat atop a longer wheelbase with a wider track. The Type 30 was introduced in 1922 and was Bugatti's first eight-cylinder passenger car. The engine was very impressive; it was the first production engine to use the rectangular slab construction that would eventually become a Bugatti trademark. It featured an overhead camshaft, three valves per cylinder and a Brescia transmission.

The eight-cylinder engine was placed into a Type 23 chassis, dubbed the Type 30, would continue until 1926 with total production reaching around 600 units.

The Type 38 were similar to the Type 30 in many ways, however, they rested on a longer wheelbase and had a track that was two inches wider. Large, cable-operated drum brakes showed through the center-lock wire wheels. The suspension comprised of a standard rear Bugatti setup with a solid tubular front axle with slots through which the leaf springs passed.

Under the bonnet lurked a 2-liter, three-valve engine based on the Type 35, though the crankshaft - which was riding on ball bearings - was from the Type 30. The engine breathed through two Solex carburetors. There was coil ignition and a new four-speed manual gearbox which helped send the power to the rear wheels.

In keeping with Bugatti tradition, the cars were built at the Molsheim factory and delivered to coachbuilders as rolling chassis. From their, the artisans would create the elegant bodies for these magnificent vehicles.

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