1932 Bugatti Type 55 Roadster

This Bugatti Type 55 was ordered in February 1932 by the Swiss Bugatti agent Bucar of Zurich on behalf of their client Edmond Reiffers a notary in the city of Luxembourg. The completed chassis, numbered 55219 with engine number 11, was delivered by a Bugatti employee who drove the car fitted with temporary seating and the plate number 1655 WW5 from Molshiem to Luxembourg in early April 1932. Reiffer's son Earnest immediately began racing the bare chassis with success in events organized by the Automobile Club of Luxembourg. In October 1932, Reiffers commissioned the Belgium coachbuilder Pritchard and Demollin to build a four-seat cabriolet body for chassis 55219. With this new body fitted the car continued to be used by the family for sporting activities including rallies and hunting expeditions.

By the late 1950s, the car was in the possession of a Belgian Bugatti dealer who offered the car to American clients. The car was purchased by Bob Estes of California, who used it as a parts car for two other Type-55s he also owned. The dismantled and incomplete car was sold to Ray Jones of Michigan, who rebuilt the car using available components and re-bodied the car as a Jean Bugatti Roadster. Efforts were made to locate cars that contained the missing original parts of 55219 and bring them back together. The only exception was to retain the roadster body.

Bugatti produced its Type 55 from 1931 through 1935, and they were a direct descendent of the Type 51 racecar, employing a similar 2.3-liter (2,262cc) dual-overhead-camshaft inline-eight cylinder engine enhanced by a supercharger (itself an evolution of the supercharged 2.3-liter Type 35B). A total of 38 examples were built and they typically wore sporting coachwork that favored open-top motoring. Built atop a 108.3-inch wheelbase platform, the majority wore bodywork designed by Jean Bugatti, with 16 having 2-seater roadster coachwork. Seven examples wore coupe bodies designed by Jean. Eleven of the remaining fifteen were clothed by independent coachbuilders and the other four remain unidentified.

While most of the Type 55s bodied by outside coachbuilders had doors, those created by the factories were doorless.

The Type 51 and Type 55 engines were similar, with the latter being detuned via a larger 9mm compression plate compared to a 6mm plate used on the Type 51. The camshaft drove an AC mechanical petrol pump on the Type 51 and it used a modified supercharger drive. Depending on the configuration, the Type 51 developed 130 to 185 horsepower, while the Type 55 produced the lower output on the spectrum. Its transmission was a four-speed manual unit sourced from the Type 49 touring car with straight-cut gears. The whine of the supercharger and the straight-cut gears, coupled with the lack of doors, made the cockpit of the Type 55 very loud and was often criticized for its lack of practicality.

This particular roadster was ordered by the Swiss Bugatti Agent Bucar of Zurich during the winter of 1932 on behalf of Mr. Edmond Reiffers of Luxembourg. The rolling chassis was completed by spring and one of Mr. Reiffer's three sons (Ernest) entered it in several local events organized by the Automobile Club of Luxembourg. At the time, the Type 55 had only a bonnet and headlights, and a seat. When it finally received its four-seat cabriolet coachwork, the work was entrusted to Pritchard & Demollin of Angluer, Belgium. Even with the added weight of the bodywork, Mr. Reiffer's sons continued to compete with the Type 55. It was even taken on hunting trips.

Rudi Cloos of Luxembourg acquired the car in 1938, and within the next two years, it was traded two more times. It was hidden away during the war, and when it was unearthed in 1945, the car was registered to Pierre Schickes. While in his custodianship, the car suffered front-end damage. By 1955, the car was owned by an individual named Gillard, and in 1957 it was in the care of Jean de Dobbeleer.

Bob Estes of California acquired it during the late 1950s as a parts car for his other Type 55 (chassis 55230). The parts that were not used were sold to Ray Jones of Birmingham, Michigan, in 1963. During the 1970s, the car was given its present coachwork created in the style of the Jean Bugatti-designed roadster.

Oscar Davis acquired a car in 1988 containing elements of 55219. Extensive research and a quest to make the Type 55 whole again soon followed. Chassis 55219, 55229, and 51127 were acquired and used to piece together 55219, and the Bugatti Owners Club officially recognized the re-constituted car on August 17th of 1993 and issued a replacement chassis plate. A comprehensive mechanical and cosmetic restoration was undertaken by Leydon Restorations of Lahaska, Pennsylvania, in 2008, combining the
original components from the three cars acquired. Bugatti expert David Sewell inspected the components and concluded that the differential casing, gearbox, engine, chassis frame, and bulkhead assembly were correct to chassis 55219. Due to extensive engine wear the top crankcase and cylinder block were removed (still remaining with the vehicle) and replaced with new components.

Since completion, Mr. Davis has displayed the Type 55 at various concours events.

By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2022