1929 Bugatti Type 35B

The final iteration of the Bugatti Type 35 was the Type 35B. It bore the same 2.3-liter, eight-cylinder motor of the earlier Type 35T, but was equipped with a supercharger that was similar to the one in the Type 35C, albeit slightly larger and more powerful. This endowed the Type 35B with a zero-to-sixty mph time of six seconds with a top speed of 125 mph.

Ettore Bugatti had firmly established an unrivaled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance by the early 1930s. The world's greatest racing drivers enjoyed countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products while many of the world's elite selected them for their everyday transport. At the heart of this success and popularity was the 1,991cc straight-eight engine derived from that of the Type 30 but incorporated five roller/ball main bearings instead of three and an improved lubrication system. Each cylinder's three valves were actuated by a single overhead camshaft. The 2,262cc 8-cylinder engine used a single Zenith carburetor and a Roots-Type supercharger to produce an estimated 130 horsepower at 5,500 RPM. The engine was backed by a four-speed manual gearbox. The engine was placed within a conventional chassis with leaf springs at the front and quarter elliptics at the rear, and rode on a hollow front axle and alloy wheels. Cleverly integrated brake drums provided the stopping power.

The Type 35 made its racing debut in August 1924 at the Grand Prix de l'ACF at Lyon-Givors, where the factory team of five cars was plagued by tyre troubles and could achieve no better than 7th place at the finish. This debacle was followed by what is arguably the most successful racing career of all time, commencing with winning the inaugural World Championship for Manufacturers in 1926 and securing countless victories for privateers. They would enjoy over 1,000 victories in a variety of competitions throughout Europe, and it has been said that the Type 35 averaged 14 race wins per week and, by the close of 1926, the model had already set 47 individual speed records. The Type 35 won the Monaco Grand Prix three times, and the Targa Florio five times. The Bugatti's success in competition attracted the best drivers of the day – Nuvolari, Varzi, Divo, Costantini, Benoist, Chiron, Dreyfus, and Williams all contributed to the legend of the Type 35.

The Type 35A arrived in May 1925 with a three plain bearing engine with smaller valves, and coil ignition like the Type 30. Its output was less than the original Type 35 and so was its price. Due to the reduced price tag, the public gave it the nickname, the 'Tecla' after a famous maker of imitation jewelry. A total of one-hundred thirty-nine examples were built.

The Type 35C used a Roots supercharger and a single Zenith carburetor which boosted output to 128 hp. In this guise, it won the French Grand Prix at Saint-Gaudens in 1928, and at Pau in 1930. A total of five examples were built by the factory.

The Type 35T, also known as the 'Targa Florio,' was introduced in 1926 at the Targa Florio race. Its 2.3-liter engine used a longer 100mm stroke and since Grand Prix racing regulations limited engine capacity to 2.0-liters, its racing applications were limited. A total of thirteen examples were built.

The final version of the Type 35 series was the Type 35B, originally named the 'Type 35TC', and a total of 45 examples were built. Altogether, the Bugatti works in Molsheim, France produced approximately 350 Type 35s.

The Type 35 had a 2400mm (94.5-inch) wheelbase and a length of 3680mm (144.9 inches). Its chassis and body were used for the Type 37 sports car but equipped with a new 1.5-liter straight-4 cylinder engine. It had a SOHC three-valve design and produced approximately 60 horsepower. This engine was later used in the Type 40. Bugatti built 290 examples of the Type 37 with 67 of those being the supercharged Type 37A with approximately 90 horsepower.

The Type 39 was visually similar to the Type 35C but with a smaller 1.5-liter engine with a shorter-stroked crankshaft. Its stroke was reduced from 88mm to 66mm, and some examples used regular while others had ball bearings. A total of ten examples were built.

The Bugatti Grand Prix cars were designed to be driven hard were known for their reliability, performance, and overall motoring panache.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2021