1924 Bucciali Type B6

Brothers Angelo and Paul-Albert Bucciali produced automobiles from 1922 until 1933. Their first vehicle produced at Courbevoie in a suburb of Paris was a cyclecar under the name Automobiles Buc. The company is fondly remembered for its prottoype front-wheel drive automobiles produced later in its existence. Another unique feature was the infinitely variable automatic transmission by Sensaud de Lavaud. The Continental side-valve 2.4-liter engines were paired with the transversely mounted transmission, and the generous 136.6-inch wheelbase rode on wheels formed from Alpax castings.

Bucciali Type B6
The Type B6 was created in 1926 using a short-chassis Bignan automobile obtained through engineer Némorin Causan and the exterior was clothed in tapered aluminum coachwork. The Causan single overhead cam inline six-cylinder engine displaced 1,946cc and breathed through twin Solex Sidedraft carburetors. It had a four-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes. At the front was a beam axle, while the rear had a live axle, with semi-elliptical leaf springs located front and rear.

The Bucciali Type B6 made its racing debut in 1925 at the Montlhéry Grand Prix but was disqualified due to a failed head gasket. A Scap four-cylinder engine was used for future competition.

In 1927, the Bucciali was wrecked at the San Sebastián Grand Prix. The example that exists today is a recreation that was built with the original Causan six-cylinder engine.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jun 2024