- 6,629
- Portugal
StarLight Garage presents another Bugatti car, the Bugatti Type 57 S form 1935.
Another Electron bodied car and also one that disappeared so this one is a replica, but a really awesome replica. Wonderful!
At the 1935 Paris Auto Salon, Bugatti introduced two spectacular machines both reportedly clothed in the lightweight but volatile magnesium alloy called electron. The first was the Aerolithe Coupe built on a regular Type 57 chassis, which would go on the inspire the Atlantic introduced a year later. Also on show was a Torpedo Competition, which used the first of the lowered Type 57 S chassis. Both cars featured riveted panels with a 'spine' running down the centre, which would also become an instantly recognisable feature of the Atlantic.
It is believed that the Torpedo Competion was slated to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and reports at the time suggest it would be offered for sale for around 112,000 French Francs. With Le Mans cancelled due to strikes, the car was never raced and only used for testing, usually with designer Jean Bugatti himself behind the wheel. It was ultimately superseded by the rather ugly but highly efficient 'Tank' bodied Type 57 and set aside. Like the Aerolithe Coupe, the Competition Torpedo was most likely disassembled for parts. The electron bodies most likely disappeared during the War when the German scoured French factories for precious materials.
For many, many years, it was understood that this was the end for both electron-bodied show cars. That was until American enthusiast Jim Hull set about reconstructing the Torpedo Competition during the 2000s. He did not start from scratch as he used a chassis obtained from fellow Bugatti aficionado Uwe Hucke some 24 years earlier. He in turn had bought it along with a large pile of parts from former Bugatti factory stores manager Francois Seyfried. This was no ordinary Type 57 chassis and Seyfried was adamant it came from the original Torpedo Competition.
What sets the so called 'gondola' chassis acquired by Hull apart from later Type 57 S frame is that it has inward-curving rear rails to suit a Torpedo body. Whether the chassis supplied by Seyfried is the very same as used on the original Torpedo Competition is hard to say as by all accounts Bugatti produced two or even four gondola chassis. None of these were numbered; Bugatti had the practice of stamping chassis only after they were sold, so at least it is correct that the Hull's frame did not have any numbers on it. What is pretty certain is that no other Bugatti ever used this chassis type.
In addition to the gondola chassis, Hucke's pile of parts also included an oil tank designed specifically for this chassis, axles, and a correct Type 57 S engine. While it is impossible to say that this engine was at one point fitted in the Torpedo Competition, it did come with an unusually large, Type 50 derived supercharger. This boosted the power of the dry-sump engine to around 240 bhp compared to the 175 bhp of the standard Type 57 S straight eight. Although Hull had all these components since 1981, it took him until 2005 to put them together. From various other sources, he collected the remaining parts to at least construct a rolling chassis.
Hull was determined to proof that the Torpedo Competition and the Aerolithe for that matter could have been constructed from electron. He found the one source in the United States for the material, which was an off-shoot of the company that would have most likely supplied the raw material to Bugatti back in the 1930s. To shape the metal, he called in the help of coach-builder Jerry Weeks, who had to learn how to work with the very difficult material. It could be formed at only a very specific temperature and was prone to crack. As a result, the project was very time consuming and the body was not ready until 2013.
No drawings of the Torpedo Competition existed, so all Weeks had to go by were a handful of period photographs. While the body was created, the rest of the car was properly assembled by restoration experts Phil Reilly & Co. To preserve the electron, the body panels were later nickel plated as magnesium will corrode very quickly if left untreated. Following the final assembly, the resurrected Type 57 S Torpedo Competition was sent to England where it was properly sorted by Bugatti expert Tom Dark. As a finishing touch, Hull applied the original 57222a chassis number to the car, which is a variant of the serial used by Bugatti for various experimental models in period.
Very open about the exact origins of the car, Jim Hull first revealed the Torpedo Competition to the world at the 2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion, where he immediately took it racing. While it may forever be impossible to proof whether the original components that form the core of Hull's reconstruction were actually used for the original car in period, it is safe to say that his Torpedo Competition is the closest thing to the actual car.
Specifications
Country of origin: France
Produced in: 1935
Numbers built: 1
Introduced at: 1935 Paris Auto Salon
Designed by: Jean Bugatti
Engine
Configuration: Type 57 C Straight 8
Location: Front, longitudinally mounted
Construction: Cast iron block and head
Displacement 3.257 liter / 198.8 cu in
Bore: 72.0 mm (2.8 in)
Stroke: 100.0 mm (3.9 in)
Valvetrain: 2 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel feed: Stromberg UUR2 Carburettor
Lubrication: Dry sump
Aspiration: Roots-Type Supercharger
Power: 240 bhp / 179 KW
BHP/Liter: 74 bhp / liter
Drivetrain
Body: Magnesium alloy (electron)
Chassis: Steel ladder frame
Front suspension: Beam axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, de Ram hydraulic/friction dampers
Rear suspension: Live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, de Ram hydraulic/friction dampers
Brakes: Ddrums, all-round
Gearbox: 4 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 2980 mm (117.3 in)
Track front: 1350 mm (53.1 in)
Track rear: 1350 mm (53.1 in)
Wheels front: 5.5 x 18
Wheels rear: 6 x 18
THE OTHER BUGATTI IS HERE
Last edited:
