Channel 4 news (UK) tonight devoted nearly 5 minutes to the sale of a Bugatti type 59 at Goodwood this week. Can anyone help shed more light on this car's history???
Reference was made to the current owner - an elderly Buckinghamshire (NW of London) ex-garage owner, and the fact that the car had killed two of its drivers - one in the 1930's and one in 1949.
I went to my copy of the "Bugatti Book" (Eaglesfield and Hampton 1954) and found one of 4 type 59's listed as the property of a Mr Stafford-East of Winterbourne Garage, Chesham, Bucks, UK.
The car's previous owners were listed as the late KW Bear, George Abecassis, A. Baron and Charles Martin. The car is descibed as "crashed beyond repair at the Jersey races post war - the remains are not for sale"
Presumably Mr Stafford-East resored the car over the intervening 50 years. Can TNF add more to what seems an interesting history?????
Bugatti Type 59 sale
Started by
taylov
, Jun 23 2005 19:17
8 replies to this topic
#3
taylov
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Posted 23 June 2005 - 19:46
Thank you for the prompt reply.
The following is from Bonham's sale details -
"In March 1935 the Team Cars were prepared for sale to four British amateur racing drivers. No. 3 was given chassis no.59121 and sold to C.E.C. ‘Charlie’ Martin. The car was campaigned with considerable success by him that year and during the following years by the Duke of Grafton, Arthur Baron, George Abecassis and Kenneth Bear before passing into the present ownership in 1949 where it has remained for 55 years.
During that time it was carefully rebuilt , returning to the road in 1982 and appearing in public only on very rare occasions since that time, notably the Type 59 Reunion at Prescott in 1993. "
Does anyone know just how major the "careful rebuild" was??? How badly damaged was the car in Bear's accident? Returning to the "Bugatti Book", it states "crashed beyond repair". How original is this Type 59??
The following is from Bonham's sale details -
"In March 1935 the Team Cars were prepared for sale to four British amateur racing drivers. No. 3 was given chassis no.59121 and sold to C.E.C. ‘Charlie’ Martin. The car was campaigned with considerable success by him that year and during the following years by the Duke of Grafton, Arthur Baron, George Abecassis and Kenneth Bear before passing into the present ownership in 1949 where it has remained for 55 years.
During that time it was carefully rebuilt , returning to the road in 1982 and appearing in public only on very rare occasions since that time, notably the Type 59 Reunion at Prescott in 1993. "
Does anyone know just how major the "careful rebuild" was??? How badly damaged was the car in Bear's accident? Returning to the "Bugatti Book", it states "crashed beyond repair". How original is this Type 59??
#4
GIGLEUX
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Posted 23 June 2005 - 20:00
I think DS Jenkinson wrote about this car in Motor Sport in the early 80s.
In "Directoryof Historic Racing Cars" he wrote:
"In 1949 Kenneth Bear had acquired the Martin/Baron car from Abecassis and crashed during practice for the Jersey Road Race and was killed, the second time this car had killed its driver. For a long while the wreckage lay fallow, but eventually it was rebuilt by Stafford-East and has been seen 'on demonstration'".
In "Directoryof Historic Racing Cars" he wrote:
"In 1949 Kenneth Bear had acquired the Martin/Baron car from Abecassis and crashed during practice for the Jersey Road Race and was killed, the second time this car had killed its driver. For a long while the wreckage lay fallow, but eventually it was rebuilt by Stafford-East and has been seen 'on demonstration'".
#5
Peter Morley
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Posted 24 June 2005 - 08:34
I'd noticed that they didn't mention it suffering a very large accident.
A magazine (probably The Automobile) recently showed a photograph of the type 59 after its accident in Limerick, it was, to say the least, very badly bent.
Tim Dutton told me that the accident was caused by the brake compensator (the chain on the outside of the chassis beside the cockpit) coming off - the pit crew saw that as the car went past the pits and knew what would happen but could do nothing about it.
I think Tim said the remains were given to the mechanic (that would be Stafford East) after the accident, against his wishes, and he eventually restored the car (Bugatti seem to have had quite a large supply of Type 59 & 54 spares, so it would have been relatively easy to obtain many of the parts).
What I found interesting about the type 59 story is when the 4 were looking to buy cars, one was offered a V-16 Auto-Union but it was too expensive - that could have changed the history of motor racing.
A magazine (probably The Automobile) recently showed a photograph of the type 59 after its accident in Limerick, it was, to say the least, very badly bent.
Tim Dutton told me that the accident was caused by the brake compensator (the chain on the outside of the chassis beside the cockpit) coming off - the pit crew saw that as the car went past the pits and knew what would happen but could do nothing about it.
I think Tim said the remains were given to the mechanic (that would be Stafford East) after the accident, against his wishes, and he eventually restored the car (Bugatti seem to have had quite a large supply of Type 59 & 54 spares, so it would have been relatively easy to obtain many of the parts).
What I found interesting about the type 59 story is when the 4 were looking to buy cars, one was offered a V-16 Auto-Union but it was too expensive - that could have changed the history of motor racing.
#6
GIGLEUX
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Posted 24 June 2005 - 13:14
From "Road Racing 1936" by Prince Chula, about the Limerick race:
"An appalling tragedy marred this race. In the very first lap, when only a little way from the start, the young Duke of Grafton's car skidded out of control. It grazed the wall of a convent and burst into flames. The Duke was badly burnt and succumbed to injuries in hospital. He had only just begun to race this season, and so kind, charming, and sporting was he, that he had endeared himself to all who knew him. It is most annoying to be wise after the event. In this case, however, my conscience is clear. Even a day before the race I expressed concern at the prospect of the Duke of Grafton driving his newly acquired 3.3 Bugatti for the first time in a difficult round-the-houses race. The Duke was as yet inexperienced. He had not run through a single long race. I was most upset by the accident which went further to confirm my view that new drivers should not drive very powerful cars until they had proved themselves on slower machines".
Peter, Stafford East acquired the car in 1949, after Kenneth Bear's death and not in 1936.
"An appalling tragedy marred this race. In the very first lap, when only a little way from the start, the young Duke of Grafton's car skidded out of control. It grazed the wall of a convent and burst into flames. The Duke was badly burnt and succumbed to injuries in hospital. He had only just begun to race this season, and so kind, charming, and sporting was he, that he had endeared himself to all who knew him. It is most annoying to be wise after the event. In this case, however, my conscience is clear. Even a day before the race I expressed concern at the prospect of the Duke of Grafton driving his newly acquired 3.3 Bugatti for the first time in a difficult round-the-houses race. The Duke was as yet inexperienced. He had not run through a single long race. I was most upset by the accident which went further to confirm my view that new drivers should not drive very powerful cars until they had proved themselves on slower machines".
Peter, Stafford East acquired the car in 1949, after Kenneth Bear's death and not in 1936.
#7
Peter Morley
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Posted 24 June 2005 - 15:05
I confused the two races/locations.
The photos published recently would have been of the Jersey road race rather than Limerick GP.
The photos published recently would have been of the Jersey road race rather than Limerick GP.
#8
Scuderia CC
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Posted 28 June 2005 - 08:31
Bugatti Type 59 #59121 was sold 1.200.000 £ without the tax, 1.321.500 £ - 1.508.296 € - 1.822323 $ with tax... and the happy purchaser, it's Thomas Bscher, chairman of Bugatti !!
Best regards
Best regards
#9
David McKinney
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Posted 28 June 2005 - 16:02
Originally posted by Scuderia CC
Bugatti Type 59 #59121 was sold 1.200.000 £ without the tax, 1.321.500 £ - 1.508.296 € - 1.822323 $ with tax... and the happy purchaser, it's Thomas Bscher, chairman of Bugatti !!
Best regards
That's presumably the buyer's premium rather than tax?
