Bugatti Tipo 35

Bugatti Tipo 35

So why does the title use the Italian “Tipo” rather than English? Cause, though we tend to forget, Ettore and his brothers, though what they built was in France, were Italians! He was born in Milano and did not move to Alsace, France until he was 20.

At any rate, this article triggered my recollection of interactions with these magnificent cars.https://drivetribe.com/p/the-legendary-bugatti-type-35-DfH_zTPoRWm-KMYiFiLg0Q?iid=QnxJJFJsRwe3qI8Y4UQqJgAt first all I thought of was the ones I raced with (or, in at least a few cases, against) but then I realized I actually personally knew the owners of several others and was familiar with their cars as well.

The racing relationship came first. For many years Steve Earle tried to recreate his successes in historic racing in Monterey with a similar event at Seats Point, in Sonoma County.

It should have been a breeze but over many decades it has never really “taken off,” and the latest iteration is being attempted by Jeff O'Neal, who owns Ramsgate Winery across from the track.

At first it was called “The Sonoma Classic,” but a difficult initial involvement with the town of Sonoma caused by massive traffic tieups as technical inspection was attempted on “The Square” in downtown left a bad impression and many years of lack of interest by the town. So the event was renamed the “Wine Country Classic” and then, when things cooled a bit, a link was re-established through a charity affair held on that same square at which race cars were selected to be displayed. I had the pleasure of riding with friends to these events a number of times and, on one occasion, my Siata actually participated in the display. These memories likely warrant their own blog entry at some other time.

For much of its early history the sub-liter sports racers were combined with “pre-war” cars in a single grid. I should clarify that “pre-war” covered pretty much everything from about 1914 to the onset of WWII for the US. This rather eclectic race included everything from cars such as a 1916 National and Model T

Ed Archer and his T Speedster
Note how he looks the part
Flikr Photo

In the early days you needed a riding mechanic to pump the oil and fuel
From Tam's Old Sports Car site

through some much more seriously hairy machines such as Peter Gddings's Alfa Romeo Monza as photographed by my friend Bob Dunsmore at the event in 1995.

He's not really off in the weeds
Peter never was
Bob Dunsmore Phorograph from peter giddings.com

On these occasions there were often several Bugattis in the grid. These are often difficult to tell apart as they might share the same or very similar bodies but rather different power plants in terms of potency. The Tipo 35 came in multiple guises and revisions, the most modest of which featured a 1500cc four cylinder motor (though designated Tipo 37) and the most powerful having a 2.3 liter straight eight punched out from the original 2 liters supercharged Tipo 35B. Bewildering. 

Of course, on the grid, unless I tried to memorize the numbers and engine variants of the cars I was with (a hopeless task for me) I had no idea what was in the blue car (and by far they were allpretty much French blue) either I was catching or which was coming up behind me. But if it caught and passed me I could usually assume it was nota four cylinder un-supercharged 37.

An interesting note about the make is that they have a fantastic owner's club which even manufactures new parts for the cars. In fact, it is actually possible to build one from these new parts, and the club will allow it to be registered as long as an “R” is added after the type designation. Thus it was that Dave Willis built a 37R from these parts...I have no knowledge of what, if anything, on the car was original “in period” parts. 

What I do know is that my 750cc Siata was more than a match for the Tipo 37, and I always thought this told an interesting story for spectators. This car, dating from 1928, had twice the displacement and about the same horsepower as the Siata, though with mechanical rather than hydraulic brakes. In part due to this as well as a no doubt higher center of gravity and lack of independent suspension. At any rate I was always able to get ahead of any of these in my race. If I could not I could guarantee I would learn later the car was not a 37 but was either a supercharged 37A or one of the similar looking Tipo 35 variants.

Later on my friend and mentor Ernie Mendicki completed his dream stable of cars by acquiring a four passenger Tipo 40 “Gran Sport” Bugatti. It shared the same motor as the Tipo 35...an un supercharged straight four. 

Though shown as an eight cylinder Tipo 43
This looks identical and in the same color as Ernie's 40
See what I mean about identical looking bodies?
From Wikipedia

I always thought the car was a bit awkward looking with its longer wheelbase and particularly with the top up, but it was Ernie's pride and joy and, after all, a wonderful and rare bird.

I learned from him how complex these cars really are. Not only did Bugatti make their own nuts and bolts, with square heads and custom thread pitches, but, for example, Ernie told me that to adjust the brakes you start by removing the differential!

Both Mike Cleary and Peter Giddings owned Bugattis. In Peter's case the one I remember of the several he owned at one time or another was a Tipo 59, the same model owned by Mike. What I remember most about it was how long and low it seemed compared to the 35 and 37, and though the wide spoked wheels are so characteristic of Bugatti, the wires on the 59 and the overall engineering and design of the wheels were to me just stunning. 

Tipo 59
From petergiddings.com
Mike Sims Photo

I never got to ride in any of these gorgeous beasts. I do, however, feel fortunate to have been on track with some of them and being able to watch them up close and in ways they were meant to be used. They are truly the “pre war Ferrari” of machinery.