Bugatti Type 46

Information

A superb Pebble Beach class winner presented in immaculate concours condition. This car is near perfect and runs beautifully, having recently received around CHF 15,000 for work to restore it to pristine condition.

According to information in Barrie Price's book Bugatti Type 46 & 50 , as well as the authoritative reference guide La Petit Royale , this particular chassis was ordered in a batch of 29 cars (a mix of Type 46s and 49s) by Swiss Bugatti agent Bucar of Zurich. The first owner is listed as Hans Lindt of Stockholm, Sweden (erroneously listed as 'Schmidt' by Mr Price). It appears that the car was supplied with the optional alloy wheels and ordered to accommodate a four-seater Gangloff Touriste cabriolet body. Once completed by Gangloff, it was taken back to Molsheim, collected by Mr Lindt, who drove the 1,700km across Europe and back to Stockholm; a task for which his Type 46 was undoubtedly ideally suited.

After Mr Lindt had spent some time with the car, it was purchased by René Chatard, a fashion boutique owner and well-known Bugatti connoisseur. It is believed that at some point during Chatard’s ownership of the car, the bodywork was separated from the chassis and fitted with blackout lights and rudimentary seats, perhaps to make the car unattractive to the occupying forces during the war. In 1940 it was fitted with a ‘Gazogène’ unit in an attempt to run the car on wood fumes instead of petrol, but the experiment was a failure and the car was parked. Chatard and his mistress were killed in 1955 when his Type 57 Atlantic was hit by a train. Chatard's widow sold 46524 along with six other cars to noted Bugatti collector Jean De Dobbeleer. He soon sold the car as a rolling chassis with radiator, hood, and bonnet to Bob Estes and Otto Zipper of Precision Motor Cars in California, as noted in H.G. Conway's Bugatti Register. At some point, the car joined the Harrah's collection in Reno, still in the same condition that De Dobbeleer found it in in 1956.

In 1973, 46524 was auctioned at Harrah's and purchased by Ed Morgan and his son. The Morgans were avid collectors and restorers, and the car remained in this condition for many years while they planned the best course of action for its restoration. During their research, they learned that Dr. Joseph Fuchs, who had commissioned the magnificent Weinberger-bodied Type 41 Royale Cabriolet, had also owned a Weinberger-bodied Type 46. No photos of this car were available at the time, but inspiration was there and the Morgans went to Henry Ford to measure and photograph the Weinberger Royale. Many drawings, measurements and models were made before a design was settled on. In 1992, the car was finally handed over to Monty and Greg Montiller to receive its coachwork. The chassis and mechanicals were restored in Morgan's personal restoration shop, which included a complete engine rebuild, and the upholstery work was done by Ken Niminek, done in a lovely two-tone green and tan leather.

The rebirth of 46524 was completed in 1998 and, although it differs in detail from Dr. Fuchs' Type 46 (photos of that car have since surfaced)