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Post by alwaysindy on Mar 6, 2021 11:42:04 GMT -5
Next up on the resin kit tour....1/24 Bugatti 57 Tank...kit is from LeMans Miniatures...this turned out to be a fascinating back story, about Jean Bugatti, Ettore’s oldest son... Etorre Bugatti created the iconic Type 35, possibly the most successful race car in history. His son, Jean inherited his father’s mechanical genius but lived in his father’s shadow.In 1934, he then came up with the Type 57...it took the engine and suspension from the Type 59 Grand Prix car, stretched it out to a 130” wheelbase, and used magnesium and aluminum for strength with lighter weight...  So in a very real sense, he created the world’s first Supercar (HyperCar?)...a street worthy race car...Etorre, unimpressed, called it a “Buick from Molsheim”...  Turns out various coach makers made different style bodies...  These styles, including the Atalante...  Even this...  These cars now stand as some of the most collectible in the world: $30-40 million apiece...take that, pop! The Silver Arrows turned the 1935 French GP into a rout...so in 1936, the race was for “touring cars” meaning with fenders...Jean takes the Type 57 and builds a streamlined “aerodynamic mule” for racing...this is the kit..  And here is where I am...  The car runs away with the 36 French GP, so Jean convinces the old man to run the 1937 LeMans 24 hour...the car I am building is the result... More story and build pictures soon...comments, questions welcome! Thanks for looking! Tim |
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Post by hurtubise56 on Mar 6, 2021 14:22:08 GMT -5
That's a beautiful car and a great looking model, but this is what I think of when someone says "Bugatti Tank":  |
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Post by 1961redlegs on Mar 6, 2021 15:10:16 GMT -5
Beautiful car and a fascinating story. I cannot wait to see what comes next!
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Post by raceparke on Mar 6, 2021 15:11:02 GMT -5
Very cool! I’ll be watching with interest.
Dan
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Post by alwaysindy on Mar 6, 2021 15:32:58 GMT -5
“That's a beautiful car and a great looking model, but this is what I think of when someone says "Bugatti Tank":
That’s the Bugatti 32, built especially for the 1923 French Grand Prix...it resembled the military tanks of the time, and was called Tank de Tours (Tours was where the race was held)...it only raced that 1 race, and then was followed by the famous Type 35...If you look at it, it is an airplane wing shape, so it tended to lift on straights...Naturally, when the Type 57 showed up 13 years later at the 1936 French Grand Prix, Frenchmen also called it “tank.”
To me, the Type 57 does not look like a “tank”, but rather like a later 1950’s race car...Thanks for commenting!
Tim
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Post by hurtubise56 on Mar 6, 2021 15:36:16 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, Tim! Looking forward to your progress!
Brian
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Post by Chris on Mar 7, 2021 12:27:44 GMT -5
Great Info Tim, I am a huge Bugatti fan, Briggs Cunningham made sure of that, telling me so much about the cars in the museum, the history and Mechanical Genius behind them Nice Kit!!! Chris
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Post by indy on Mar 7, 2021 16:01:43 GMT -5
A great looking start and I love the history of it all. Hopefully, this is an easier build for you.
Jordan
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jj66
Podium Finisher
Posts: 363
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Post by jj66 on Mar 11, 2021 15:11:02 GMT -5
Very nice. Paint work looks great!
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Post by Chris on Mar 12, 2021 9:26:36 GMT -5
For a while I put on a Sunday Model car show at Autobooks in Burbank Ca. think of it as a sort or Cars n' Coffee for models, it was well attended by Model Car builders and Celebrities alike. One celeb who never missed a chance to see our craft was Jay Leno, we became good friends, but the interesting thing is what He chose to drive there. One Sunday he drove this Bugatti, formerly owned by Katherine Hepburn. He called it a "Hot Rod" Bugatti ! Very pretty car, I unfortunately had to turn down a ride with him " around the Block" due to my duties of running the show.   I remember it was a Type 27 Bugatti, it was miraculously hand built by Bugatti and well maintained by Leno, It only strengthened my appreciation for all things Bugatti. Chris |
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Post by alwaysindy on Mar 13, 2021 13:20:13 GMT -5
Chris: I notice that like me, you’re a Bugatti fan...all we need is $2.5m and we could have this...  In honor of the car I’m building...  1200 hp(!) 0-60 in 2.5 seconds (!) 255mph top speed (!)...  I think Jean would be proud... Tim |
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Post by raceparke on Mar 13, 2021 14:15:28 GMT -5
Tim,
Once you finish the older one, you should start the new one 😆😆
You know, a little scratch building here and there. . .
😄
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Post by alwaysindy on Apr 9, 2021 13:24:52 GMT -5
I am moving along, but have encountered some questions...  Why the huge red light on the middle right side? Could be a marker light? Then why so large?  And now for the rear...  Where are the rear tail lights? And what are these? NOTE: only the restored car has the small, round tail lights; the kit does not...  This picture shows the restored car...  And a close up...turn signal? Brake light?  From a die cast...note that is the same as what is in the kit...What is the tube? What is it’s function? Note this diecast is the same as the kit: one tubular shape and the strange “turn signal?”  Any help identifying these, or a picture of the rear of the car during the race would be appreciated. Please let me know if you can unravel these parts...and thanks for looking! Tim |
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Post by raceparke on Apr 10, 2021 6:05:41 GMT -5
Hi Tim, I meant to compliment your paint job-exquisite. I always thought that right side light was to illuminate the corner ahead of entering it. So why right side only? I didn’t know it was red. That adds more mystery. It looks like the tube on the left rear has a pull out knob in black. Maybe a main power cutoff like on racers from much later in history.
I got lots of ideas but really have no idea for sure. 😆😆 any way it looks very cool. Thanks for sharing it.
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jj66
Podium Finisher
Posts: 363
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Post by jj66 on Apr 10, 2021 12:47:39 GMT -5
As for tail lights, IMHO are rear position lamps for a night race. I did not found a picture of Le Mans race, but as you can see in the following picture of 1936 French Grand Prix (day race), the car did not these lights. |
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Post by alwaysindy on Apr 12, 2021 11:04:58 GMT -5
Dan and Jaunjo: Thank you! I believe I figured out the right side light...this rare race picture I just found seems to show a dark lamp...  Note that in the 1936 French Grand Prix, there was no side light...  I just finished reading this book...  I highly recommend it as it tells several things about the “old” LeMans track...you came out of Arnage on a fairly straight line until a small kink near the beginning of the pits...so you had to navigate the kink at top speed while looking to the right for pit signals...the book has several drivers saying it was hard to get pit signals at speed and a b*tch to see at night...therefore, the side light was to help find your pit signal...note this article from Motorsport... www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-2004/80/liberte-egalite-velocitySo why red? Well there were 2 Bugatti’s entered: #1 and #2...perhaps to tell the difference as the cars flew by at night, #1 had white and #2 had red(?)...maybe make the pit board stand out by using something to reflect red light(?)... On the Crash of ‘55, the speed, the kink, and the pits all contributed to Levaugh’s car going into the crowd... Thanks again for your help! I have developed a whole new respect for LeMans racers before chicanes and the rearranging of the track... Tim |
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Post by alwaysindy on Apr 29, 2021 13:42:56 GMT -5
Well it is time to wrap this one up...after the ‘36 French G P, the car wins at the Grand Prix of the Marne and the Grand Prix of Pau...Jean convinces his dad to enter the LeMans 24 Hour in 1937...2 cars are readied: #1 for Veyron / Labric and car #2 for Benoit / Wimille...  #1 goes out after 130 laps, the #2 runs away and logs 243 laps at a new speed record...it is 7 laps up on second place(!)  The car has the famed and iconic horseshoe radiator...  My scratch build of the back “lights” (?)  The car was stunning then and stunning now...242 vents cur into the hood for cooling...  It is Bugatti’s first major race win...  And Jean-Pierre Wimille becomes France’s newest hero...  Etorre stays out of the 1938 LeMans, but Jean still had the racing bug...he convinces his dad to enter the 1939 LeMans...Pop says “Only one car to enter because only one can win the race.” Jean takes the Type 57 and lengthens it. The engine is now supercharged, good for close to 100mph on the Mulsanne straight. The hood lovers are gone and replaced by huge air ducts on the sides behind the engine. The rear tire is gone, but the side light (in white) remains. I had thought it was similar to the 1937 winner, but you can see major differences...  The drivers are Wimille and Veyron. They complete 249 laps; 4 up on second place...Jean is ecstatic... Now our story takes a tragic turn...Jean is a race car driver even though his father hates it...so Jean is a test driver while being an engineer...2 months after the ‘39 LeMans win, Jean tests the winning car on public roads that have been closed (supposedly)...a bike pulls out in front of him at about 90-100 mph, he swerved to miss and ends up in the trees...dead at 30...his death removes Bugatti from racing for a while as well as the outbreak of WWII about a month later... CODA: Wimille and Benoit both served in the French resistance in WWII and both were captured. Wimille escaped; Benoit was executed at Buchenwald... Thanks for stopping by! The figure came with the kit and the rear lights are scratch built. I left off the large windshield that lays flat on the hood for 2 reasons: it doesn’t appear in race day photos and I couldn’t see a decent way to mount it...questions, comments welcome! Tim |
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Post by racermagic on Apr 29, 2021 14:29:44 GMT -5
Unique build. Im not too sure i have ever seen this car before.
Excellent paint, love the screens over the lights and rad, very well done Tim.
You always post a history lesson with your work. You always do you homework, and do it well.Something that was re enforced by you watching your work.
Homework.
Thanks for being part of this board.
Thanks for sharing.
Please...Keep it up. Its great to see.
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Post by sandysixtysfan on Apr 29, 2021 17:14:11 GMT -5
Wow, a beauty! Well done sir.
Sandy
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Post by pylonguy2003 on Apr 29, 2021 19:50:43 GMT -5
Beautiful job!!! I love this car! I hope I can do as well when I get around to building my kit of this. Thanks for sharing this build with us!
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Post by raceparke on Apr 30, 2021 12:40:01 GMT -5
That is just beautiful, Tim. Elegant lines that belong on a car a generation newer, a very well built model, great background, French drivers in a French car at an iconic French track. This thread has it all.
Thanks for showing us.
Dan
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Post by Gary Davis on Apr 30, 2021 12:53:19 GMT -5
An outstanding build and a good history lesson for sure.
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jj66
Podium Finisher
Posts: 363
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Post by jj66 on May 1, 2021 12:34:13 GMT -5
Outstanding job Tim!
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