Editor: Jaap Horst

What happened with the 53003 ?

We know for sure that 3 sample models of Type 53 have been fabricated :

53002 - 53003 : are official Bugatti racing cars during the sport contest season of 1932.

Thus, the idea of Antonio Picchetto and Jean Bugatti for the Type 53 was to take part in and gain a victory in street races on the twisting roads and in hill climbs. So the temptation of making it to partecipate in the GP of Montecarlo, that just then was considered as the luxe shop window of the international motoring, was very strong. Of course, the fouur wheel drive on a meandering city route might help, but in a grand prix situation, with its pressing rhythms and wheel to wheel contest with others racers, the success of driving the heavy and powerful racing car, such as Type 53, during the whole of the contest became a task almost beyond strenghts.
One had to entrust it to a racing driver whose strong and resistant character even exceeded the technical skills. Thus, Albert Divo was chosen, a pilot not forgotten in Molsheim, also owing to the double win at Targa Florio (1928/29). He was certainly one of the most remarkable pilots of that epoch. However, having performed a test drive, he refused to pilot it during the Grand Prix, and so the idea remained as it was. But the Type 53 was used in various hill climbs, gaining even a certain success, though it was rather a poor consolation, taking into account the ambitious hopes that had been cherished regarding it (see the table, page 2).

Among the small number of available photos of the Type 53 there is one that shows the two cars during the aligning before the slope race in Klausen in august of 1932 (Zagari Archives ref. Ci-03 Photo 1).The car in the foreground with race number 99 appears to be Chiron; when observing attentively the photo, one can identify the registration number plate 8264 NV1.

Photo 1 © Archivio Zagari Photo 1a This is a 5,6 or 4 ; Photo 1b This is a 5,6 or 4 ?

This makes me to suppose, bearing in mind that the number plate assignment was performed according to the chronological order of the chassis and that Varzi’s number plate was registered as 8265 NV1, what can be very well seen in another photo showing the italian champion and the car facing the turn in Klausen also in august 1932, (Zagari Archives rif. 039409 Photo 2), that this Type 53 with chassis number 53002.

Photo 2 © Archivio Zagari

The historians agree and are almost sure of the fact that Jean had destroyed the 53002 in Shelsey Walsh, which was in the autumn of 1932. Among few photos that snapped the event, there is one showing Jean speaking to Lord Howe and in front of them one can see the rear part of the Type 53 and it is easy to read on the tank the number plate 8266 NV1 and not 8264 NV1, as it should be and it had been several months before (Photo 3).

Now it is difficult to understand the cause for this double assigning within such limited time. Moreover, the number plate is also confirmed by another photo made three years later, wich shows Robert Benoist on the starting ground at the hill climb in Chateâu Thierry in 1935, where the number – plate 8266 NV1 is clearly readable (Photo 4).

Photo 4

As far as it is known, 53002, after Jean’s accident, was restored (using probably also the prototype engine that in fact is absent in the prototype) and sheltered in Molsheim. Whoever had tried to purchase this car in previous July, one can suppose that if there was a real purchaser, he later changed his mind and the car remained forgotten together with the prototype in the hangars of the Usine during all 1933 (in contrast to the 53002 which was sold in August of the same year), until Renè Dreyfus, who was Bugatti’s tester then, saw and asked the Patron if he could use it at the next season of the hill climbs of La Turbie in 1934.

Ettore gave his consent and assisted in Dreyfus´ brilliant victory. The car returned to Molsheim, where for some time attracted considerable attention, so it was decided to entrust it to Robert Benoist as was said above. The logic wanted that in La Turbie in 1934 the car had the number – plate 8266 NV1, the same as it had a year later in Chateâu Thierry, this does not solve the problem, but does not complicate it either the long run, as would complicate the number plate 8265 NV1. It’s obvious that the theory as a whole is based on the fact that in reality the registration number of one of the two Type 53 was 8264 NV1.

That 530002 returned with a new registration number seems illogical, it may have been therefore that a new chassis was in fact constructed (530004?)

I myself did not trace other photos, where it would be more readable in comparison with Zagari Archives, present also in Bugatti Magnum (page 274) If somebody has more photo documents, as well as any comment regarding my article, please contact me. Thank you.

Andrea Medda: E-mail aaddem@tin.it

Vive La Marque !!