Description

1971 Teal Bugatti Type 59 Replica

From the Tresham Collection; one of only 13 professionally built by Teal; aluminium body; Jaguar 4.2 engine and overdrive gearbox; current owner 31 years; registered as a Historic Vehicle; very nice; very quick!

Ettore Bugatti’s 1934 Type 59 has already passed into legend as one of the most revered Grand Prix cars of all time. However, only six were made and the last time one came up for auction a couple of years ago it made over £9.5m so most of us are unlikely to own one any time soon.

For the many who yearn for the early Molsheim cars, a replica is the only conceivable option which is why Ian Foster, a former chassis designer for Daimler, set up Thistledown Engineering Automotive Ltd in 1983. Better known as Teal, they specialised in producing replicas of the Bugatti Type 35 with Morris Marina running gear and GRP bodies.

In 1986 a former AA patrolman called Bob Jones bought Teal from Foster and decided to step things up a gear, adding a new flagship model to the range as an homage to the Bugatti Type 59. He came up with a new steel box section chassis of great strength and rigidity clothed in a hand-made aluminium body and powered by a Jaguar twin-cam XK engine (either 3.8 or 4.2) and a four-speed manual gearbox.

Not to be confused with a kit car, the Type 59 was entirely built by Teal and only 13 were made in total between 1989 and 1995 by which time it cost £28,000 – almost double the average price of a new car at the time.

Our vendor, a passionate Jaguar collector, bought this Type 59 from Bob Jones in May 1991 to join a collection of fine cars. It is fitted with a rebuilt Jaguar 4.2 engine producing well over 200bhp and, bearing in mind an all-up weight of just 17cwt, is said to be very quick indeed with a top speed of over 140mph if you feel brave enough!

Features include a 4-speed overdrive gearbox, twin rear-mounted fuel tanks, red leather seats and a very business-like milled aluminium dashboard. The suspension is independent all-round and it has vented disc brakes at the front with drum brakes at the rear. It rides on painted 18-inch centre-lock 60-spoke wire wheels shod with Dunlop Racing tyres.

In true Bugatti style the instruments are in French (huile, essence, tours etc) and it has no odometer so we don't know how many miles it has done but if it is more than a couple of thousand, we would eat a Frenchman's beret.

We are told that, apart from the odd gentle road rally and a few fun runs up Prescott and Shelsley Walsh, it has been very little used, spending most of its time tucked up within the collection. We are also told that it has been started and run regularly to keep everything free and it has certainly been starting easily and running well as we have moved it around on site, with good 45psi oil pressure.

The V5C records it as a GPB Type 59, declared manufactured in 1971 and first registered in October 1990 which is presumably when it was built, being reputedly the 4th of the 13 made in total. Classed as a Historic Vehicle, it is free to tax and is now MOT exempt, the last MOT having expired in October 2012 with no advisories recorded.

In super condition throughout and looking every inch the pre-war Grand Prix car, this must be one of the most exciting road cars out there and will turn heads wherever it goes.

This is one of nine Lots entered from the Tresham Collection.
For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com