Mullin Automotive Museum steps closer to bringing classic Bugatti coupe to life

Filed under: Concept Cars, Classics, Bugatti, Design/Style

1939 bugatti type 64 coupe

1939 Bugatti Type 64 Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Peter Mullin is nuts for classic French cars. His Mullin Automotive Museum is a beautiful shrine to a very specific period of automotive history. One particular vehicle in his collection is Jean Bugatti’s unfinished 1939 Type 64 Coupe. Jean was Ettore’s oldest son, and he died while test driving the Le Mans-winning Type 57 C. His Type 64 Coupe chassis never got the body that Bugatti hoped to have built for it… but Mr. Mullin is going to change that.

Using Jean Bugatti’s sketches as a guide, Mullin has partnered with Stewart Reed Design to develop a vision of what the car should look like. Now, that pair is joined by Mike Kleeves of Automobile Metal Shaping Company, which means that team officially have someone on their team capable of bringing this bit of conceptual art into the physical world.

For more on the Type 64, check out the up-close look at the car we experienced during a field trip to the Mullin Museum in 2010.

Gallery: 1939 Bugatti Type 64

1939 Bugatti Type 641939 Bugatti Type 641939 Bugatti Type 64

Gallery: Mullin Museum: Bugatti Type 64 Coupe Chassis

Photos copyright (C)2011 by Drew Phillips/AOL

[Source: Mullin Automotive Museum]

Continue reading Mullin Automotive Museum steps closer to bringing classic Bugatti coupe to life

Mullin Automotive Museum steps closer to bringing classic Bugatti coupe to life originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic In Detail – Click above for high-res image gallery

My first time going to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was back in 2003. There were some incredible classic cars on the 18th fairway, with Ford celebrating its 100th anniversary and Bugatti as the featured marque. In the multitude of millions of dollars worth of cars, though, there was one car that stood out from all the others – Peter Williamson’s 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Despite my complete lack of knowledge of pre-war cars at the time, even I could recognize that the car had a presence about it that no other vehicle at the show could boast. My intuition was right, and the Bugatti eventually went on to win the coveted Best of Show award that year.

The Bugatti made the news again earlier this year when Gooding & Company announced it had sold the car to an unnamed buyer in the range of a record $30-$40 million. Soon after, it was announced that the car would be on display at the recently-opened Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, CA. Since I’m always looking for an excuse for the museum to let me look at their incredible collection of cars, I called them up and convinced them to let me have a look.

After an hour of inspecting and photographing every inch of the car, I’m declaring the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic worthy of its title as the world’s most expensive car. Hit the jump for my top ten reasons why.

Gallery: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic In Detail

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

Continue reading Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum

Autoblog visits the 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

Filed under: Classics, Bugatti

1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in May history was made when an unnamed buyer shelled out a record $30-$40 million for a 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, this particular 57SC Atlantic is just one of three built and one of only two still in existence. The sale, done through the Gooding & Company auction house, is the second time this exact car exchanged hands for a record sum. The previous owner, Dr. Peter Williamson, purchased the car in 1971 for the unheard of price of $59,000. The car competed in the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and was easily declared the Best of Show.

While the 57SC Atlantic rarely made public appearances outside prestigious concours events, the Mullin Automotive Museum has announced that they will have the car on display at its Oxnard, CA facility starting on August 10th. “I am honored to have the opportunity to display the Bugatti Atlantic at our Art Deco museum,” said Peter Mullin. “In the historic pantheon of automobiles the Atlantic is without peer.”

Those interested in seeing the car in person can head over to the museum’s web site. Tickets must be purchased in advance for select viewing days. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic at the Mullin Automotive Museum

[Source: Mullin Automotive Museum]

Continue reading World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum

World’s most expensive car now on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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