Gregor Wenner
Specialist Consultant
LOT 149
1924 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia' Open Tourer Chassis no. 2064 Engine no. 481
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Lot 149
1924 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia' Open Tourer
1924 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia' Open Tourer
Chassis no. 2064
Engine no. 481
Chassis no. 2064
Engine no. 481
• Delivered new to Australia
• Complete known ownership history from new
• Restored in the 1970s
• Previous ownership from 1985 to 2019
• List of works since 1985 available
• Enthusiastically used and well maintained
• Mille Miglia, Solo Brescia elligible
• Belgian registration document
'Bugattis encapsulate concepts of engineering which, once seen, change your ideas radically and definitively. Drive them, and you realize that each car is form and engineering in equilibrium, and a work of art.' – William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières.
By the early 1930s Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track; the world's greatest racing drivers enjoying countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products and often choosing them for their everyday transport. Developed from the first Bugatti to be built at Molsheim - the short-wheelbase Type 13 of 1910 - the Type 13 'Brescia' took that name following the factory's first four places at the 1921 Italian Grand Prix for Voiturettes, held at the eponymous racetrack in Lombardy. Longer wheelbase Type 22 and Type 23 models were made, both of which used the single-overhead-camshaft 16-valve Brescia engine and were built alongside 8-valve 'Petit Pur Sang' versions.
Introduced in February 1923, the updated Brescia was a true thoroughbred sports car, derived directly from the racing Brescias that had dominated the voiturette category at the 1921 Italian GP. At a time when many 1½-liter production cars struggled to achieve 50mph, the Brescia was guaranteed to exceed 70mph. Of advanced design, the engine incorporated a ball-bearing crankshaft and aluminum crankcase and was coupled to an excellent four-speed gearbox developed from that of the Brescia racers; indeed, many Brescias were raced with great success.
Bugatti produced approximately 2,000 Brescias between 1914 and 1926 with engine capacities of 1,368, 1,453 and 1,496cc.
Arnold H Wootton, a key figure in Victoria's motorsport scene, received this Brescia #2064, one of the first delivered to Australia by Bugatti's London agent, Colonel W L Sorel, on 5th May 1924.
The car went on to have seven owners -with an exclusive list available- and participated in competitions, including a hill climb in 1924, before eventually coming into the possession of John Porter, complete but in poor condition, in the 1970s. It was then beautifully restored in Victoria.
Between 1985 and 2019, the Bugatti was regularly used by the previous owner, noted marque authority Peter McGann, author of Brescia Bugatti and co-author with Bob King of Bugattis in Australia and New Zealand 1920-2012. Circa 2000, the car underwent modifications to widen the passenger compartment, with new seats, re-skinning, interior re-trimming, and a respray. In 2015, the engine was fully restored, and prior upgrades included a performance camshaft and overhauled components. Regular maintenance on the running gear included renewing various parts. A detailed list of all works since 1985 is available on file.
• Complete known ownership history from new
• Restored in the 1970s
• Previous ownership from 1985 to 2019
• List of works since 1985 available
• Enthusiastically used and well maintained
• Mille Miglia, Solo Brescia elligible
• Belgian registration document
'Bugattis encapsulate concepts of engineering which, once seen, change your ideas radically and definitively. Drive them, and you realize that each car is form and engineering in equilibrium, and a work of art.' – William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières.
By the early 1930s Ettore Bugatti had established an unrivalled reputation for building cars with outstanding performance on road or track; the world's greatest racing drivers enjoying countless successes aboard the Molsheim factory's products and often choosing them for their everyday transport. Developed from the first Bugatti to be built at Molsheim - the short-wheelbase Type 13 of 1910 - the Type 13 'Brescia' took that name following the factory's first four places at the 1921 Italian Grand Prix for Voiturettes, held at the eponymous racetrack in Lombardy. Longer wheelbase Type 22 and Type 23 models were made, both of which used the single-overhead-camshaft 16-valve Brescia engine and were built alongside 8-valve 'Petit Pur Sang' versions.
Introduced in February 1923, the updated Brescia was a true thoroughbred sports car, derived directly from the racing Brescias that had dominated the voiturette category at the 1921 Italian GP. At a time when many 1½-liter production cars struggled to achieve 50mph, the Brescia was guaranteed to exceed 70mph. Of advanced design, the engine incorporated a ball-bearing crankshaft and aluminum crankcase and was coupled to an excellent four-speed gearbox developed from that of the Brescia racers; indeed, many Brescias were raced with great success.
Bugatti produced approximately 2,000 Brescias between 1914 and 1926 with engine capacities of 1,368, 1,453 and 1,496cc.
Arnold H Wootton, a key figure in Victoria's motorsport scene, received this Brescia #2064, one of the first delivered to Australia by Bugatti's London agent, Colonel W L Sorel, on 5th May 1924.
The car went on to have seven owners -with an exclusive list available- and participated in competitions, including a hill climb in 1924, before eventually coming into the possession of John Porter, complete but in poor condition, in the 1970s. It was then beautifully restored in Victoria.
Between 1985 and 2019, the Bugatti was regularly used by the previous owner, noted marque authority Peter McGann, author of Brescia Bugatti and co-author with Bob King of Bugattis in Australia and New Zealand 1920-2012. Circa 2000, the car underwent modifications to widen the passenger compartment, with new seats, re-skinning, interior re-trimming, and a respray. In 2015, the engine was fully restored, and prior upgrades included a performance camshaft and overhauled components. Regular maintenance on the running gear included renewing various parts. A detailed list of all works since 1985 is available on file.
Footnotes
1924 Bugatti Type 23 'Brescia' Open Tourer
Châssis n° 2064
Engine n° 481
• Livrée neuve en Australie le 05/05/1924
• Historique de propriété complet depuis sa livraison
• Restauration dans les années 1970
• Propriétaire précédent de 1985 à 2019
• Liste des travaux depuis 1985 disponible
• Conduite avec enthousiasme et bien entretenue
• Eligible aux Mille Miglia, Solo Brescia
• Document d'immatriculation belge
« Les Bugatti encapsulent des concepts d'ingénierie qui, une fois appréhendés, changent radicalement et définitivement vos idées. Conduisez-les, et vous réaliserez que chaque voiture est un équilibre de forme et d'ingénierie, et une œuvre d'art. » – William Stobbs, Les Grandes Routières.
Au début des années 1930, Ettore Bugatti avait acquis une réputation inégalée pour la fabrication de voitures offrant des performances exceptionnelles, tant sur route que sur circuit ; les plus grands pilotes de course du monde remportaient de nombreux succès au volant des véhicules de l'usine de Molsheim et les choisissaient souvent pour leurs déplacements quotidiens. Développée à partir de la première Bugatti construite à Molsheim, la Type 13 à empattement court de 1910, la Type 13 'Brescia' a pris ce nom après que l'usine ait occupé les quatre premières places lors du Grand Prix d'Italie pour Voiturettes de 1921, disputé sur le circuit éponyme en Lombardie. Des modèles à empattement plus long, les Type 22 et Type 23, ont été produits, tous deux équipés du moteur Brescia à arbre à cames en tête et 16 soupapes, fabriqués parallèlement aux versions à 8 soupapes 'Petit Pur Sang'.
Introduite en février 1923, la Brescia mise à jour était une véritable voiture de sport de haute lignée, directement dérivée des Brescias de course qui avaient dominé la catégorie voiturette lors du Grand Prix d'Italie de 1921. À une époque où de nombreuses voitures de production de 1,5 litre peinaient à atteindre les 80 km/h, la Brescia était conçue pour dépasser les 110 km/h. De conception avant-gardiste, son moteur intégrait un vilebrequin à roulements à billes et un carter en aluminium, couplé à une boîte de vitesses à quatre rapports, développée à partir de celle des Brescias de course ; en effet, de nombreuses Brescias ont connu un grand succès en compétition. Bugatti a produit environ 2 000 Brescias entre 1914 et 1926, avec des moteurs de 1 368, 1 453 et 1 496 cm³.
Arnold H Wootton, une figure clé de la compétition automobile en Victoria, reçut cette Brescia #2064, l'une des premières livrées en Australie par l'agent londonien de Bugatti, le Colonel W L Sorel, le 5 mai 1924. La voiture a ensuite connu sept propriétaires -liste consultable- et a été parfois engagée en compétition avant de parvenir complète mais en mauvais état, dans les années 1970, dans les mains de John Porter qui l'a magnifiquement restaurée.
Entre 1985 et 2019, la Bugatti a été possédée et conduite par le propriétaire précédent, Peter McGann, spécialiste reconnu de la marque, auteur de Brescia Bugatti et de Bugattis in Australia and New Zealand 1920-2012. Vers 2000, la voiture a bénéficié de modifications pour élargir l'habitacle, avec de nouveaux sièges, une réfection de l'intérieur et une nouvelle peinture.
En 2015, le moteur a été entièrement restauré ; les améliorations précédentes comprenaient un arbre à cames performant et des composants révisés. L'entretien régulier de #2064 a amené le renouvellement de diverses pièces ; une liste détaillée de tous les travaux depuis 1985 est disponible.
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