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SHAH'S CAR TO STAR AT AMELIA ISLAND CONCOURS
Bugatti Type 57C, Once Bought for $275, Among 150
Prestigious Vehicles at March 8th Ritz-Carlton Event
Amelia Island, FL (January 20, 1997) - A unique special-bodied 1939 Bugatti Type 57C which belonged to the last Shah of Iran is one of a wide selection of exotic automobiles scheduled to compete in the second Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance presented by Mercedes- Benz of North America here the weekend of March 8th.
Purchased from the imperial garage after years of neglect for the equivalent of $275 American and used as a street car in Europe while powered by a Packard engine, the totally restored supercharged convertible is virtually priceless, according to Bill Warner, co-chairman of the Concours and contributing editor to Road & Track Magazine. It is owned now by Oscar Davis of Elizabeth, NJ.
The vehicle has an improbable history. Built as a wedding gift to the Shah from the French government, it is a prime example of pre-World War II French coachwork with rear wheels enclosed by elongated pods and swooping front fenders, according to Warner. The hand formed Figoni & Falaschi body was part aluminum and part steel but over the years acquired parts from other Bugattis which needed to be replaced in order to make it an authentic 57C.
The Concours, proudly presented by Mercedes-Benz, is a charity fund-raising event for Hospice Northeast, which was both a critical and financial success in its first year. Besides the competitive judging of over 160 automobiles and motorcycles, there is a road rally, a gala dinner with an automotive auction and a golf tournament. Phil Hill, first American to win the world driving championship, is honorary chairman and will speak at the dinner.
Ettore Bugatti evolved the Type 57C to present a model which was both quicker and more powerful than the Type 57's 130 bhp 3.3 liter dual overhead cam eight cylinder engine. The C -- which boasts a disappearing windshield and thermostatically controlled radiator grille -- is supercharged and offers 30 more horsepower.
The Shah's car originally came to the U.S. in the late 1960s, changed owners several times in Florida before moving to Pittsburgh where the owner, after letting it languish another six years untouched, sent it to England to have its engine restored. It wasn't until 1983 that its bodywork was returned to authenticity after several years of research to make correct patterns.
Two other Bugattis, a 1921 Type 35 and an Atlantic Coupe, also are entered in this Concours.
Vehicles in the judging cover the whole panoply of auto history from a 1901 Duryea to an Olds Starfire. Ferrari is the featured marque this year because Hill won his world championship for that marque and there are at least 19 entered. There are also 14 Mercedes-Benz classics and 19 Packards as well as a Connie Kalitta dragster, a 1965 Fred Lorenzen NASCAR Ford and a 1959 Indy racer among the more than 160 others expected to show.
Hospice Northeast, a provider of care for the terminally ill, is the beneficiary of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance.
For additional media information, please contact:
Bill Ussery
Mercedes-Benz of North America
phone: (904) 443-2135
email: ussery@usa.mercedes-benz.com
wwweb: http://www.classiccarshow.com
