Heartbroken

[pbflyz]

Hi guys,
I've learned quite a bit from the Porsche 911 forum over the last few years. One of the things I've learned is that most of you truly love automobiles. Sad story follows:

My father has owned a Bugatti type 57 cabriolet since 1952. He bought for a couple of thousand francs in Bordeaux while stationed there as an air-sea rescue pilot for the USAF. He drove the car throughout Europe and courted my mother with it. When he returned stateside and started a family, the car was stored on blocks and under a surplus parachute in my Grandmothers barn for almost 35 years. Every year, we would go back east and visit her, and my Dad would pull the plugs and pour oil into the cylinders, put mothballs in (kept stray mice from eating the upholstery) and put a preservative on the chrome. Every few years he would inflate the tires, roll it out and fire it up. Great clouds of smoke and lots of belching, then off we'd go...that dohc straight-eight made a wonderful noise.
About 14 years ago my parents finally built their retirement house and my dad built a large workshop and garage next door. He would spend hours tinkering with the car and it showed. He drove the car every summer, and I drove it with him whenever I could. (Great to drive, a bit heavy, but the view down that long cowl was wonderful). I usually managed to grind one or two gears, but my dad double-clutched flawlessly.
Now the sad part. My father phoned me yesterday evening and told me that the garage had caught fire, burned down and the Bugatti and his workshop were destroyed. He's being pretty stoic about it, but I know that it just broke his heart. He's owned this car for 54 years. I don't know if it can be salvaged in any way, but in any event it will probably be way too expensive to rebuild it. He had it insured, but for far less than the car was probably worth. I'm going to try and talk to some restoration experts and get some thoughts on the whole thing. (If anyone knows some good specialists, I'd appreciate an email)

Here are a few pics of the car taken not too long ago, and a link to the local newspaper.

http://www.sanjuanislander.com/groups/fire_san_juan/09-11-2006.shtml

[pwd72s]

Oh, Mannnn....

(edit) I'd give Hagerty insurance a call...they deal in covering the pebble beach type cars,would probably be able to supply a list of restoration firms of the high quality this car deserves. Won't be cheap though...

[84porsche]

Paul, I am truly sorry to hear that a beautiful car and garage is lost. I sincerely hope you can find someone that can bring her back to glory. I assume the car had some kind of classic insurance coverage.

[David]

I'm very sorry to hear about your father's loss.

How damaged is the car? Is it melted or just badly chared?

[JeremyD]

How sad - Holy crap just looked at the pictures - very sad, but that car is done.

[Don Plumley]

What a shame - sorry for your father.

[Jims5543]

Man that sucks. I hope you can figure out a way to restore that car.

[masraum]

Really sorry, that sucks.

[kach22i]

Insurance covered it?

What a loss

[pbflyz]

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the comments.
The car was insured, but for far less than what it was probably worth. The insurance adjuster will check it out tomorrow. The aluminum hood melted and the interior of the car was gutted. It appears that the engine/gearbox and chassis will be salvageable, but we'll see.

[pwd72s]

Paul, I sent a link to this thread to a friend who is involved with this class of cars. (And let's face it guys, no 911 made is in this class of cars!) Here is a cut & paste from his response, since he didn't want to post:

Tell him to contact Jim Stranberg at High Mountain Classics in Berthoud, Colorado (970/532-2339). Jim is one of the two top Bugatti restorers in the country, maybe the world (Pebble Beach winners), and even if he just has parts to sell from the car, it will be worth his while.

If his dad was a member of the Bugatti Club of America, he should be in touch with them, too.


Hope this info is of some help to you and your dad. (Another) Paul

[450knotOffice]

Paul, I am so sorry to hear about that. I hope your Dad is able to salvage the car and restore it to its former glory.

What a beauty she was.

[tabs]

YOu can allways Rebody a car....the drivtrain and Chassis is whats important. May cost more than the value of the car...

[HardDrive]

Damn shame. Terribly sorry for his loss, and yours.

[stuartj]

That would make any car guy weep. And made the more sad because of the provenance of the car. Cant be replaced.

What rotten luck.

Stuart

[CJFusco]

You lost a BUGATTI?!? Wow. This may sound insensititve, but (dare I ask) how much was the car worth?

[David]

It sounds like it may be salvageable since it didn't melt.

Here's a sad pic of my uncle's cabin in Colorado a few years ago. It got caught in one of the wild fires. If you look closely you can see the jeep in the left bay. His snowmobiles literally melted.

[RickM]

Paul, That is a truly sad story.

If you'd like to discuss with an expert then call Bob Turnquist @ Hibernia Auto Restorations. He's a world renowned restorer. While his expertise is Packards, with a Pebble Beach Concours win, over the years he has done many other world class restorations on very high end cars. He also lives right behind me.

Can't hurt to call. Here you go: http://www.hiberniaautorestorers.com/

Good luck as this will likely come with a price tag that is not for the faint of heart.