Bugatti Type 40
By Barrie Price & Jean-Louis Arbey
207mm wide by 250mm tall • 128 pages • 150 Pictures
ISBN: 1-901295-52-4
Out of Print, find on Amazon or Alibris
Veloce Publishing, 2000
Telephone – +44 (0)1305 260068
Facsimile – +44 (0)1305 250479
E-mail – info@veloce.co.uk
Review by Pete Vack
Related Articles:
An Ode to Three Bugattis
Bugatti T40 Across the Sahara
Bugatti T40 Book Review
This is the last of the four Barrie Price Bugatti books we have reviewed. It is also the shortest, with the fewest photos, yet in some ways one of the best. The Bugatti T40 is a single model book, and treats the subject with a bit more depth that is given to the others. Unlike the other three it is not available as a reprint yet; we found a copy from our usual source for rare car books, TE Warth and it cost a reasonable $70 in like-new condition.
Bugatti T40 begins with a great chapter on technical details, or at least technical photos. The only thing missing from our perspective is a cutaway of the four cylinder engine with valve train details. The T40 was the last four cylinder to be produced by Bugatti, and virtually the same engine was used as for the T37. It was also often compared to the four cylinder produced for the earlier Brescia Bugatti series, which was Bugatti’s all time biggest seller.
A Grand Sport as restored in the U.S. by André Rheault.
The photo sections for the various coachbuilders are simple; Bugatti coachwork, almost all being of the Gran Sport variety, and others, which range from a few cars in competition to service vehicles to the special T40s designed by Jean Bugatti. Thankfully also included are three British road tests which delightfully describe what the car is like and how it drives. Another section reprints the factory brochures and a variety of Bugatti ads of the era. The best thing we can do here is to provide the chapters as listed in the contents:
I INTRODUCTION TO THE BUGATTI TYPE 40 & 40A 6
II MECHANICAL/TECHNICAL 8
III BUGATTI-BODIED T40s 21
IV NON-BUGATTI-BODIED T40s 41
V THE TYPE 40A 66
VI TYPE 40s IN LATER LIFE 69
VII TYPE 40s IN COMPETITION 80
VIII LIVING WITH A TYPE 40 BY JEAN LOUIS ARBEY 83
A VERY GRAND LADY 84
IX A 40 THROUGH AFRICA – LOISEAU’S EXPEDITION
APPENDICES
I “THE AUTO-MOTOR JOURNAL” ROAD TEST (27.6.29) 90
II “THE MOTOR” ROAD TEST (10.12.29) 92
III “MOTOR SPORT” ROAD TEST (SEPTEMBER 1943) 94
IV TYPE 40 SALES BROCHURES & OTHER ADVERTISING 95
V TYPE 40 ORIGINAL PRICES 106
VI FACTORY SALES RECORDS 108
VII BRITISH DELIVERIES 122
VIII SOURCES OF THE TYPE 40’s MAJOR COMPONENTS 124
IX THE BUGATTI TRUST 125
Most of these chapters are pretty thin, poorly organized and the T40A chapter is pretty much a washout. The period photos again make it all worthwhile, as does the list of factory serial numbers and sales records.So don’t expect a great deal here, but what you get is worthwhile. It is also worth mentioning that the author’s royalties from these books go to support the Bugatti Trust located at Prescott.
Racing at Silverstone in 1950, and having a grand time. This was later given a T55 body and then reconverted to a Grand Sport.
Another nugget in the book is the reproduction of a 1999 Bugantics article about the sentimental journey of Wilhelmien Paul. But we’ll let you discover that for yourself.
An example of a full four seat tourer by Lavocat et Marsaud.
Like the other three Price volumes, despite the flaws, this is a must-have for anyone interested in Bugatti. Our suggestion to the kind folks at Veloce Publishing is to get this volume republished and sell all four as a set with slipcover case and at a reasonable price. Like Cheetos, you can’t just have one and the price, if compared to other in depth Bugatti books, is very low.
This car is reported to have been designed by Jean Bugatti to test the market for a small sports car. The cat’s meow of the T40 series.
From the Bugatti Trust Site:
T40 and T40A
Identifying Features:
T40, short bonnet length. T40A small roadster, 8 plug block, ball gearchange
Years Made
(approx): 40, Mid 1926-30; 40A, 1930
Number Made:
830 (40 Type A)
Engine:
No of cylinders: 4
Bore x stroke: T40: 69 x 100mm; T40A: 72 x 100mm
Capacity: 1496cc, 1627cc
BHP (approx): T40: 45; T40A: 50
RPM Limit (prudent): 4500
Camshaft: sohc
Valves (per cylinder): 3
Camshaft drive: Front, bevel
Crankshaft bearings, No. and Type: 5 plain, plain rods
Carburettor: 1 Zenith, 36mm choke
Ignition: Coil
Plugs per cylinder: 1 (40A: 2)
Firing Order: 1, 2, 4, 3
Clutch:
Type: Wet, multi-plate
Gearbox:
Location: Central, Separate, 4-speed and reverse
Gear change lever: Central, Top back (not 40A)
Rear Axle:
Normal Ratio: 12/56 = 4.67 (spiral)
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 101, 107in (2.564, 2.714m)
Track: 47.25in (1.2m)
Weight (approx): 2200lb (1000kg) (Roadster)
Brakes:
Location and Type: 4-wheel cable-operated
Wheels:
Type: Wire
Tyre size: original 27 x 4.40; modern fitment, 5.00 x 19
Crossbreeding with Other Types:
Gearbox, axles, brakes etc, as T38; T40 engine virtually identical with T37 except for crankcase arms. T40A engines use T49 block
NOTE: Engines from No. 616 have pressure feed lubrication
The reviews of the previous three Price Bugatti books:
Bugatti – The 8-Cylinder Touring Cars 1920-1934 – Types 28, 30, 38, 38a, 44 & 49