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1929 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster



One of approximately 160 examples produced, Bugatti Type 43 chassis 43248 was completed at the Molsheim factory and invoiced to Belgian Bugatti agent Joseph Reinartz for 95,940 francs. Delivered new on January 15, 1929, it was supplied with a temporary two-seat body to its first owner, Frédéric Deflandre of Sauheid-lez-Chênée, near Liège, Belgium.



In the early 1930s, the chassis was entrusted to renowned Belgian coachbuilder Eugène Matthys of Brussels, who created the stunning one-off two-seat roadster body it still wears today. Its graceful proportions and flowing lines beautifully anticipate the styling of the later Bugatti Type 55, making it one of the most distinctive Type 43s ever built.



Prior to receiving the Matthys coachwork, chassis 43248 carried a temporary sporting body. Close inspection of the original passenger-side floorboards reveals mounting points for an auxiliary oil tank and hand pump, suggesting the car may have participated in light competition during its earliest years, although this chapter of its history remains to be fully documented.



An avid Bugatti enthusiast who owned at least five examples of the marque, Frédéric Deflandre is believed to have retained the Type 43 until acquiring a new two-seat Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet in 1936.



Following the Second World War, period documentation, including a Belgian motor vehicle tax disc dated October 1, 1948 places the car in nearby Angleur under the ownership of Edouard Hanquet. By this time, it had temporarily been fitted with a Chevrolet six-cylinder engine and was registered as a "Chevrolet Type 43."



In 1965, while participating in a classic car rally through the Belgian Ardennes, two young enthusiasts were approached by a local man offering to sell a Bugatti for a modest price. One of them, André Monin, visited the seller who proved to be Edouard Hanquet and purchased the roadster. He transported the car to Brussels, ending a remarkable period during which it had remained in the same region of Belgium since new.



A dedicated Bugatti collector who also owned two Type 38s, Monin retained the Type 43 for more than a decade before selling it in 1978 to coachbuilder Luc Janssens. The car subsequently passed through respected British dealer Keith Butti and specialist Roland J. B. Duce, who offered it for sale in 1980.



In April 1981, the roadster was acquired by one of Englands foremost collectors of historic automobiles, joining what would become one of the United Kingdoms most significant private collections. At the time, the car retained its original Matthys coachwork, beautifully patinated burgundy leather interior, chassis frame stamped 93, engraved identification plate 43248, front and rear axles stamped 95, gearbox and cover numbered 93, and its original radiator—details thoroughly documented in the accompanying Pierre-Yves Laugier report.



To return the car to a more mechanically authentic configuration, its long-term owner acquired a correct Bugatti Type 43 engine from noted Bugatti historian Hugh G. Conway. The engine was assembled from period components bearing various numbers, including an upper crankcase from racing engine C28, which shows evidence of historic repairs.



Over the past three decades, the Bugatti has benefited from a carefully documented program of sympathetic preservation and mechanical restoration. Work has included the installation of two new cylinder blocks, a rebuilt rear axle, repairs to the wooden trunk floor, a replacement fuel tank, renewed brake drums, restoration of the radiator wiring harness, and a high-quality repaint. Importantly, the original leather upholstery was entrusted to the Leather Conservation Centre in Leicester, England, where it was preserved rather than replaced, requiring only minor localized repairs and allowing the car to retain its remarkable originality.



Offered publicly for the first time in nearly 45 years, chassis 43248 represents an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the most unique and authentic Bugatti Type 43s in existence. Combining bespoke coachwork by Eugène Matthys, exceptional provenance, and the legendary engineering derived from the Type 35B Grand Prix car, it stands among the most desirable pre-war Bugattis ever offered.



Chassis No. 43248



Matthys Body No. 2189



One-off Eugène Matthys two-seat roadster coachwork

One of approximately 160 Bugatti Type 43s produced

Delivered new in Belgium, where it remained for nearly 50 years

Part of the same distinguished British private collection for the past 45 years

Extensively documented by Bugatti historian Pierre-Yves Laugier, confirming its exceptional originality and provenance

An outstanding pre-war Bugatti combining elegant grand touring capability with the celebrated Grand Prix engineering of the Type 35B



Price: $1,550,000

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