King Leopold III Bugatti TYpe 59--sold by King for? | FerrariChat

King Leopold III Bugatti TYpe 59--sold by King for?

Discussion in 'Bugatti' started by bitzman, Dec 17, 2013.

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  1. bitzman

    bitzman F1 Rookie
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    Feb 15, 2008
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    Ontario, CA
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    wallace wyss
    I just came across this fine story in Classic & Sports Car.

    here: http://www.classicandsportscar.com/news/csc-features/original-is-best-%E2%80%93-the-ex-king-leopold-bugatti-type-59


    It says Ettore Bugatti gave him the car, is that still the belief of Bugatti buffs, don't see how you can run a car company giving cars away.
    Secondly it says a Belgian enthusiast In 1967, "car-mad Belgian enthusiast Stephane Falise learnt of the Bugatti’s storage in Brussels" and bought it. The story says he sold it in 1989 to Bob Rubin.
    I'd like to know if Falise has said what he bought it for, or Rubin. One of the kickers in the story is that the ex-King's wife tried to get it back after he sold it--she apparently was not liked in Belgium due to antics like selling the diamond tiara Queen Elizabeth gave her. I am also researching the ex-King's accident in a PF designed Caddy in Italy so anything I read about him I am collecting. I know his wife (second wife; first wife killed in an earlier accident) had a number of Ferraris carrying her name as customer.
     
  2. readplays

    readplays Formula 3

    Aug 22, 2008
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    Dave Powers
    I've always been told that Bob Rubin bought the car from Dieter Holterbosch (who I believed owned it as far back at least as 1970). Presumably Dieter Holterbosch bought it from Stephane Falise.
    I was also under the impression that the transfer from Bob Rubin to Anthony Wang involved an elaborate vehicle trade rather than being a cash deal.
     
  3. bitzman

    bitzman F1 Rookie
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    wallace wyss
    I ran into him at Monterey in the last couple of years and remembered to ask him
    about another Bugatti which he bought , the one that's in the Petersen now, ex-Shah car. If I can't get an e-mail I can hope to recognize him in the crowd at Pebble (hey, only 30,000 people or so will be out on the 18th green...)
     
  4. readplays

    readplays Formula 3

    Aug 22, 2008
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    Dave Powers

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