RM will auction Ponder Collection in April

The Ponder car is (obviously) a replica, using some real Bugatti parts. As to the real car, is it VERY VERY dark blue, or black? Hard to tell from some photos. I have never seen it in person.

Also, wasn't there another T57 bodied by Corsica for Col.Gilles that looks remotely similar, but was a 2+2?

 

If I remember correctly, it was Bugatti's intention to run this car at the 24 hours of LeMans. The windshield originally had small round holes in both the lower corners. The car was in Harrahs for years, and was dark green. Jacques Hargindiguey (sp?) got the car, restored it, but painted it red and black.

 

The real car is a dark blue, but used to be a much brighter blue originally!
And yes, there is a "sister" car that was originally owned by the same original owner who also had "Le Petit Sezanne"
The Type 57 car has Chassis #57316, but that car's bodywork was not made by Corsica however, but by "Bertelli"!! Both cars were originally designed by the owners' brother, and they share a lot of styling features, such as the shape of the fenders and the shape of the windscreen to name a few!!!!!


Edit: Yes, the original owner was Col. Giles, who was one of the founder members of the Bugatti Owners Club in the UK!!!

 

Thanks! When you say brighter blue, I assume you mean something close to the color of the T57 "tanks"

 

Exactly......not exactly the same color as the Tanks, but yes!!!

 

Absolutely, via the link posted there looks to be a 2900A ... one of the all time great cars.

Pete

 

It's actually an Alfa 6c2300B Mille Miglia or Pescara (2 carbs instead of one), S/N 813219, motor number 826203, with Touring coachwork.

 

My mistake ... and a fairly big one, probably a whole 'figure' value difference.

Pete

 

The car is a 6c2300B MM, of which, according to Fusi, only 106 were made (1936-1938). I don't think there was actually that many, and some of the chassis never got numbered, and were later used for 6c2500s. I think there were really only about 40 6c230B MMs!

The "regular" 6c2300 is earlier, and has a solid rear axle (1933-1935), and worth less. The "B" has a swing axle.

The Pescara is the 2 carb version of the 6c2300. The Mille Miglia is the two carb version of the "B".

Somewhere between 10 and 20 6c230B MM still exist; most are coupes.

This car is worth about $300,000-$400,000 "retail" IF it is a real car (I think it is). I have never inspected it, so I can not say with any certainty.

An 8c2900A is worth at least 4 million! 8c2900As or Bs with major race history are 8 to 10 million. The ex-Bill Serri 8c2900B that Ralph Lauren now has, and was shown at Pebble Beach, was purchased for 10 million from Serri's widow (at least that is what I heard; of course I don't know what was actually paid), then Lauren put a million or more into the restoration!


The 8c2900B Le Mans coupe is probably worth the same money, but will never go up for sale, as it is in the Alfa museum.

My "uncle" (actually a cousin, but we called him uncle), Johnny Lurani, actually owned the LeMans coupe in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Too bad he sold it instead of willing it to me

Anyway, here is a link to photos of the Ponder car, which is mistakenly listed as a Bugatti. The body might actually be off an 8c2900A, and not the original coachwork!

http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=GP07&CarID=r150

 

The Bugatti Type 101 for one should be worth a closer look
I will look forward to see a more detailed description of the cars on RM's site!

I am not an expert on other marques/brands, so perhaps a good advice would be to bring an expert for inspection of the cars, before investing all your funds/savings!!!

Best regards

Carsten

 

I agree, the TR actually looks nice, but would be much more appreciated if originally it had not been slaughtered and rebuilt into a replica!!! The 212 on the other hand is a very poor replica......what a shame!!!

 

Well, at least we know the 101 is real. I'm not sure about a lot of the cars...

 

My God, that is like my dream garage...

So to confirm what had been mentioned early on in this thread, are all of the automobilia items being auctioned off? I see a few neat items which I would really love to have (and I would go to the point of registering as an absentee bidder).

 

@Rob,

Thanks a lot for sharing the pics!!
Did you by any chance take a photo that shows the wheels of the two tone Bugatti Type 57G/57S Tank??? Also the interior and engine compartment would be nice to see!!
If correctly built, the car should have the rare "piano wire wheels" of the Type 59 Grand Prix car!
I'm affraid that car also looks to be a replica(perhaps based on some Bugatti parts).... All of the original 57G cars had twin filler caps, and there is a lot of other small details that differs from the originals, judged only from your pics!
The red Type 55 is presumably built by Pur Sang in Argentina, although I am not 100% sure about that! The dashboard in that car should be of grain wood rather than the circular polished aluminium or steel used!!

Anyway, it's a very nice collection, and certainly there is a lot of interesting memorabilia that I personally would like to have a closer look at!


Best regards

Carsten

 

It might just be the angle of the photo, but shouldn't the Bugatti tank replicar be somewhat larger than the T55 replicar in front of it?

 

I think it could be the angle of the photo!

The "Tank" is not "much" bigger than the T55 in real! Both cars have a relatively short chassis! The T55 has a wheelbase of 2.75 metres and a track of 1,25 metres, whereas the Type 57G which is actually a Type 57S chassis has a wheelbase of 2.98 metres and a track of 1,35 metres, so I don't know if you would notice on a photo in that angle??!!

 

I have great respect for Mr. Ponder and his qualities and passion!
I just pointed out that not all of his cars were original, and that one should be aware of that before placing a bid at auction!
Even some of his Bugatti replicars can be very fine automobiles indeed and
I still find his collection outstanding and unique, no doubt about that at all!

 

There are a couple of real cars he owned that I would love to have...the Bugatti 101; the Alfa 6c2300B MM....

 

Just about the same goes for me.... Plus some of the memorabila!!!