Retromobile 2023: Oh… – Paddock GP
It was with certain determination that we went to the Porte de Versailles last night to admire the Dollar collection presented at the Retromobile show. Oh, we didn’t make it!
However, it all started well, with some Neo-Retro motorcycles in this temple of vintage cars…
But what followed quickly proved a disaster, our eye drawn to a plethora of four-wheeled wonders, each one more extraordinary than the last. We are talking about truly unique cars, in fact we are crazy about the classics that would nevertheless make our eyes widen if we meet them on the street!
In short, the minute has passed and the number of cars on display has been such that, within the three hours allotted to the press, we have only reached the beginning of the second of the three halls to devour. But Dollars are in third…
Therefore, we have to return, that we will not complain. In the meantime, after a difficult choice between the magnificent Ferrari 512 S from Daytona 1970 and the magnificent Alfa-Roméo 8C, our crush goes to the exceptional Bucciali TAV8-32 V12 “Golden Arrow” from 1932.
Paul-Albert Bucciall (born 1899), who filed trademarks under “BUC” in 1921 to produce cars with 1100 cc and 1500 cc in Courbevoie, went down in history for creating luxury cars that with designs and stunning engineering, including front-wheel drive with an unusual transverse gearbox at the time. Since the partnership agreed with the American Peerless Motor Corporation was canceled in 1931 as a result of the Great Depression, its plans for a bright future were reduced to producing only Bucciali cars, only three of which survive today.
The TAV8-32 V12 “Golden Arrow” – the masterpiece for George Roure in 1932
Several stages of evolution were needed to satisfy the very demanding George Roure (famous for his Pharmaceutical Laboratories in France and England):
1930 – Roure orders a Bucciali Cabriolet with a Voisin engine at the Paris Motor Show.
1931 – Pocciali rolling chassis wheelbase 3.75 m. Continental 8 cylinder. 5278 cc engine.
1931 – At Roure’s request purchase/installation of Voisin V12 4885 cm3 engine No 40048.
1931 – Roure/Bucciali test drives successfully from Paris to Nice.
1932 – Saoutchik completes the low-slung “Masterpiece” the size of a Bugatti Royale.
1932 – The “Flèche d’Or” was delivered to the Villa Roure in Cap d’Ail.
Paris Motor Show 1932 – the “Flèche d’Or” was presented (with the SPA26 stork motif on the bonnet).
Count de Rivaud de la Raffinière (Banque Rivaud) bought a car at the 1932 Paris Motor Show.
Count Rivaud saw the Flèche d’Or on the Bucciali Stand at the Paris Salon in 1932. Because of its beauty, he made George Roure an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Count Rivaud used Bucciali between Paris and his Château until 1935. Dissatisfied with reliability and performance. Count Rivaud asked Bucciall to order a brand new Bugatti Type 46 (n° 46570) and transfer the complete Saoutchik bodywork to it. Count Rivaud used his Bugatti-Bucciall until the Second World War, after which the car was hidden.
Bugatti-Bucclali became the original TAV8-32 V12 Golden Arrow again.
1948 – American soldier WF Albright brought the Bugatti-Bucciali to the United States, then resold it to Ray Jones.
1969 – Ray Jones meets the famous collector Serge Pozzoli and finds all the Bucciali mechanical elements (engine, gearbox, transmission, etc.). as well as the original Bucciali technical drawings and the Saoutchik bodywork without the original hood and fenders.
1970 – Jones met Paul-Albert Buccial and Christian Huet who asked to restore Bucciali to original specifications, new chassis with original design.
2000 – The car is sold to the Jan Bosch Dutch Museum.
2005 – The car is sold to the Ministerelli Collection Chicago.
Below, a very small portion of the vehicles on display…
(Sold for 103,000 euros)
