Article: Holiday Snaps - Part 3

[Steve Holmes]

The thing that really struck me about this room in the museum is that virtually every car here would get an instant invite to Pebble Beach, or any other high-end show that only allows the best of the best. But the cars in this room are essentially playing a supporting role, and the way the room is laid out makes this quite clear.

Ettore Bugatti planned to build 25 Royales. These were the largest, most expensive, and most luxurious cars in the world in the late 1920s and early '30s. Here are some specs: They're over 21 feet in length, weigh over 3 tons, and have a 12.7 litre straight-8 engine. They are mighty machines, the ultimate of motor cars, and aimed specifically to be sold to royalty and other people of great wealth and importance.

In the end, only 6 were produced. And the Schlumpf collection has 2 of them! They're both displayed in the center of the room, on special stages so they're raised up above the other cars. All the other cars are positioned around them, further underlining their importance.

The most important of the pair, and of all the Royale's built, is chassis 41100, the magnificent Coupe Napoleon. This is essentially a two owner car. It started life with different body work than what it has now. The first owner was Ettore Bugatti, who used it as his personal car before crashing it early in its life, after which it was rebodied as the Coupe Napoleon. It remained in the Bugatti family until 1963, when financial difficulties forced them to sell. Fritz Schlumpf was the buyer.

Its hard to put into words just how spectacular this car is. It really has a presence about it. My crappy photos don't do it justice.

How much would it be worth?

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

I should point out that this car is totally original. Its never been restored.

[Howard Wood]

Ironic that Ettore Bugatti who's racing cars followed the "less is more" lightweight philosophy and who dismissed Bentleys as "the worlds fastest lorries" is now probably best known for these opulent monsters.

BTY Steve, I am really enjoying these photos. I had time for only one motoring museum when we were in that part of France last year and chose the Peugeot one instead. That was quite interesting but this looks amazing although I rank the Alfa museum in Arese just north of Milan as the best I have seen. I understand it has just reopened, bigger and brighter, just hope they haven't lost the ambience of the old one.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Howard, I'm glad you're enjoying them. My time here felt a little rushed, just because its so massive. So its been enjoyable going back through the pics again to see what I was looking at.

We did pass the Peugeot museum, but didn't have time to visit. Hopefully next time.

The Alfa museum is one I'd really like to visit too.

I'm not a great fan of museums, I prefer to see cars being used, rather than displayed, but its hard not to be impressed by some of these. And visiting in the middle of winter means there aren't any racing events happening anyway.

[ERC]

As I have aged, I think museums have become more relevant, just as modern racing has become less relevant.

Sure, we'd like to see the cars out on track, or at least, outside in the fresh air, but although NZ has a good depth of interesting cars, it is only when you travel that you really appreciate the vast scope of cars we'd never ever see here and some of these museums do present the cars so well, (Beaulieu, Coventry, Petersen - Los Angeles, Museo Ferrari - Modena, Lamborghini etc.) whilst others are somewhat crammed in (Brooklands) or have frustratingly intrusive signboards (Gaydon).

Others fall just a little short, though not by much and make up for it with the numbers, or variety, or more specialised offerings, such as the Haynes Museum in the UK (on my list for a re-visit this year), Donington (though it is a shadow of what it once was), and Caistor (huge, but no photographs allowed).

I suppose that any trip that includes a large event as well as museums is the ideal.

Great stuff Steve and now on my (new) bucket list.

[Oldfart]

Having been to many, I would recommend Loheac, (Manoir de l'automobile) above all!

[Steve Holmes]

As I have aged, I think museums have become more relevant, just as modern racing has become less relevant.

Sure, we'd like to see the cars out on track, or at least, outside in the fresh air, but although NZ has a good depth of interesting cars, it is only when you travel that you really appreciate the vast scope of cars we'd never ever see here and some of these museums do present the cars so well, (Beaulieu, Coventry, Petersen - Los Angeles, Museo Ferrari - Modena, Lamborghini etc.) whilst others are somewhat crammed in (Brooklands) or have frustratingly intrusive signboards (Gaydon).

Others fall just a little short, though not by much and make up for it with the numbers, or variety, or more specialised offerings, such as the Haynes Museum in the UK (on my list for a re-visit this year), Donington (though it is a shadow of what it once was), and Caistor (huge, but no photographs allowed).

I suppose that any trip that includes a large event as well as museums is the ideal.

Great stuff Steve and now on my (new) bucket list.

Thanks Ray, glad you're enjoying the pics. Make sure you allow at least half a day when you visit.

[Steve Holmes]

Having been to many, I would recommend Loheac, (Manoir de l'automobile) above all!

Thanks Rhys, I looked into visiting that museum but it was just a bit far out of the way unfortunately. Next time maybe.

[Steve Holmes]

This is the second of the Bugatti Royales purchased by the Schlumpf's. This one came as part of a collection of around 30 Bugattis from wealthy American John Shakespear in 1962. Shakespear was asking US$105,000 for the collection, which is apparently what it cost him to accumulate the cars. Fritz Schlumpf offered him $70,000 in a deal brokered at no charge by Bugatti aficionado Hugh Conway. Apparently, the whole deal became quite nasty, but in the end the Schlumpf's acquired the Shakespear cars and had them sent to France.

Chassis 41131 is a Limousine Park-Ward. In my opinion, its not as impressive as the Coupe Napoleon, but hey, its a Royale! Only five still exist, and here are two in the same collection.

[Steve Holmes]

More now from the supporting cast.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Oldfart]

When I saw the Royales in 1986 and 88 there were supposed to be only 4, and a reconstruction being done at the time. I saw all of them! Schlumpf ones and a personal tour with Briggs Cunningham who had 2 in his collection briefly meant I had seen the lot!
I guess that Type 35s became a bit old hat by about halfway through your visit Steve, sensory overload! I know I wasn't even pausing to look at them as there were so many!

[Steve Holmes]

When I saw the Royales in 1986 and 88 there were supposed to be only 4, and a reconstruction being done at the time. I saw all of them! Schlumpf ones and a personal tour with Briggs Cunningham who had 2 in his collection briefly meant I had seen the lot!
I guess that Type 35s became a bit old hat by about halfway through your visit Steve, sensory overload! I know I wasn't even pausing to look at them as there were so many!

Hi Rhys, there were six Royales built. There are a few internet pages that describe each, and their current whereabouts. I thought only five still existed, but apparently all six do. A couple nearly didn't survive the War and had to be hidden. One was hidden in the sewers in Paris.

Other than the two in the Schlumpf collection, one is owned by Volkswagon AG (chassis 41111), which started life as the Esders roadster, but was re-bodied as a Coupe de Ville Binder. There is one in the Henry Ford Museum in Detroit (41121) which was donated by its owner in 1957. Then there are the two you saw (41141 and 41150) which were both owned by Briggs Cunningham until the late 1980s. One is now in the Blackhawk Collection in California, while the others whereabouts are unknown.

Re the Type 35s, yes, its crazy to imagine, but after a while you just don't pay too much attention. If you saw one driving down the street you'd stop and stare until it was out of view, but the level of incredible high end cars in the Schlumpf collection is such that eventually you just stop paying attention. That, and the fact the place is so damn massive!

[Steve Holmes]

An original Maybach.

[Steve Holmes]

[Oldfart]

Steve, my memory must be at fault, as I was sure that the Schlumpf Obsession mentioned 4 Royales? I do know that when I was at the museum they were recreating one, unfinished with one of the railcar engines, as I have a photo of it. It had been taken from the workshops in it's incomplete state. I was there not overlong after the sacking by the workers, so much was as the brothers had the place

[rf84]

I had the privilege of standing in a marquee at the FOS in 2007 with 5 of the 6 Royales ever built.

[Steve Holmes]

I had the privilege of standing in a marquee at the FOS in 2007 with 5 of the 6 Royales ever built.

That must be just about the only time that happened in history?