Bugatti 57SC by Corsica

Posted on March 8, 2019 by classiccarweekly

1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 9, 2019

The Type 57S and Type 57C were the ultimate versions of Bugatti’s long-lived Type 57. This marks the second Type 57SC we’ve featured, and both cars look as if they were bodied much more recently with replica coachwork. I guess there’s something just too low and sporty about these cars to believe that they could’ve possibly been designed in the 1930s.

The 57S was the lowered version and the 57C was the supercharged version. Only 40 57S cars were built, and most of them carried closed coachwork. Only 16 were drop-tops, including this one. What isn’t clear is when the supercharger was added to this car’s 3.3-liter straight-eight. What is for sure is that only two cars were built by the factory to 57SC specification. Most owners of 57S cars had superchargers fitted afterward, to bump power to that magical 200 horsepower mark.

Speeds of 120 mph were quoted in the day, making these as quick of cars as money could buy before WWII. This car was supercharged early in its life but was not originally built that way. The body is by Corsica, and it was separated from the chassis for 43 years before it was reunited and restored.

The rarity and beauty factors have the ability to push this car to near eight-figure territory. It’ll be interesting to see where this one ends up… if it sells. Click here for more info and here for the rest of the lineup from RM Sotheby’s.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, Arizona 2021, $4,735,000.

Godsal Sports

Posted on March 2, 2017 by classiccarweekly

1935 Godsal Sports Tourer by Corsica

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 9, 2017

Charles Godsal was the son of an inventor and in 1930s Britain, he decided to put some of that inherited mechanical know-how to work and designed his very own automobile. The final product would cost him over £3,000 but would result in a well engineered, stylish sports car.

He built his own chassis and got the rear end from Bentley. For the engine, he took an 85 horsepower, 3.6-liter Ford Flathead V-8. The body was done by Corsica of London and the car itself was actually constructed by a London-based company and not by Godsal himself. Unfortunately, as well-built as the car may have been, Godsal was unable to raise any funding to begin production, so only this prototype was ever built.

He sold the car to a friend and its history from that point on is unknown until it appeared in a movie in 1969. A man in England purchased the car in 1977 but at that point, no one knew what it really was. Luckily for us, he did the research and it’s here still today. The next owner acquired it later that year and had it in storage in the U.S. for the past 24 years. It’s mostly original and should bring between $225,000-$275,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Bonhams auction lineup.

Update: Sold $214,500.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Amelia Island 2021 for an unknown amount. Probably so some dealer can mark it up and try to rip off the next guy. Oh, and below is a poorly-lit photo of the restored black car on a black background.

Squire Drophead Coupe

Posted on February 23, 2012 by classiccarweekly

1937 Squire 1.5-Liter Drophead Coupe by Corsica

Offered by RM Auctions | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2012

Remember how, in high school, you’d sit and doodle and draw the fastest imaginary car you could imagine? To be honest, it was probably atrocious (mine were) – festooned with grotesque wings and Countach-like boxy proportions.

Well, in 1931 Adrian Squire, then 21-years-old, decided he would build the dream car he wanted. He founded Squire Motors Ltd. and set out building amazing automobiles. And he did. Squire was a former employee of both Bentley and MG, so he knew what a great sports car should be.

The company was renamed in 1934 to the Squire Car Manufacturing Company and started building cars in 1935. They used a 1.5-liter inline four built by Anzani. A Roots-type supercharger was then added for a total output of 110 horsepower. The cars were exorbitantly expensive and only seven were sold by the end of 1936.

The final car was bought by a man of the name Val Zethrin (who sounds like the villain in a sci-fi movie about space). He was apparently impressed by the car and acquired the rights (and spares) of Squire. He constructed about a car per year through 1939, taking total Squire production to 10 cars. The one offered here is the first of the Val Zethrin cars, from 1937.

Adrian Squire left his company and went to work at Lagonda before ending up at the Bristol Aeroplane Company, where he was killed at age 30 during a bombing raid in WWII. The cars that bear his name remain legendary for being some of the fastest, best handling and performing road cars built prior to WWII.

1937 Squire 1½-Liter Drophead Coupe

This car features spectacular coachwork from Corsica of London which was modified slightly during restoration in the mid-1990s. The mechanicals have been freshened more recently and the car is ready to roll. Nine of the ten Squires built are still around. You won’t find one more outstanding than this.

If you want it, I hope you have deep pockets, as RM did not publish an estimate for this car. To read the entire catalog description, click here. And to see the rest of the Amelia Island lineup, click here.

Update: Sold $990,000.