During the 36th Historic Festival at Lime Rock Park the unofficial count was said to be roughly 60 Bugattis representing almost every era for the 109 year old car maker. Wouldn’t it be more fun to calculate the value? Bugattis like you’ve never seen, Grand Prix racers, sports cars and luxury touring cars, there were so many examples it was like a mini version of the Cité de l’Automobile in Mulhouse, France.
The Labor Day Weekend event celebrated the Vintage Sports Car Club of America‘s (VSCCA) Diamond Jubilee with three days of exciting vintage racing and the always quiet, Concours Sunday. Cars from all marques attended, but as the featured class, Bugattis ruled this historic corner of Litchfield County, Connecticut.
Rare cars from the The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum, The Mullin Automotive Museum, and The Revs Institute kept everyone drooling. Always a crowd favorite, Ralph Lauren’s Bugatti Type 57SC Gangloff convertible won best of show.
Bugatti owner’s treated visitors to the un-restored time worn versions full of road rash and grime to examples of well loved restored-ish road warriors to the famous vintage Type 35s, 51s, 54’s racers. 
The majority were real cars enthusiastically driven and exuberantly thrashed around the track.
Old automotive details, such as how they wrapped the leaf springs with rope, were joy to discover.
How about this vintage luggage?
Apparently every carmaker made an example of a boat tail. Remember these were all hand built and no two are 100% alike. I was amazed to notice a layer of distinctive French Blue paint underneath many of the less than pristine examples. If you’ve got an explanation for this feel free to email me, I’d love to understand more.
If you’ve never been to the Historic Festival at Lime Rock, go. The venue is made for spectators. This enjoyable event has something for every automotive enthusiast and the racing is spectacular. (Don’t forget ear protection.) You can picnic on the lawn and watch the race just like the old days. On Sunday, a non-race day by law, cars line the track from the beginning of the Downhill straight past the start\finish line. For more information on next year’s event, click here.
Editor’s note: My apologies for not having all the years and models of the cars, they were not easily available.
