The first \”real\” Bugatti automobile on the map was the Bugatti Type 13 \”\”Brescia\”\”. The \”Brescia\” went on to win many Grand Prix at .Lemans. Now the name plate and marquee was established as a more than serious contender. Unfortunately World War 1 put an interruption to production of the 13. Amazingly the founder of the auto firm Mr. Ettore was a most dedicated yet eccentric individual who lived for his cause with great forward thinking. Anticipating that like all wars \”The War to end all Wars \” would no doubt one fine day end, Bugatti had completed the first two initial racing before the war yet physically hid and buried in the ground the parts three remaining autos . When the day came these components were dug up with care and assembled into more of the precious vehicle.

Ettore Bugatti had been in business of designing cars since 1900 and produced one-offs for himself and contracted designs for other people in profusion. His first true \”Bugatti\” production cars by general accepted agreement among classic automobile aficionados to be the Type 13 four-cylinder autos which initially appeared in 1910 – in the pre-war years. These even in original form, established the \”Bugatti tradition\” of having overhead-camshaft operation – and fixed cylinder heads – an established fact and tradition that was to be held un-wavered for the next 30 years.`

Pre-war Type 13\’s had two valves per cylinder, operated in that unique manner by \”banana-shaped\” tappets running in the cylinder head. These cars were raced with great success at Le Mans, but it was the 1921 \”Brescia race\” which endowed these sports version with their now-legendary name. In the meantime the engine had grown from 1,327 to 1,498 cc by being machined and bored out. The 100mm stroke, a Bugatti trademark along with the 88mm of several racing machines, was established on this engine.

The Type 13 also grew into the Types 22 and 23, but were essentially and mechanically the same cars with lengthened wheelbases and different coachwork. In one form or another they remained in production until 1926. An amazing production output from Bugatti of fully 2,000 of these classic autos were produced. The Brescia\’s looks are both unmistakable and distinctive , even the radiator shape had not yet evolved over time and name badge to the trademark classic \”Bugatti Horseshoe \” design.

It typified Bugatti\’s approach to design, in that he paid less attention to the chassis and suspensions than to the mechanical engineering. The suspension – by half – elliptic front springs and reversed quarter-elliptic leaf springs , was no more than an up-to-date in 1919 yet it was carried over to every other Bugatti except for the front-wheel-drive racing car. Steering was precise, but not helped by a flexible frame. Coachwork, pro-filed like the radiator, was simple but attractive and car\’s appeal was in the manner of its going.

One last footnote to the historical record of the Bugatti Type 13. A Swiss dealer had purchased 3 of the models in 1925. Two were fully paid for and delivered to Switzerland. The last one was involved in a squabble over import duties at the dealer\’s end. The vehicle was embroiled in this tax/legal squabble for a number of years. At some point in time the vehicle was dumped deep into a lake in Northern Italy nearby the Swiss / Italian border frontier. There the swamped Bugatti 13 remained, until being salvaged by divers recently in 2009. The auto is said to be in the process of being professionally restored back to working authentic condition. It will be

Author Bio: Adam I. Watkins
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