Editor’s note: Charles Goldberg and his family came upon this rare and stranded 1923 Bugatti Roadster in a small village in France while on vacation this summer. Chuck was kind enough to share these photos with TFLcar writing:
“The first photos were taken when I stumbled upon the car flanked by admirers (mostly Sunday afternoon bike riders) taking pictures. The other set were taken about an hour later when we were leaving the village and I saw the Bugatti owner “trying to leave.”
The initial photos of the second set were snapped when he was trying to start the car (with the hand crank, of course). Then when it wouldn’t start, he make some carburetor adjustments, make his wife stand in the “proper” position holding some rod under the hood, crank it again and it still wouldn’t start.
He then gave up, buckled down the bonnet, directed his wife to meet him across the street, requested a push start from the onlookers who pushed him for about 1/2 block uphill until he was going about 10mph (I’d guess), popped the clutch, a cloud of black smoke flew out the tailpipe all over the good helping samaritans, and he was off in a flash. He did a u turn, picked up his “lady,” and off he flew (wheels kind of wobbling in unison) down the street.
Never saw him again.”
Photo Credit: Charles Goldberg
