JamesList Exclusive: Paying homage to automotive classics with Bugatti Type 57 and Aerodyne Streamliner

One interesting practice that we haven’t written too much about here on James Spotting is the art of remaking or even reimagining classic cars. A company that has taken the concept even further is our friends over at 2shores Classic Cars. With offices in both Germany and the US, 2shores has a very special market share in the classic car business. Two of the vehicles currently brokered by 2shores in particular caught my eye – both of which are completely unique.

First out is the 1937 Bugatti Type 57/59 Roadster Supersport. A somewhat confusing name, as it was envisioned in 1982 by the late Dave Holls (who previously was the Director of Design over at GM). The original Type 57 was designed by Jean Bugatti in 1934 and were produced until shortly after his death in 1939. The Dave Holls-variant is based around the idea of what Mr. Bugatti himself might’ve built for the American market. What sets it apart is the uncompromised use of only genuine Bugatti parts and an unmatched sense of artisanship. 2shores themselves claim that the level of craftmanship would make Jean and his father Ettore proud.

The Bugatti is built on a widened T59 frame, a T57 engine with an added blower and drysump, a gearbox from a 73C with synchromesh, left hand drive and Gardiner built piano-spoke wheels, featuring a steady 217,8 hp at 6000rpm. But more importantly, it’s a real sight to be seen. How wonderful if someone actually got to drive this beauty around town.

The other highlight of their collection is the handbuilt coupe called the 1957 Aerodyne Streamliner. A project over ten years in the making, it was designed by the legendary John Toom, long-time manager of the model shop at Nissan Design before passing away in 2001. A true one-off piece, the frame is a 1956 XK 140 Jaguar with newly rebuilt XKE 3.8l motor with only 700 miles. The design takes cues from the streamliner looks coming out of France in the late 1930s and is, much like the Bugatti, simply stunning in my eyes. In lieu of vintage parts, Toom instead chose to simply manufacture everything himself, including gauges, dashboard, door handles and whatnot – nothing aftermarket was used.

For some insight into the mind of the man behind the company, James managed to get a hold of CEO of 2shores Classic Cars, Mr. Jurgen Rott.

James: Where did your interest in classic cars such as the aforementioned Bugatti and Streamliner?

Jurgen: We have a passion for unique automobiles. The Bugatti design study and the Aerodyne Streamliner Coupe are both testaments to the art of building an exciting automobile. The precision and mechanical finesse in both cars is simply mind-boggling and the designs are perfect. One cannot help but admire the craftmanship and passion needed to complete such beautiful projects. Those type of vehicles are very special, they can never be duplicated and to me, ownership of such automotive excellence is a privilege.

James: What is 2shores doing in order to be different from any other classic car brokerage?

Jurgen: Buying a classic and collectible automobile is a matter of trust. For 20 years, I have earned the trust of collectors and enthusiasts worldwide. We are in a unique position of actually working in the USA as well as in Europe, the two largest markets for collectible automobiles. With our headquarters in the US and a representative sales office in Germany, we have very good market visiblity and long lasting relationships on both sides of the pond.

Our company name 2shores really means working on both sides of the Atlantic. I have spent almost 20 years working in both markets and know the mentalities of my clients very well. Every car we market, gets 100% of my personal attention. We are not a very large company, still we offer some of the finest automobiles in the world. We also find vehicles for our customers and of course arrange transportation to and from any location in the world.

James: 2shores has a unique viewpoint of the market climate, with bases of operation in both Germany and the States. What are the key differences
between the customers in Europe and the US?

Jurgen: First off, all of us enthusiasts have one common thing, regardless of where we live and that is passion for the automobile. After many years in international marketing, I learned that generalizing does not work. Of course there are some differences. The European collector is perhaps a bit more sceptical if buying a car sight-unseen. The American collector is usually quicker in making decisions, once the facts are in. Again, we also have seen the opposites true in many cases. I look at every customer as an individual and find this to be most effective. In fact, meeting and working with so many different people from all walks of life is likely the most rewarding experience in this business.

Thanks to Jurgen for his input and help in bringing the article together. You can find the cars for sale right here on JamesList, as well as a selection of additional offerings from 2shores.

Tags: 1937, 2shores, aerodyne streamliner, Bugatti, dave holls, Jaguar, JamesList Exclusive, john toom, jurgen rott, roadster supersport, type 57/59

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 10:44 am and is filed under Cars. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.