Buying a Bugatti by the kilo...

Mr. Jones was a very intelligent engineer. My father, Steve Sr., ended up moving into one of Ray's old shops in Mount Pleasant, S.C., I'd say back around 1999. I had the privilege of meeting Ray when he was 92; he was still building cars at the time. He did size down a good bit and move his things into his home with a sizable garage.

My father was also Ray's plumber and plumbed his house. Ray has since passed away along with my father and many more. I loved seeing Ray, it was a history tour every time I got to go to his place for a service call—it was fascinating to say the least. He hand-built the bodies to specification since he had all the original blueprints from when he purchased the old factory's. He formed them over a wooden buck he had hand-made, and when he was done he burned the bucks to ashes and dumped them into the Intracoastal Waterway to never be seen again, haha!

Ray designed things for the military, the Lincoln Motor Co. and I'm sure more. He had a third-grade education and was smarter than anyone I know from college. His wife was a kind woman and, much like Ray, an avid collector. She had many rare and unique dolls hand-made with so much detail they in fact looked real. Anyhow, I still see the Bugatti blue on dad's shop floor to this day. Ray was such a model of a man and the epitome of "living the dream."

R.I.P. Mr. Jones, and Dad as well!

So, how much of an original car (most any car) would it take to make two or more "original" cars. In other words, could one take one original Bugatti, disassemble it into halves or thirds and re-create two or three Bugattis? This is kind of asking about how amoeba reproduce, or coning. Bodies of old cars are changed regularly, but how much of a car needs to be "original" parts to be called "original" and authentic?

But one thing, he was the first to build five t35 out of two or three. He also cloned Mercedes SSKs, so we now have more SSK s existing with original parts than produced.

Ray Jones was a visionary, he thought well ahead of the times to save major chunks of Bugatti’s legacy and he committed to it too ! It was a rather risky move, not for the faint hearted ! Ray and his sons have done a lot for the preservation of Bugatti’s legacy. I would consider the major cars they rebuilt from original parts as originals _ aside perhaps on bodywork and in some cases fuel tanks _ as many of these cars were dis-assembled during the war so that they would not fall in the hands of the Germans. Ray and his sons have simply embarked on a huge, delicate and painstaking work of sorting all these mixed-up parts into lots which could allow them to re-assemble _ yes re-assemble _ some major pièces from the original works compétition department cars. A job which I believe they have managed with honour.

I believe that Ray Jones should be thanked and given a high accolade and an award for what he did for the Bugatti community worldwide. It is unfortunate to note that this man who has done so much is frowned upon perhaps because of jealousy, rather than elevated to the rank of hero which he fully deserves.

I would hope that the photo in which the Bugatti airplane is depicted has been made available to those trying to re-construct the original! It must definitely have some considerable relevance to the 'planes history.
I am not too concerned about the exact definition of the car. At least Ray Jones saved a lot of parts that would have otherwise gone to scrap and his 'replica' or reconstruction, being mainly original parts is OK by me. Good for him for doing what he did when he did. In any case, I do not think what a Bugatti is - or was - originally seems to matter much any more.
By now it is definitely a case of '100 built', 300 known to exist. Also, I do not think that this car falls into the usual definition that decides if the car is a 'real' Bugatti, that is the one defined by the B.O.C. as having three main original components. It is probably as real as most racing 'Bugatti's' that are around!
I have been able to have a good look at a 'Pur Sang' as a friend owns one and, though very nice, they seem to lack the 'delicacy' of an original. I cannot exactly explain why.

Regards, Peter.

Does a Pur Sang Bugatti drive less than a original one? And $$$$ is no object here.

what a pity Ray hasn't responded to this debate.

All - thanks for the comments. Ray Jones is definitely American, stationed in France in the war, came back to the USA then returned. I am told the car in the photo is original with racing history with a Count, surname sounded Polish so I'll not even try to spell it. The engine is a huge 8 cal twin cam (correct Bill!). I saw Ray and his (then) young bride pictured by the Bugatti airplane also, great big cannon mounted down the prop shaft same as a German ME109 so I guess that was not destined to be a racer after all.

fantastic car!! keep up the good work!

Here is another part of the story :
http://www.postandcourier.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?date=20071020&category=ARCHIVES&lopenr=310209939&Ref=AR
also :
http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Raymond_Jones
Stuart

So is this classed as a Bugatti or a modern reproduction using period parts? It's an old chestnut I know but it seems to me (on the face of this article) that there is no original car and identity but a well crafted assemblage of the right parts.

The car in question looks to be a circa 1932 Grand Prix Type 54 which has a 4.9 litre twin cam engine.

He moved from the USA to France?… or from France to the USA?

Is n't the gentleman called Ray Jones?

It's a typo: should read RAY Jones. A legendary figure on these shores. Looking forward to hearing more in the comments.