Lindblad

This is the only Bugatti 35 on public display in Sweden. It is a 35B (or 35TC if you prefer) with ch.no. 4922 and engine number 193T. It was made in july 1929 and was driven by Lois Chiron in the German Grand Prix in that year. Later bought from the factory and raced by K G Sundstedt, a very talented swedish driver. It survived the war in the hand of the Carlsson-Alsed brothers but its later destiny was much like the Haajanen car described earlier. Remember that in the 50´s old cars were practically worthless and especially this kind that very few understood and could work on.

A man who indeed understood Bugatti cars was Bertil Lindblad, mechanical engineer by profession, employed by the Swedish Navy, responsible for the service of Daimler-Benz and Isotta-Frachini torpedo boat engines. Cars and car construction was his great interest and he renovated several fine cars beside the type 35, the Mercedes SSK in the background on this picture being one example. He was among the founders of AHK, the Automobile Historical Club together with collegue Curt Borgenstam

In spite of the great difference in weight and engine size these two cars were often entered in the same races in the 30´s both on ice and track. The big Mercedes was raced by finnish driver Karl Ebb who owned it for most of the 30´s. In the beginning of the war it was sold to Sweden and eventually discovered in a scrapyard by a friend of Lindblad. He knew that the SSK was a car Lindblad always had wanted so he bought it for him on the spot.

When renovating this car Lindblad was greatly helped by his his thorough engineering knowledge and his good contacts with the Daimler-Benz factory. He was provided with blueprints of the car and many otherwise unobtainable parts

For more Mercedes-Benz pictures click here