C1980 BUGATTI Star 55 Stimula De La Chapelle 
Motorized replica for children

El…
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C1980 BUGATTI Star 55 Stimula De La Chapelle

Motorized replica for children Eligible Little Big Le Mans Recognized brand Chassis n° 00351 In the mid-1970s, French entrepreneur Xavier de La Chapelle took over the family tradition, building cars. At the beginning of the century, his ancestors had indeed manufactured cars in the Saint-Chamond region, under the brand name Stimula-De La Chapelle Frères et Cie. He therefore revived the brand from its ashes to homologate and distribute interesting evocations of the most mythical of Bugatti road cars, the famous Type 55 Roadster, designed in its time by a very inspired Jean Bugatti. If the first De La Chapelle was created in 1976, during the great era of replicas and neo-retro evocations, it was not until 1979 that Xavier started to create motorized toys for children. He designed a mini Jeep, a BMW 328, a Ferrari 330 P2 and, the one that made him known in scale 1:1, a Bugatti Type 55 Roadster. «These superb reproductions are entirely handmade, and made with the quality standards that have made the brand’s reputation,» reads the website of the small French firm. «In France, there are still artisanal companies where one likes to build with passion, as at the beginning of the century, and this for the greatest pleasure of the drivers in bud. At reasonable speeds, they experience sensations as intense as their elders at the wheel of the original model. Are we talking about toys or cars? Rare objects, built with love, the Junior De La Chapelle, of which each copy is numbered, are objects of collection and decoration. The Star 55 that we present, chassis number 00351, is a 1/2 scale replica of the Bugatti Type 55 Roadster, which would have been built at more or less 200 copies, and distributed at the time by the company Arola. The tubular chassis is powered by a Sachs Saxonette 2-stroke 49.9 cc engine with two automatic gears and centrifugal clutch. The transmission is by chain, and the rear axle has a drum brake. The car, whose reinforced polyester body was recently repainted, has all its specific elements: aluminum grille, chrome-plated luggage rack, Bugatti Grand Prix type alloy wheels, steering wheel, pear-shaped horn, folding windshield, lights and headlights. The 2-seat bench in imitation leather is ready to receive two children, or an adult (1.75 m maximum and with a slender build!) since the pedal mechanism is adjustable. It’s almost Christmas... and it’s not too late for your child to take the start of the Little Big Le Mans race at the next edition of Le Mans Classic.

C1980 BUGATTI Star 55 Stimula De La Chapelle

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