Bugatti 100P at the Mullin

Fans of the wildly futuristic 1937 Bugatti 100P can inspect the Reve Bleu replica project at the Mullin Automotive Museum this spring and early summer. The upscale Mullin is thrilled to have the 100P as the unique centerpiece of their Bugatti exhibit running through December. Devoted to the painting, sculpture, furniture and especially the cars and airplane of the incredibly talented Bugatti family, the exhibition includes a full range of heavy-hitting Bugatti cars such as one of six Royales and a selection of the elegant Type 57s. It’s a good outing for fans in the Camarillo, California region just north of Los Angeles.

Reve Bleu project principal Scotty Wilson updated us on the replica’s progress, saying the airframe will remain in the Mullin while the Reve Bleu team concentrates on integrating the twin Radical Performance Engines Hayabusa powerplants, their driveshafts and related systems. The custom PSRU unit designed by John Lawson is already complete and in the airframe, but will need final torsional load verification once the engines are ready.

The Reve Bleu replica is guaranteed to remain in the Mullin until late June and possibly longer depending on when the airframe is needed back at Scotty Wilson’s Tulsa, Oklahoma hangar for the powertrain fitment. Plans are for Wilson to fly the replica sometime this fall. With the replica’s twin 200 hp Suzuki Hayabusa-based powerplants there is unfortunately no chance of answering the tantalizing “how fast” question surrounding the original, never-flown, 100P which sported twin 450 hp Bugatti Type 50 engines, but the incredible achievement of replicating and flight-testing this innovative aircraft still holds numerous lessons for the amateur builder. For more information visit www.bugatti100p.com, www.mullinautomotivemuseum.com and future issues of KITPLANES magazine.