note : For sale at Brightwells Auctioneers June 2024, bids up to £23K when last seen. Query about whether the car actually drives, speak to Hugh Clarke.
Further note : Sold at £25760 inc sales premium as per Brightwell’s catalogue results. See all other info at the foot of this page.
Current owner not known
Original build date 1989 – known as “Black Beauty” see skyblueteal.com pages.
Owned from 2005 to date unknown by Ron Arnold, now deceased(2022)
20/12/2022 message saying Ron deceased, car sold 2015 to John Carver.
20/12/2022 John Carver says he sold it on !!
Following is auctioneers explanation. Does not match Teal Owners club records.
Description
Intriguing special professionally built by Cabron Ltd in the late 1980s; aluminium bodywork; Morris Marina 1.8 running gear; front disc brakes; in runnning order but in need of recommissioning following a period without use
This most attractive Bugatti replica is something of a mystery and has been entered into the sale by a close relative of the actual owner who is unwell.
According to a brass chassis plate on the bulkhead, it was built in the UK by Cabron Ltd, a firm who have since disappeared without trace. The current owner acquired the car in 2018 and was told that it was originally meant to be the first of a limited run of such replicas but in fact ended up being a one-off as Cabron ceased trading after a fairly short period in business.
The chassis number indicates that the donor vehicle was a 1976 Morris Marina 1.8 and according to HPI/Experian it was colour-changed from brown to black in 1988 and the registration number was changed from RNB 384R to 8589 PX in 1989 so this is presumably when the car was built.
It had just one owner from 1989 – 2005 (the man behind Cabron, perhaps?), the next owner keeping it until 2018 when it came into the hands of the current keeper. The MOT history online implies that it has been in light regular use, clocking up some 4,200 miles since 2006, the odometer currently showing 6,447 miles which even may be the distance it has covered from build – who knows?
The last MOT was issued in April 2019 (with no advisories recorded) and it has only covered some 500 miles since. Classed as a Historic Vehicle on the V5C (which calls it a 1976 Morris Sports), it is now MOT-exempt and free to tax.
We are told that the car was last driven on the road about 4 or 5 years ago and has been unused since due to illness. Immediately before the auction it was recommissioned at a cost of £480 (plugs; brakes; lubricants; fresh fuel and battery) and was driven on and off the trailer that delivered it to Brightwells.
Starting promptly and running well on site, with healthy oil pressure and a pleasingly rorty exhaust note, it has developed an issue with the transmission which means we have been unable to drive it. The gears all select easily but it won’t move forwards or backwards under its own power when you take your foot off the clutch. It rolls easily in neutral but can’t be pushed when in gear so we suspect a failed clutch plate.
The cockpit is nice and roomy and taller drivers will have no trouble getting comfortable. The car itself is 13ft 8″ long and 5ft 3″ wide.
As you can see in the photos, it has been very nicely built, with well-crafted aluminium bodywork, and we imagine that it will have a good turn of speed by virtue of its light weight and modern four-cylinder 1.8 engine. Some useful spares, a tool kit and a tonneau cover are stored in a locker behind the black leather front seat. The icing on the cake is the period West Sussex-issue number plate, 8589 PX, which is transferable and doubtless has a value of its own.
On offer here as a straightforward recommissioning project, it shouldn’t take much to get this intriguing Type 35 lookalike back on the road where it will no doubt fool most of the people most of the time. And if rarity is your thing, don’t forget that whereas Bugatti built around 330 Type 35s, there is only one Cabron! Bid vigorously now and it could be you who takes it home…
Last Updated on 2 years by David Brown
