Visit to Ivan Dutton

A Superb Visit to Ivan Dutton’s Bugatti Workshop

On Thursday 28^th March, about 20 TIGOSE and 96 Club members enjoyed a fascinating and enthralling visit to Ivan and Tim Dutton’s Bugatti workshop, in Buckinghamshire. Tim warmly welcomed us and we were given a full tour of the Bugatti collection, along with the restoration and repair shops.

TIGOSE was represented by our President Tony Southgate, our Founder Scottie and the immediate past Chairman Eddie Hoare, along with distinguished members David and Kate Cottingham and Raphael Caille and some of our 96 Club regulars.

Tim showed us a unique collection including a Type 35 that raced at Le Mans, various Type 57s and Brescias and a very pretty Type 73…we think! In addition, we saw engines in production, a Bugatti speedboat under repair and a Capri acquired especially for 96 Club events…still in production!

Tim’s passionate description of all things Bugatti was only surpassed by a later visit to his father’s workshop. Ivan’s tales of a lifetime looking after Bugatti’s were enthralling.

The visit gave members the chance to meet and talk cars while being afforded a unique opportunity to visit one of the world’s foremost Bugatti specialists. It was  a pleasure indeed. Our Thanks go to Tim and Ivan for a truly inspiring evening.

A Bit of History About Ivan and Tim Dutton

Ivan Dutton’s career in the motor trade began when, upon finishing his apprenticeship in pattern making, he joined the workshop of the Chequered Flag. The enthusiasm of the Bugatti marque nurtured by his father whose stories of Brooklands between the wars led to the formation of the restoration company in 1979.

Ivan began racing Bugattis 1983 in a Type 51, followed by years of racing a succession of Type 35B models. He now owns a Type 51, which he runs in significant historic racing events. Upon the arrival of the millennium and Ivan’s sixtieth birthday, he felt it was time to retire and pass the reins to his son, Timothy.

Tim has spent the last 20 years working on every type of Bugatti, so is now considered an expert in his own right. Years of ‘indoctrination!!’ from Ivan mean that Timothy appreciates all areas of Bugattis from the touring models through to the Grand Prix cars.

The Dutton workshops include a dyno cell, body shop, tool-room and car stores occupying nearly 20,000 square feet of buildings on their farm in rural Buckinghamshire.

The workshop ethos essentially follows two distinct policies. Firstly, they invest as necessary in patterns and tooling for high quality new parts which exactly match the originals. Secondly, they keep abreast of developments in materials and manufacturing processes which allow them to produce superior parts which do not affect the cars visually and significantly improve the longevity and driveability of Bugatti cars.