1988 Teal Type 35

What we have here is something that sits in the middle of the range, a 1988 Teal Type 35 4-Seater model. Based on a larger platform, this T35 might not have the boat tail of the two-seater model, but it’s more practical and doesn’t lose out much in the way it looks, either.

From where we see it, it looks like a great companion on long, leisurely drives as it’d be at vintage hillclimb events. Its blue paint complements the Bugatti logos, and wherever you look, it appears to be in top shape. It’s accompanied with old invoices, letters of correspondence with the company, brochures, an old issue of Kit Car magazine which had a Teal on the cover, and a Morris Marina Haynes manual (with which it shared its running gear), among other things.

Originally delivered in 1988, the car was rebuilt in 2000. It has five previous keepers (excluding the vendor) and has recorded negligible mileage since the rebuild, according to MoT records. The current certificate is valid till next year.

If you were to go by the looks of its clean, shiny blue paint and ignore the Bugatti badges, it’d be hard to tell its age. Not only from afar but also up close, this 1988 Teal T35 looks and means business. The black paint for the chassis and wheels does a rather great job in helping the blue bodywork stand out, while chrome bits keep the design balanced.

Teal began its journey with fibreglass/GRP-bodied cars but from 1986, they began using aluminium bodywork. Included in the kit were the louvred panels for the bonnet, front and side valances. It’s also got a proper windscreen, a rather impressive-looking face with four lights on the main body and two pilot lamps on the mudguards, and a chrome handbrake lever on the outside.

It’s no short of character at the back either, with the spare wheel mounted — and not on the nearside panels, like on most Teals. In terms of condition, apart from minute marks, you’d notice that the bonnet strap has wear, the offside mudguard has rust underneath, some of the screw holes are empty/uncovered, and there is some paint damage on the panel next to the radiator grille and also on the tail. The hood will benefit from a thorough clean up; it’s got a little bit of damage, although the screen is clear.

The T35’s interior is not wholly different to the exterior in overall philosophy. It is well-appointed, with control switches and meters laid out nicely close to the driver. With a longer and wider chassis, the 4-Seater version has more space to offer, and thus more practicality, too. According to owner groups (like skyblueteal.com), about 15 percent of all Teal cars made were four-seaters, and most of these were the Type 35.

With rarity on its side, this example has a clean interior that’s no short on appeal, too. The blue seats match the paintwork, but what hogs all the attention, especially from the driver’s seat, is the cool, wooden-rim steering wheel. Behind it, the single-piece dashboard panel is adorned with a Bugatti badge, flanking which is a pair of meters, with each on either side. Equally unmissable is the large gear knob, which sits low and recessed, and lends a very different look, in comparison to the Bugatti Type 35.

The two individual bucket seats and the bench at the rear display no signs of age or wear. The rear seat can be folded to access the storage area for the hood and the door covers. There are only a few scratches and rough edges, but on the whole, much like the exterior, the interior of this Teal T35 is one of its strongest points.

Depending on the owner’s requirements, one could find Teals specced with a variety of engines: from the 1.7-litre unit of the Morris Marina to even (as reported) straight-six engines from Jaguar. The chassis and bodywork were built by Teal and supplied to owners either as kits or fully built cars.

While the car’s largely free from rust or damage on the outside, underneath one can see some surface rust both on the mechanical components as well as on the chassis frame. None of this is affecting the car; the MoT result speaks clearly about that.

Lifting the louvred bonnet cover reveals the very tidy 1971 Morris Marina 1.7ltr B series OHC engine, so much so that while it doesn’t get the firepower of the Bugatti eight-cylinder engine, you wouldn’t mind showing this off at classic car events. The only caveat is that there are signs of corrosion on some of the components. But there’s nothing that can’t be cleaned.

Delivered to its first owner in 1988, this Teal has come a long way since then. There are documents to support the original purchase including the invoice, some bills for parts, and even the letter of confirmation from Teal. According to V5C, the car was rebuilt in 2000 and it has had six owners (five former keepers and the current owner). It was restored sometime in the mid-noughties as a hand-written letter to a previous owner mentions.

It’s got a plate change in the past, while the MoT records show that only six tests have been carried out since 2007, and it cleared all except one in 2015. The current MoT certificate is without any advisory and is valid for another year. Its current mileage is less than 1000 miles, but prior to its restoration, it had recorded 54,000 miles — this is according to an old MoT certificate (attached).

It might have Bugatti badges, but the Teal T35 is more than just a kit car that wants to look like a Bugatti. In the 15 years or so of selling cars, Teal made a lot of fans. And the T35 shows why people liked it. Mechanically, it’s anything but complex; it looks great with a rather impressive ‘stance’; and if one were to sell it as a cut-price Bugatti, you wouldn’t mind that, would you?

This particular example, rebuilt in the 2000s, has a largely blemish-free bodywork, a paint slightly deeper than the shade popularised by Bugatti but it looks very good, and a cabin that complements the overall simplicity of the car. It might have had five previous keepers, but it has done hardly a thousand miles since the rebuild. At an estimated value of £15,000 - £25,000, the 1988 Teal Type 35 4-Seater can be a gateway to classic-car motoring but without the price tag of a period Bugatti or the mechanical complications of others.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.