Atelier Bracq - Bordeaux

[kampala]

While in France, I had to go south to Arcachon - an hour from Atelier Bracq now known as “ Bracq Heritage”

After contacting Boris Bracq, I visited their facility today and with permission, I am attaching some photos and describing two cars. 

It’s clearly a busy shop with several Pagodas, several 190’s plus a 280se. The crew were amazingly kind and extremely accommodating of an over excited Pagoda owner so thrilled to see the shop. 

The photos and cars I mention might be talked about on FB but I don’t follow FB so it was new to me. 

The two cars to mention are:

* A Pagoda that they have cut in half (side to side) in order to make it an SLC.  They are lengthening the Pagoda by about 30cm to create a proper back-seat.   This was a Paul Bracq concept that they said did not get implemented on the pagoda but was implemented with the 107.  See the photos - its obvious which one is the SLC to be.

* A 280se that has only 900 original kilometers!  Yes, less than 1000km.  The car was stored for about 50 years after being bought new and their shop is bringing it back to life.  Amazing car. 

See photos in following posts as well. 

[kampala]

Sliced pagoda

[kampala]

Less than 1000 original kilometers 280se

[RAY]

Wow amazing. Different shop front from when we visited in 2018, 'Bracq Heritage' is cool and some fancy lighting also looks good. They mentioned a secret project they were going to do at the time so I guess this is it. Amazing work and lovely people. Did you see Paul and get your glove box signed ?
Thanks for posting.

[mdsalemi]

Aslam,

Very nice photos, and very interesting place.

Random thoughts here:

Curious as to why the shop was renamed to Bracq Heritage from Atelier Bracq. Interesting that aside from the name and the styling acumen of the master, and his son, that the firm could literally rise from nothing to one doing some interesting work. Back in March 2011 I spent three days with Paul and his wife; his daughter at the time was in Milan working for Armani, and son Boris was working locally as an industrial designer (I never met him); wife Alice is a skilled painter in her own right, so art and style is most definitely in the family DNA. There was no shop, just Bracq's own "atelier" in his home. Paul was taking painting commissions, did the occasional public art display, occasional other projects not all related to MB or BMW. (Facel-Vega and Bugatti come to mind). Something clicked somewhere, somehow to utilize the knowledge and create a shop dedicated to MB of the era.

[kampala]

I did not enquire why the name change but my impression is that they are broadening their business from repair/restoration to also supplying signature parts like the ashtray for the pagoda. This is a wonderful piece with Paul’s signature stitched.  They also have floor mats with stitched signature and more.  My own thinking (with zero validation) is that they might move more into this direction.  They can have world-wide reach with products and parts and not limit themselves to in-house repair/restoration.  Again, this is my own conjecture.

I did not expect to meet Paul and he was not there.  I did not come with glovebox in hand as I had no plans of visiting the Atelier when I left California for Paris two months ago.

[neelyrc]

Great experience and great pics Oz, thanks for posting. 

[mdsalemi]

https://en.bracqheritage.com/

[Figoulu]

Thanks for sharing 👍👍

[Ferrolanoman]

Four hundred dollars for an ashtray???

[Pawel66]

I can sign it with my name, it will be less expensive