Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Where's "Elansprint" (Pete Taylor)? I thought he might definitely have got the last Lotus one.

 

Ken.

 

There appeared to be a discussion on another thread the result of which as that Elansprint stated that he would leave the Forum. Hopefully this has not happened as, besides starting this most enjoyable thread, i think he added greatly to the pace and tone of the site.

Perhaps if you are still there Pete you could help to manage this excellent thread that you started.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Correct, Gerd! Three liters, supercharged, 400 hp. A sister car also won the 1946 Indianapolis 500 while this particular car was raced until 1949. Over to you and Happy New Year to everybody.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks John and Happy New Year to everybody.

 

The next one is somewhat of an enigma and when searching the net for confirmation over the exact identity of the car - I had to be extra sure with so many experts on this thread - I came to a number of very interesting stories.

 

But that is for later on - right now I'll just post the first shot.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Other views to follow if this proves to be too difficult.

 

Regards

Gerd

Link to post
Share on other sites

Not Cisitalia but Alfa it is. Though not an 158 even if it bears more than a superficial resemblance to the 158 / 159.

 

Spans the period pre- and post WW 2. Started of before the war and this bodywork version is from after the war.

 

I'll show you a bit more.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Regards

Gerd

Link to post
Share on other sites

No expertise claimed on this car but a bit of Googling showed that the 308 and 312 were raced just before the war by Nuvolari and Villoressi and one of these cars was then raced at Indianapolis in the late 40's. But that exhaust on the left might mean it is a six cylinder or half of a 12 cylinder. (Holds fingers to chin and looks puzzled).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Man, go away for the holidays and what happens? Another Alfa and me having to make a guess. And a guess is all that it is, too. Looks a bit like the 12C-37 if I count the exhausts correctly. I really don't remember it racing much after the war (or before, for that matter). As I say, just a guess.

 

Kent

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well up to now we have a number of responses that each have a part of the answer.

 

12 Cylinders (there is the same exhaust on the other side), started pre-war as a 12c-37, closely related to the 316 but not a 308 or a 312.

 

To give you a bit more the car was raced after the war but not in Europe (both by a European driver and a non-European driver) and there might be 2 surviving cars in this configuration.

 

I guess I 'll have to show another view but that might also add to the confusion.

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Succes

Gerd

Link to post
Share on other sites

Shall I post another view - just to confuse you a bit more?

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Well this is the full front view and as you can see the bodywork from 1947 is clearly influenced by the 158 / 159 Alfettas.

 

So with some "Googling" it must be possible to find the car.

 

Regards

Gerd

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well it's not this one but the other surviving one. Here is part of the story about these 2 cars I found as background before posting the picture here.

 

"Varzi also raced in Argentina and in 1947 asked Alfa Romeo to develop a serious winner for the 1948 Temporada class. Alfa Romeo provided him with a 4.5-litre V12 engine producing 420 bhp, mounted in one of the 12C-37, 312 or 316 chassis. The body was based on the pre-war model, but was modified slightly to tie in with the shape of the more modern Alfetta's of the day. After Varzi's fatal crash in his Alfetta in Berne, 1948, the story of the 12C started to get sketchy. As rumour has it, Argentinean racing driver Clemar Bucci acquired the car. Bucci competed the car successfully during the later '40s and early '50s. However the car eventually showed its age against the younger competition which prompted Clemar Bucci and his brother Roland to shorten the chassis for improved road holding. Later they also rebodied a 12C chassis with Farina-style 2-seat barchetta bodywork. Realising its value Bucci stored the original monoposto bodywork, and during the 1980s when the classic car market soared, the original body was relocated to the chassis. Here the story takes a rather mysterious turn, as it appears that Bucci has sold two 12Cs over the course of 11 years. In 1995 Bucci sold a 12C that was shipped to the UK for restoration. The car has recently changed hands to an Austrian collector. Bucci, now 84 years old, recently sold the 12C on display at the Topmobiel show to Dutch enthusiasts after an impressive adventure of locating the car and tracing its originality. The Dutch owners of this latest 12C to leave the Bucci collect believe that they have the original Varzi car – the car which Bucci also campaigned in the Argentinean Grand Prix. The purchase was investigated by a leading European specialist for eight weeks prior to the purchase. The car bears hallmarks to original features which back up its history. Details include the chassis which was shortened slightly by Bucci when racing the car for improved road holding, as well as the crafted cylinder head made from welded steel which came about after an engine failure during a race in the 1950s. There are no signs of a chassis that was widened, so this is certainly not the chassis which Bucci used for the Spider."

 

The present Dutch owners brought the car to the metallurgical department of the University of Delft in order to establish whether they had the original car. Their findings concluded that the welding to the chassis was done in the 1940's and that under the present paint the previous color scheme of blue and yellow of Bucci is still present. While not confirming the identity of the car the University concluded that it is highly likely to be the original car.

 

Here is a link to an article about the testing done at the University of Delft.

 

TU Delft - Deconstructing a famous Alfa Romeo

 

So that's the story of what is called the 12C/316 (12C motor in a 316 chassis that in its own is based on a 12C-37 chassis) and it's over to you Sasmon.

 

Regards

Gerd

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...