Description
This car is Lot 145 to be auctioned by Bonhams|Cars at Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris Sale on 6 February, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Public Viewing:
Available Tuesday 4 February from 08:00 until 18:00 and Wednesday 5 February from 9 AM - 6 PM, at The Grand Palais Historique, Paris.
Lot 145
One of four factory test cars for the 1929 Mille Miglia
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider
Registration no.
Chassis no. 0312870
Iconic between-the-wars sports car
Factory-fitted with a 6C 2300 'Pescara' engine in 1936
Beautiful black over black colour scheme
Present private ownership since 2004
Engine professionally rebuilt in 2020
Multiple Mille Miglia Storica participant
Recently serviced
Luxembourg registration document
The 1750, and for that matter the 1500
must be among the finest ever made both from the point of view of engineering and driver satisfaction. - Michael Frostick, Alfa-Romeo-Milano.
It was Enzo Ferrari, no less, who persuaded Vittorio Jano to leave FIATs racing department and join him at Alfa Romeo. One of the most gifted and influential automobile engineers of all time, Jano would not only supervise Alfa Romeos Grand Prix racing programme but also design its road cars. This happy state of affairs resulted in the latter emerging as some of the most exciting of their day, establishing the Milanese marques reputation for producing sporting drivers cars second to none.
Jano arrived at Alfa in 1923 and by the following year had produced one of the most fabulous racing automobiles of all time - the legendary P2. As well as bringing Alfa much valuable publicity by virtue of its outstanding Grand Prix successes, the P2 provided the basis for Jano's first production model.
Announced in 1925 but not produced for another two years, the 6C 1500 was designed as a fast touring car combining light weight with sparkling performance. The latter was achieved courtesy of a 1, 487cc inline six-cylinder engine based on the P2s straight eight and producing 44bhp in single-overhead-camshaft Normale form. Twin-overhead-camshaft Sport and supercharged Super Sport models followed, the latter being the first of its type to feature the classic open two-seater coachwork by Zagato forever associated with sporting Vintage-era Alfa Romeos. Production of the 6C 1500 ceased in 1929 on the arrival of the 6C 1750.
Logical derivative of the Tipo 6C 1500, itself directly descended from Janos all-conquering P2 that had won the World Championship in 1925, the Tipo 6C 1750 arrived in 1929 boasting a derivative of the 1500s six-cylinder engine enlarged to 1, 752cc. Built in single-cam Turismo and twin-cam Sport (later renamed Gran Turismo) variants, the 6C 1750 was an exciting fast touring car combining light weight with sparkling performance, more than 120km/ h being attainable, depending on coachwork. Aimed at gentleman racing drivers, there was also a limited edition Super Sport, or SS, version, which later evolved into the Gran Sport. Most of these cars carried coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato or Carrozzeria Touring, with James Young being responsible for bodying the majority imported into the UK.
One of the oldest and most respected of automotive design firms, Zagato was founded in Milan in 1919 by Ugo Zagato, who used techniques learned in the wartime aeronautics industry to create a series of lightweight competition cars. Alfa Romeo immediately realised the potential of Zagato's designs and thus commenced a fruitful collaboration that lasts to this day.
In supercharged SS form the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 was one of the most popular and successful racing sports cars of its day, as demonstrated by the fact that no fewer than 13 started the 1929 Mille Miglia, of which eight finished, seven among the first ten. The race was won, for the second consecutive year, by Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi driving a 6C 1750 SS (in 1928 they drove a 6C 1500 SS). Other high profile victories for this model include the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, Grand Prix of Ireland, and the 12 Hours of San Sebastian - all in 1929 - plus the 24 Hours of Spa Francorchamps and RAC Tourist Trophy in 1930. The 1750s sporting career, aided by its mechanical longevity, extended far beyond its production, which ceased in 1933.
This Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS was first registered on 1st March 1929. Apart from its involvement in the 1929 Mille Miglia, the car's pre-war history is uncertain, but it is known to have been fitted with a 6C 2300 'Pescara' triple-carburettor non-charged engine and its associated gearbox at the factory circa 1936/ 1937. The car also has an electric fuel pump and an electric cooling fan.
The Alfa's first known owner was one Romeo Paoli in Northeast Africa in 1951, and the car is recorded as having won the Eritrean hill climb championship in 1954. Subsequent known owners are as follows:
1964 Geoffrey Kerr UK
1965 J S Riley UK
1994 P Groh Switzerland
1997 M Willms Germany
2003 J Pyritz Germany
Finished in stunning black over black, the Alfa 1750 SS Zagato has belonged to the current owner since 2004. The car is known to retain most of its original coachwork and presents beautifully. Maintenance works carried out in more recent times include an engine rebuild by B&F Touring-Garage in June 2020 (invoice for 36, 564 available); a major service by CarXpert in May 2022 (invoice for 7, 485 available); and a further service by them in March 2023 (bill for 4, 113 on file).
A very comprehensive history file accompanies the car containing numerous period photographs; (copy) previous owner correspondence; various invoices for works carried out; Alfa Romeo reference books; FIVA Identity Card; FIA Historic Technical Passport; and a copy of its Alfa Romeo register entry.
Due to their racing history and limited production, these Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport models are highly coveted by collectors and enthusiasts. Close examination of this well documented and recently mechanically refurbished example is highly recommended.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams|Cars website for all pertinent auction information.
