1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Project

• Aluminium replica body
• Assorted engine and other parts included
• Exciting and potentially most rewarding project

Its Portello factory devastated by wartime bombing, Alfa Romeo did not resume car production until 1946 with, inevitably, a pre-war carry-over, the 6C 2500, which would form the basis of the Milanese marque's post-war recovery. Last of the separate-chassis Alfas, the 2500 had debuted in 1939 and was a development of the preceding 2300. Styled in-house, but strongly influenced by Touring, the streamlined five-seater Freccia d'Oro (Golden Arrow) sports saloon was built alongside coupé and cabriolet versions featuring bodies by the likes of Pinin Farina, Touring and Ghia, plus a six/seven-seater berlina on a longer wheelbase.

The engine was, of course, the latest version of Alfa's race-developed double-overhead-camshaft 'six', its 2,443cc displacement having been arrived at by enlarging the bore of the 2300. Introduced in 1934, the latter had been designed by the legendary Vittorio Jano and was later developed by Bruno Treviso, becoming the 2500 in 1939. Maximum power ranged from 90bhp in single-carburettor Sport guise to 105bhp in the triple-carb Super Sport.

The Alfa Romeo tradition of building driver's cars par excellence was upheld by the 2500, for although the box-section chassis was no longer state-of-the-art, it nevertheless boasted all-independent suspension, generously-sized brakes, fast-geared steering and an unusually slick, column-mounted gearchange. The latter enabled Alfa to claim the model was a full five-seater, with three passengers accommodated in the front and two (three at a pinch) in the rear. The inevitable weight gain over its pre-war predecessor was offset by the larger engine and superior aerodynamics, the two models' top speed being an identical 97mph.

For all its race-bred charm, the 6C 2500 represented Alfa Romeo's past rather than its future. Production continued until 1953, by which time a little fewer than 2,200 of these handsome automobiles had been made.

This Lot consists of an original 1951 Alfa Romeo 2500 6C chassis, stamped 916578 (on dollies) with an engine block and assorted engine parts. The engine block is a Tipo 6C 2500 Sport, numbered on plate '926953', while the gearbox is numbered '946573', stamped on the casing. Presented in bare metal, the aluminium replica body is in the style of a 2900B Mille Miglia Spider, built to a high standard by Steve McFarlane's Coachbuilders. The chassis number corresponds to 1950 Alfa Romeo 6C2500 Sport. Included in the sale are assorted engine parts, including a cylinder head, although it is not known if it is the original or not. Included also are four shot-blasted brake drums; a rear axle housing with affixed Alfa Romeo plate; a manifold; and one unattached wire wheel.