Gregor Wenner
Specialist Consultant
LOT 145
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato Chassis no. 0312870 Engine no. 700200
Estimate: €800,000 - €1,200,000
Lot 145
One of four factory test cars for the 1929 Mille Miglia
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato
Chassis no. 0312870
Engine no. 700200
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Zagato
Chassis no. 0312870
Engine no. 700200
• 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 FIAT's 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 Romeo's 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 marque's reputation for producing sporting driver's 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 P2's 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 Jano's all-conquering P2 that had won the World Championship in 1925, the Tipo 6C 1750 arrived in 1929 boasting a derivative of the 1500's 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 1750's 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.
• 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 FIAT's 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 Romeo's 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 marque's reputation for producing sporting driver's 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 P2's 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 Jano's all-conquering P2 that had won the World Championship in 1925, the Tipo 6C 1750 arrived in 1929 boasting a derivative of the 1500's 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 1750's 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.
Footnotes
L'une des quatre voitures de mise au point de l'usine pour les Mille Miglia 1929
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport Spider
Carrossée par la Carrozzeria Zagato
Châssis n° 0312870
Moteur n° 700200
• Légendaire voiture de sport de l'entre-deux-guerres
• Equipée en usine d'un moteur de 6C 2300 'Pescara' en 1936
• Magnifique harmonie de teintes, noire sur intérieur noir
• Propriété d'un particulier depuis 2004
• Moteur refait par un professionnel en 2020
• Plusieurs participations aux Mille Miglia Storica
• Entretien récemment effectué
• Document d'immatriculation luxembourgeois
"La 1750, et pour l'essentiel la 1500, ... doivent faire partie des meilleures jamais produites, tant du point de vue de la conception que du plaisir de conduite." - Michael Frostick, Alfa-Romeo-Milano.
Ce fut Enzo Ferrari en personne qui persuada Vittorio Jano de quitter le département compétition de FIAT et de le rejoindre chez Alfa Romeo. Jano, l'un des ingénieurs de l'automobile les plus doués et les plus suivis de tous les temps, ne se contenta pas de diriger le programme sportif d'Alfa Romeo en Grands Prix, il se chargea aussi de concevoir des voitures de tourisme. Il y réussit si bien que ces dernières se révélèrent les plus séduisantes de leur époque et établirent pour la marque milanaise la réputation de constructeur de voitures de sport à nulle autre pareilles.
Jano arriva chez Alfa en 1923 et, l'année suivante, il conçut l'une des plus fabuleuses voitures de course de tous les temps, la légendaire P2. Celle-ci fit à Alfa une excellente publicité par ses remarquables succès en Grands Prix et constitua de plus la base du premier modèle de série de Jano.
Annoncée en 1925 mais produite seulement deux ans plus tard, la 6C 1500 avait été pensée comme une voiture de tourisme rapide associant légèreté et performances éblouissantes. Celles-ci étaient assurées par un six-cylindres en ligne de 1 487 cm3, dérivé du huit en ligne de la P2, qui délivrait 44 ch en version Normale à simple arbre à cames en tête. Des modèles Sport à double arbre et Super Sport suralimentés suivirent ; ce moteur fut le premier de ce type à équiper les classiques deux-places découvertes de Zagato, à jamais associées aux Alfa Romeo sportives de l'ère Vintage. La production de la 6C 1500 prit fin en 1929, à l'arrivée de la 6C 1750.
Extrapolation logique de la Tipo 6C 1500, elle-même descendante directe de l'imbattable P2 de Jano qui avait remporté le Championnat du monde de 1925, la Tipo 6C 1750 de 1929 était équipée d'un dérivé du six-cylindres de la 1500, porté à 1 752 cm3. Construite en deux variantes, la Turismo simple arbre et la Sport (par la suite renommée Gran Turismo) double arbre, la 6C 1750 était une séduisante voiture de tourisme rapide qui associait légèreté et performances éblouissantes, capables de dépasser les 120 km/h avec certaines carrosseries. Il existait aussi une Super Sport, ou SS, produite en série limitée et destinée aux pilotes amateurs, qui devint par la suite la Gran Sport. La plupart de ces voitures étaient carrossées par la Carrozzeria Zagato ou la Carrozzeria Touring, mais pour le Royaume-Uni, elles l'étaient en majorité par les soins de James Young.
Zagato, l'un des plus anciens et des plus respectés bureaux de style automobile, fut fondé à Milan en 1919 par Ugo Zagato, qui mit en application les techniques acquises dans l'industrie aéronautique pendant la guerre pour créer une série de voitures de course légères. Alfa Romeo saisit immédiatement le potentiel des conceptions de Zagato et entama donc avec lui une fructueuse collaboration qui dure encore de nos jours.
Dans sa version suralimentée SS, l'Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 était l'une des voitures de sport les plus populaires et les plus couronnées de succès de son temps, ainsi que le prouve le fait que pas moins de treize d'entre elles prirent en 1929 le départ des Mille Miglia, avec huit présentes à l'arrivée, dont sept classées parmi les dix premières. Pour la deuxième année de suite, ce furent Giuseppe Campari et Giulio Ramponi qui gagnèrent, cette fois au volant d'une 6C 1750 SS, alors qu'en 1928, ç'avait été sur une 6C 1500 SS. On peut citer parmi les victoires de haut niveau de ce modèle les 24 Heures de Spa Francorchamps et les 12 Heures de San Sebastian, en 1929, et, en 1930, les 24 Heures de Spa Francorchamps et le Tourist Trophy du RAC. La longévité mécanique de la 1750 fit que sa carrière sportive s'étendit bien au-delà de son arrêt de production, survenu en 1933.
Cette Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS carrossée par Zagato fut immatriculée pour la première fois le 1er mars 1929. A part son engagement aux Mille Miglia 1929, son historique d'avant-guerre est incertain, mais on sait qu'elle a été équipée en usine vers 1936/1937 d'un moteur atmosphérique à trois carburateurs de 6C 2300 'Pescara' et de la boîte de vitesses associée. Elle est par ailleurs équipée d'une pompe à essence et d'un ventilateur de refroidissement électriques.
Son premier propriétaire identifié était en 1951 un certain Romeo Paoli, résidant au Nord-Est de l'Afrique, et elle est connue pour avoir remporté le championnat de course de côte d'Erythrée en 1954. Ses propriétaires connus suivant sont :
1964 Geoffrey Kerr Royaume-Uni
1965 J. S. Riley Royaume-Uni
1994 P. Groh Suisse
1997 M. Willms Allemagne
2003 J. Pyritz Allemagne
D'une magnifique harmonie de teintes, noire sur intérieur noir, cette Alfa 1750 SS Zagato appartient à son actuel propriétaire depuis 2004. On sait qu'elle est toujours pour l'essentiel habillée de sa carrosserie d'origine et qu'elle a fière allure. On peut citer parmi les travaux d'entretien récemment menés une réfection du moteur effectuée en juin 2020 par B&F Touring-Garage (facture de 36 564 € disponible), un entretien majeur en mai 2022 par les soins de CarXpert (facture de 7 485 € disponible) et d'autres travaux en mars 2023 par les mêmes (note de 4 113 € présente au dossier).
La voiture s'accompagne d'un très complet dossier d'historique composé de nombreuses photos d'époque, de copies de courriers du précédent propriétaire, de différentes factures de travaux, de brochures de référence d'Alfa Romeo, de sa carte d'identité de la FIVA, de son passeport historique de la FIA et d'une copie des archives Alfa Romeo la mentionnant.
Du fait de leur historique sportif et de leur production en série limitée, les Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport carrossées par Zagato sont très convoitées par les collectionneurs et les passionnés. Il est fortement recommandé d'examiner attentivement cet exemplaire bien documenté et à la mécanique récemment refaite.
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