Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 128
1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia Berlinetta Coachwork by Touring Chassis no. 815025 Engine no. 823.040 (see text)
Sold for US$687,000 inc. premium
Lot 128
1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia Berlinetta
1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia Berlinetta
Coachwork by Touring
Chassis no. 815025
Engine no. 823.040 (see text)
Coachwork by Touring
Chassis no. 815025
Engine no. 823.040 (see text)
2,309cc DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Twin Brass-Bodied Weber Carburetors
105bhp at 4,500rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension with Solid Front and Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
*One of seven Touring Berlinettas believed built
*Meticulously restored by Chris Kidd's Tired Iron Works
*Two-Time Pebble Beach Concours Entrant in 2010 and 2011
*FIVA Passport
*Landmark streamlined coachwork
THE CAR OFFERED
Built in the second series of 6C 2300 Alfa Romeos, this Mille Miglia Berlinetta incorporated many improvements from the first series introduced in 1934 as well as performance enhancements that derived from the model's competition successes.
With the same 100mm stroke as the fabulous supercharged 8C 2300 eight cylinder and its later dual-supercharged 8C 2900s and dual overhead camshafts the 6C 2300 offered similar pleasing performance characteristics but was simpler and less expensive to build. Although intended as a touring car it wasn't long before Alfa Romeo enhanced the performance with increased compression to 7.75:1 and fitted two single throat Weber carburetors for 105hp. In the 1937 Mille Miglia one finished fourth overall and won its class.
This car, chassis 815.025, is one of only seven believed to have been bodied by Touring as a Berlinetta. It was found in Argentina in 1956 and brought to the U.S. in 2000 where it was restored by expert Chris Kidd at Tired Iron Works in Monrovia, California. With a remit to preserve as much of the original bodywork as possible, Kidd has said that the bodywork appeared to be largely original save for the nose—which had an updated grill installed at some point—and the very end of the tail which had sustained some accident damage. During the restoration it was inspected by marque expert Raoul San Giorgi who advised on its restoration and to ensure the restored elements of the body were accurately rendered. It was restored as it is believed it was originally built.
During restoration the completed rolling chassis was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance during the Alfa Romeo year of 2010. The engine which arrived from Argentina (823.926) was not economically rebuildable so a replacement, 823.040 from the same series, was sourced and restored to the original Mille Miglia specifications with nearly irreplaceable brass-bodied Weber carburetors. The completed 6C 2300 B was back at Pebble Beach in 2011 following its open check book restoration that is understood to have cost in excess of seven-figures.
There has been a report from Switzerland that at one time (about 1958) an Alfa 6C 2300 was registered with the Swiss vehicle authorities on the same chassis number and that it was recorded as being a cabriolet. That car has not appeared recently and the source has not been verified.
Even Swiss Motor Vehicle Registration bureaucrats are not immune from making data entry or number transposition errors. This chassis, 815.025, is documented in the 6C 2300 Registry of Fabio Morlacchi and Stefano Salvetti as having a Touring Berlinetta body from inception and the body is consistently numbered 2009 in Touring's style. The details of this body's Touring Superleggera construction as uncovered during Tired Iron Works restoration speak for themselves.
And what a restoration it is.
The Touring Berlinetta coachwork is nearly sublime, but also practical with usable rear seats. It incorporates many design elements shared with the legendary 8C 2900 B Alfas like the teardrop fenders, front fender catwalk-mounted chrome teardrop headlights, long hood, tapered rear greenhouse, Plexiglass sliding side windows, the heart-shaped Alfa Romeo grille set in a slotted surround and the wonderful slotted rear fender spats that evince "speed lines" in illustrations of the period. It is an Two-Nine in all but its engine, with four-wheel independent suspension and its original-type 4-speed Alfa gearbox and riding on centerlock Borrani wire wheels that were emblematic of the Mille Miglia 6Cs.
Finished in an elegant dark "Merlot" red that in some light appears eggplant in hue, the interior is upholstered in fawn leather. The engine compartment is crisp and nearly pristine, as is the interior and the dashboard. Body and chrome fit and finish are impeccable. The Alfa was recently serviced including a fuel and oil flush and filter replacement. In recent years, the car has been kept in climate-controlled storage and minimally shown.
Its early history is still to be documented but a new owner, bolstered by its FIVA passport, boxes of historical documents, photo record of the car in original and as-found condition, and extensive photo documentation of the no-expense-spared restoration can anticipate building an eminently satisfying and rewarding new history for it in desirable and exclusive events.
Additional information
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