Sie wissen, was sie tun
Sie hatten damals ein gutes Gespür dafür, was der Markt haben wollte, die Italiener. In den höchsten Ligen des Motorsports war Alfa Romeo Ende der 20er Jahre bestens vertreten, aber in der Mittelklasse, die sich auch Privatfahrer leisten konnten, da fehlte noch ein Modell. Ein Fahrzeug, das sich zwar sportlich bewegen liess, aber über eine einfachere und damit auch günstigere Technik verfügte. Vittorio Jano hatte die Antwort: den 6C 1500. Das Chassis, relativ simpel im Aufbau, wurde schon 1925 vorgestellt, doch die ersten Reihensechszylinder in der Alfa-Geschichte konnten erst 1927 eingebaut werden. Der 1,5-Liter entwickelte in seiner ersten Version 44 PS bei 4200/min; nicht die ganz grosse Revolution, aber im Vergleich mit der eh kaum vorhandenen Konkurrenz sehr anständig. Denn Jano hatte ja noch ein paar Tricks auf Lager: Schon 1928 kamen der Sport mit 54 PS, der Super Sport mit 60 PS, der Super Sport Compressore mit Roots-Gebläse und bereits 76 PS bei 4800/min. Und dann war da auch noch der Super Sport Compressore Testa Fissa, also: Roots und direkt auf dem Block fixierter Zylinderkopf. So aufgebretzelt brachte es den 6C 1500 auf beachtliche 84 PS bei 5000/min – und eine Höchstgeschwindigkeit von 155 km/h.
1927 hatte die erste Mille Miglia stattgefunden, es gewannen Minoia/Morandi auf einem OM Tipo 655 Sport. Alfa Romeo hatte aber schnell erkannt, dass dieses Strassenrennen von Brescia nach Rom und wieder zurück die perfekte Plattform sein könnte, um nicht nur grossartige Erfolge feiern zu können, sondern diese auch publikumswirksam abzufeiern. You know: win on sundays, sell on mondays. 1928 trat Alfa Romeo mit gleich sechs Fahrzeugen zur Mille Miglia an, darunter dem 6C 1500 MMS (Mille Miglia Speciale), der eigentlich von Marinoni/Guidotti hätte gefahren werden sollen, aber dann kurzfristig von Giuseppe Campari und Mechaniker Giulio Ramponi übernommen wurde. Kurz vor Rom übernahm Campari die Führung vor den drei Werks-Bugatti – und gab sie bis Brescia nicht mehr ab. Der erste Sieg von Alfa Romeo bei der Mille Miglia war Tatsache – und das mit einem Schnitt von 84,13 km/h.
Der 6C 1500 entwickelte sich auch dank diesem prestigeträchtigen Sieg zu einem Verkaufserfolg für Alfa Romeo. Zwischen 1927 und 1929 konnten stolze 1064 Exemplare verkauft werden. Wir zeigen hier einen 6C 1500 SS von 1928, der im Museum von Alfa Romeo zu bewundern ist.
Noch besser lief dann der logische Nachfolger, der 1929 vorgestellte 6C 1750; von ihm wurden bis 1933 stolze 2579 Exemplare abgesetzt. Es gab auch vom 1750er die unterschiedlichsten Versionen, bei den Aufbauten sowieso (am berühmtesten: der «Flying Star» von Touring), auch aber auch beim Motor selber. Die Basis schaffte 46 PS bei 4000/min, der Testa Fissa mit zwei obenliegenden, von einer Königswelle und Zahnrädern angetriebenen Nockenwellen im 1930 eingeführten Gran Sport kam dann erstmals auf über 100 PS, 102 PS bei 5000/min, um genau zu bleiben. (Bilder unten, einfach so als Beispiel: Chassis-Nummer 10814388, mehr dazu unten in der Sammlung.)
Campari/Ramponi gewannen auf einen 6C 1750 SS (mit sehr schönem Zagato-Aufbau) auch die Mille Miglia von 1929. Und ein Jahr später sollte die Mille Miglia zu einem der grossartigsten Rennen aller Zeiten werden. Es trat an: ein junger deutscher Fahrer namens Rudolf Caracciola auf einem gewaltigen Mercedes SSK. Es trat zum ersten Mal überhaupt an: die Scuderia Ferrari. Auf Alfa Romeo. Und selbstverständlich trat auch Alfa Romeo selber an, mit gleich sechs Werksfahrzeugen. Zwar wollte Campari (mit dem neuen Beifahrer Marinoni) wieder gewinnen, doch es war von Anfang an klar, dass das Rennen zwischen den beiden Alfa-Piloten Achille Varzi und Tazio Nuvolari entschieden werden würde; sie waren die grossartigsten Fahrer jener Jahre. Und es verband die ehemals guten Freunde zu diesem Zeitpunkt eine fast schon intime Feindschaft. (Bilder unten: Mit genau diesem Fahrzeug durfte ich einst so eine der vielen Targa-Florio-Veranstaltungen bestreiten. Damals war ich noch nicht so sehr erpicht auf Chassis-Nummern, deshalb, sorry…)
Varzi war mehr der Gentleman, trug massgeschneiderte Overalls; Nuvolari war ein Höllenhund, am wohlsten in seiner Lederjacke. Es ranken sich viele Legenden um jene Mille Miglia von 1930, die bekannteste ist jene, wie Nuvolari auf seinem Alfa 6C 1750 GS Varzi auf seinem Alfa 6C 1750 GS überholt haben soll. Von hinten durch die dunkle Nacht und ohne Licht soll sich Nuvolari angeschlichen haben, dann habe er wenige Meter hinter Varzi den vollen Lichtschmuck aufgedreht und den erschrockenen Varzi abgewatscht haben. Wilde Mythen ranken sich auch noch um die roten Lampen, die Nuvolari Varzi sowieso als besagten Höllenhund haben erscheinen lassen.
Alles Quatsch: «Il Mantovano volante» packte Varzi in der Nähe von Peschiera. Da war es es am 13. April 1930 längst schon hell, es brauchte gar niemand mehr Scheinwerfer. Ausserdem wusste Varzi, dass der deutlich hinter ihm gestartete Nuvolari schneller unterwegs war, er machte ganz einfach Platz. Die roten Lampen waren keine Lampen, sondern einfach rote Abdeckungen der Lampen, die in der Nacht, wenn man die Lampen brauchte, abgenommen wurden. So einfach ist das. Ach ja, Nuvolari gewann in einer Zeit von 16’18.59 – zum ersten Mal schaffte ein Fahrer bei der Mille Miglia einen Schnitt von mehr als 100 km/h. Die Details vom Fahrzeug oben/unten (und auf dem Titelbild) stammen von genau so einem 6C 1750 GS, vielleicht sogar dem Nuvolari-Auto…
Und wir haben noch einen 6C 1750 GS aus dem Museo Alfa Romeo – für einmal in einer anderen Farbe:
Es braucht aber noch eine Ergänzung, hier: das Mysterium «Testa Fissa». Es gab diese Motoren mit dem aus einem Stück gegossenen Zylinderblock und -kopf sowie mit zwei obenliegenden, von einer Königswelle und Zahnrädern angetriebenen Nockenwellen schon in den 6C 1500. Doch erst als Vittorio Jano den 6C 1750 quasi neu konstruierte, wurden die Vorteile dieser aufwendigen Konstruktion wirklich genutzt. Das bedeutete: höhere Verdichtung, keine Probleme mit Spezial-Kraftstoffen, bessere Haltbarkeit, kein Problem mit dem Roots-Gebläse. Über 100 PS sollen diese Maschinen geschafft haben, wo immer sie antraten, machten sie die Konkurrenz platt. Das Problem: die Fertigung tolerierte keine Fehler. Stimmte nicht alles ganz genau, dann ging gar nichts – der Ausschuss soll sehr hoch gewesen sein. Kein Wunder also, dass wahrscheinlich nur 12 «Testa Fissa» in die 6C 1750 eingebaut wurden.
Das Exemplar, das wir oben (und unten) zeigen, hat dann noch eine besondere Geschichte. Wohl Ende 1929 reiste Captain George Eyston zusammen mit dem damaligen Alfa-Romeo-Importeur für England, Fred Stiles, nach Mailand für Testfahrten. Zurück kamen sie mit dem 6C 1750 mit Chassisnummer 8513025, einem der seltenen «Testa Fissa». Eyston hatte besondere Pläne mit diesem Fahrzeug und gab bei A.E. Leadbettter einen ganz besonderen Aufbau in Auftrag, den er zusammen mit Sir Ronald Stewart entworfen hatte. Dazu muss man wissen: Eyston war einer der Wahnsinnigen, die sich jahrelang ein erbittertes Rennen um den so genannten «World Land Speed Record» lieferten. 1938 konnte er ihn für sich in Anspruch nehmen, als er mit einem Gefährt namens «Thunderbolt» mit über 570 km/h über den Salzsee im amerikanischen Bonneville bretterte.
Der Alfa war nicht ganz so schnell. Doch am 1. Mai 1930 knallten Eyston und Stewart in Brooklands zu einem neuen englischen Rekord über 3 Stunden – dies mit einem Schnitt von fast 160 km/h. Und nahmen neun Stunden später auch noch internationalen Klassen-Rekord über 12 Stunden mit, dies mit einem Durchschnitt von 152,9 km/h. Die schnellste Runde absolvierte Eyston mit 184,2 km/h.
Danach meinte es die Geschichte nicht gut mit dem Alfa. Er wurde verkauft, erhielt einen viertürigen Aufbau und einen neuen Motor, der originale «Testa Fissa» ging verloren. Doch 1953 kaufte Ian Gunn den 6C – und behielt ihn für stolze 55 Jahre. In dieser Zeit wurde auch die Karosserie nach originalen Plänen wieder aufgebaut, Gunn liess auch einen «Testa Fissa» bauen – der heute etwa 140 PS schafft. Das Fahrzeug mit seiner schönen Geschichte wurde von Bonhams auf der Auktion in Quail im August 2022 angeboten, der untere Schätzpreis lag bei 1,4 Millionen Dollar.
Wir haben da noch einen «Testa Fissa», Chassis-Nummer 0312871, Motoren-Nummer 0312654. Auktion: Gooding Christie’s, Pebble Beach 2026, Schätzpreis 1 bis 1,5 Millionen Dollar, mit diesen Angaben: «Chassis 0312871 was among this select quartet collected directly from Alfa Romeo’s Portello works on April 29, 1929. Originally registered in Milan as “MI 29480,” it was driven to England and soon issued the British registration “UV 818,” under which it would achieve its most important period competition successes. Prepared as part of Stiles’s semi-works racing effort, the Alfa Romeo was entered in the inaugural Brooklands Double Twelve, held on May 10–11, 1929, where it formed part of a three-car team that Stiles assembled to challenge the finest sporting machinery of the day. Conceived by the Junior Car Club as a practical alternative to the traditional 24-hour race, the Brooklands Double Twelve required competitors to complete two separate 12-hour sessions on consecutive days, with cars sealed overnight and inaccessible to mechanics. For this demanding event, chassis 0312871 was fitted with the highperformance Testa Fissa engine and entrusted to Alfa Romeo works test driver Giulio Ramponi and Count Giovanni Lurani, carrying race no. 53. Ramponi was one of the most accomplished figures in Alfa Romeo’s competition department, having served as riding mechanic to Antonio Ascari and Giuseppe Campari while playing a key role in the testing and development of Vittorio Jano’s racing cars. During the Double Twelve he delivered a performance of remarkable consistency and determination. As Lurani later recalled in Racing Around the World, he waited in full racing gear ready to relieve Ramponi, only to discover that his co-driver had no intention of relinquishing the wheel. Despite a late mechanical delay when the battery box came loose, Ramponi pressed on and secured victory by the narrowest of margins – defeating a Bentley on handicap by just four seconds. The Brooklands triumph immediately established the Alfa Romeo as one of the most formidable 1.5-liter competition cars in Britain. Later that season, the Testa Fissa was likely among the Stiles-entered 6Cs campaigned in the Irish Grand Prix at Phoenix Park and subsequently appeared in the RAC Tourist Trophy at Ards. There, reportedly driven by Giuseppe Campari, “UV 818” delivered another outstanding performance, winning the 1.5-liter class and finishing 2nd Overall, beaten only by Rudolf Caracciola’s far more powerful 7.1-liter supercharged Mercedes-Benz SS.
Originally delivered as a lightweight, cycle-fendered Zagato Spider, the 6C 1500 was updated after the 1929 racing season with a traditional Gran Sport-type Zagato body. The resulting configuration, which it retains today, perfectly complements the compact proportions and purposeful character of the Super Sport chassis. While it cannot be confirmed definitively, it is believed that this Alfa Romeo was acquired in 1930 by American sportsman Briggs Cunningham, later celebrated for his Le Mans campaigns and America’s Cup challenges. Seeking a suitable companion for a European honeymoon tour, Cunningham purchased the Zagato Spider and set off across Britain with his bride, Lucie Bedford. Family accounts suggest the arrangement proved short-lived, with Mrs. Cunningham eventually returning home by train, leaving Briggs to continue his journey with the Alfa Romeo alone. By the early 1930s, the Alfa Romeo had passed to the colorful jazz musician and amateur racing driver Buddy Featherstonhaugh, who campaigned it successfully at Brooklands. In the years that followed, it remained in the hands of a succession of notable enthusiasts, including George Abecassis, Frank Kennington, and Bill Moss, pillars of the vibrant British sporting scene. Throughout the ’40s and ’50s, the 6C continued to appear in speed trials, hill climbs, and club competition, retaining its identity as a highly capable and charismatic sporting machine.
In 1961, the Alfa Romeo entered what would become one of the defining chapters of its history when it was acquired by Bill Meacham. Having admired the car for years, Meacham eventually persuaded its owner to part with it, financing the purchase by selling his Lotus Seven. He later recalled first encountering the Alfa Romeo as a student, hearing the unmistakable whine of its supercharger long before it came into view – a moment that left an indelible impression and ultimately inspired him to acquire it. During the next 37 years, Meacham proved one of the car’s most devoted custodians. He rebuilt the engine while deliberately preserving its original 1,500 cc displacement, together with the period Roots-type supercharger and SU carburetor installed in the early 1950s, explaining that its extraordinary history made any further modification unthinkable. Rather than preserving the Alfa Romeo as a static artifact, he used it extensively for touring and enthusiast events, even driving it on the Meachams’ honeymoon. It became a familiar presence within British Alfa Romeo circles and was featured in television programs, exhibitions, and specialist publications, including Angela Cherrett’s authoritative book on the model. In 1998, the 6C 1500 was acquired from Meacham by renowned Alfa Romeo enthusiast David Uihlein. Later passing to Brian Brunkhorst, it became a cherished centerpiece of his collection, enjoyed on annual trips to Road America and weekend excursions around the rural roads of Wisconsin. Today, this remarkable 6C 1500 Super Sport retains its period Zagato Spider coachwork and the rare Testa Fissa engine (no. 0312654) fitted when it was campaigned by F.W. Stiles in 1929. While the cylinder head was converted in later years to the more conventional detachable type, its original non-detachable Testa Fissa head accompanies the car as a spare.»
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Damit es so richtig unübersichtlich wird, haben wir selbstverständlich auch noch eine Sammlung.
Chassis-Nummer: 0312870
Motorennummer: 700200 (siehe unten)
Auktion: Bonhams, Paris 2025, Schätzpreis 800’000 bis 1’200’000 Euro, mit diesen Informationen: «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.»
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Chassis-Nummer: 0312917
Auktion: Gooding Christie’s, Paris 2026, Schätzpreis 600’000 bis 700’000 Euro, mit diesen Angaben: «Chassis 0312917 is a distinguished example of the third-series 6C 1750 Super Sport. Originally imported to Britain by concessionaire F.W. Stiles, it was clothed by the Carlton Carriage Company in lightweight, fabric-over-wood touring coachwork built to International Sports Car Regulations, which required four-seater bodies on cars exceeding 1.5 liters. Finished in striking blue with a side-mounted spare, external fuel filler, and oil fillers, the Alfa Romeo was delivered new to the legendary Francis Curzon, the fifth Earl Howe. Born in Mayfair in 1884, Lord Howe was among Britain’s foremost privateer racing drivers as well as a founding member – and first President – of the British Racing Drivers’ Club. An enthusiastic competitor at Brooklands, the Tourist Trophy, and Le Mans, he famously won the French endurance classic outright in 1931 at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300. His first Alfa Romeo, this very 6C 1750 SS, was registered on July 26, 1929, as “UV 5647.” Period records and correspondence confirm Howe quickly put it to competitive use, entering the Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb and that year’s Ards Tourist Trophy where, while co-driving with Leslie Callingham, he finished 2nd in Class and 18th Overall. An original invoice from Hugh P. McConnell, dated May 26, 1930, and addressed to Lord Howe at 35 Curzon Street, London, records “attending you at Olaf Street, measuring the bores and strokes of your Alfa-Romeo Chassis No. 0312917. Preparing report in triplicate for Le Mans and officially certifying same.” This certification preceded the car’s historic appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June 1930, when Lord Howe and Callingham achieved a remarkable 5th Overall and 1st in Class finish. Their result behind two Speed Six Bentleys and two Talbots marked not only an impressive performance but also Alfa Romeo’s very first participation at Le Mans – a milestone for the marque.
Following its Le Mans campaign, Lord Howe sold 0312917 and later acquired a fourth-series 6C 1750 Gran Sport (chassis 8513091), re-registering it with the same number “UV 5647.” In later correspondence between Angela Cherrett and Lord Howe’s mechanic, Mr. Maslin, it was noted that “several of the Earl’s cars were originally registered in Italy and registrations did not really mean much.” In her 1966 Alfa Romeo Newsletter article (Vol. 10, No. 1), Cherrett observed, “I think it is likely that the glittering blue and chromium Alfa Romeo which competed at Shelsley Walsh and in the T.T. in 1929 with the registration UV 5647 was, in fact, the car which now bears the registration plate GH 8878 and which was the first Alfa Romeo to appear at the circuit of Le Mans, in the hands of that renowned motorist Francis Howe.”
After its success at Le Mans in 1930, the 1750 was driven by Callingham in the Ulster Automobile Club Hill Climb at Craigantlet on August 16, 1930, where his time of 1 minute 45 seconds was good enough to win the 2-liter class and a similar class for touring cars. Two weeks later, the 6C was entered into the 1930 Tourist Trophy, again driven by Leslie Callingham. Sadly, this would be 0312917’s last significant motor race, as it failed to finish due to a reported big-end engine failure.
During its subsequent history, 0312917’s original body was lost and its engine was replaced with one from 0411871, a third-series 1750 T. Surviving registration documents confirm its continuous UK history and, in 1965, chassis 0312917 was acquired by Angela and Allan Cherrett. Remarkably, Mrs. Cherrett located the car’s original crankcase and soon after in 1966, Mr. Cherrett completed a meticulous restoration that included a faithful recreation of the original Carlton Carriage touring body and a rebuild of the engine using its originalcrankcase. Over six decades of devoted Cherrett ownership followed, during which Mrs. Cherrett – an esteemed Alfa Romeo historian and author – compiled an exceptional documentation file comprising original logbooks, correspondence, invoices, and rare period photographs.»
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Chassis-Nummer: 10914519 (1931)
Auktion: Gooding Christie’s, Paris 2026, Schätzpreis 100’000 bis 150’000 Euro, mit diesen Angaben: «This fantastic 6C 1750 wears coachwork by Martin Walter Ltd. of Folkestone, a firm originally established in 1773 to make equine harnesses and long celebrated for its high level of craftsmanship. The story of how this 6C 1750 entered the Cherrett Collection is as delightful as the car itself. In spring 1967, while attending an Alfa Romeo gathering in one of their open 6Cs, Angela and Allan Cherrett were caught in a sudden downpour and took shelter alongside another Alfa enthusiast, a Mr. Drucker. In conversation, the Cherretts remarked that they ought to have a saloon for such weather, to which Mr. Drucker unexpectedly offered them his own 6C 1750 Saloon – this very example – for free. With its engine in need of repair, Mr. Drucker was simply happy to see it go to a good home, but the Cherretts insisted on paying him £250. A letter acknowledging payment and an invoice for its transport, dated June 3, 1967, remain on file.»
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Chassis-Nummer: 8513041
Motoren-Nummer: 8513041
Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Paris 2026, Schätzpreis 1,4 bis 1,8 Millionen Euro, mit diesen Angaben: «Built in 1930, chassis number 8513041 offered here made the short trip from the Alfa Romeo factory across Milan to be dressed in alloy bodywork by Carrozzeria Sport, who finished it in a style closely resembling that of contemporaries Zagato and Castagna. This 6C 1750 was then supplied new to a marque collector based to the south in Genoa before another citizen of the port city bought the car the following August. Per the research compiled by long-time registrar John de Boer, the car was raced by its second keeper during 1932 before it was returned to Alfa Romeo in 1933 and sold once again to a resident of Genoa. Chassis 8513041 found pastures new when it was purchased in January 1935 by Catullo Lami in Pisa prior to a 1936 acquisition by a custodian living in a town near Cremona. The Gran Sport Spider finally found a more permanent home when it was bought in May 1958 by Gianni Mazzocchi—the publishing magnate and owner of Editoriale Domus. While the body and drivetrain were found compete, the engine would not start. Subsequent repairs meant that Mazzocchi had to turn down an approach from the Director General of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Films for the car to star in a movie being made in France. The letter exchange is contained within the history file. Thereafter, the Alfa Romeo formed part of the collection at the QuattroRuote automotive magazine museum for almost 60 years. During its time with the Mazzocchi family, chassis 8513041 was enjoyed in the 1962 and 1965 editions of the Stresa to Mottarone rally. Following the latter appearance, the car was restored—including a repaint of the body and rebuild of the straight-six engine. The Alfa Romeo then featured in the Mille Miglia Storica, finishing the famed event in 1986 and 1987. Thanks, in part, to its long residency as part of the museum’s stable and the long-term care it has received from marque specialist Gianni Torelli, chassis 8513041 is notably well preserved. Of its many original touches, the car significantly retains its matching-numbers engine. Sold to the consigning owner in 2016, the Alfa Romeo has continued its participation in a series of high-profile historic events. This includes taking on the Gran Premio Nuvolari regularity rally in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the Targa Florio, and a further entry in the Mille Miglia in 2024. Accordingly, chassis 8513041 is accompanied by its FIVA Identity Card issued in October 2018, Mille Miglia Register papers valid until June 2026, and a fascinating history file.»
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Chassis-Nummer: 8513064
Motoren-Nummer: 8513064
Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Mailand 2025, Schätzpreis 1,3 bis 1,5 Millionen Euro, mit diesen Informationen: «This beautifully presented short-wheelbase Spider is approximately the 64th of 102 fourth-series Gran Sport examples built. Although the early history of chassis number 6C 8513064 is currently unknown, by the late-1960s the car was owned by Alfa Romeo enthusiast Keith Hellon of Mundelein, Illinois. In 1974 Hellon sold the 6C to Jackson Brooks, a marque collector based in Colorado, who was impressed by the car’s completeness and went on to perform a comprehensive multi-year restoration. After Brooks advertised the Alfa Romeo in January 1981, the car was sold to Thomas Perkins, the groundbreaking venture capital executive often considered to be a founding father of Silicon Valley. Also an avid yachtsman and sports car enthusiast, Mr Perkins featured the 6C in his book Classic Supercharged Sports Cars. In 1984 he sold the Spider back to Mr Brooks, who engaged the highly respected Phil Reilly & Co to conduct a full rebuild of the engine, with specific preparation for vintage racing use. Following this work, the 6C 1750 was entered in the 1985 Monterey Historic Races, where none other than legendary racing driver Phil Hill piloted the car to a 4th overall finish. A day later the Zagato was presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, completing a whirlwind weekend at the centre of the collector car niche. Soon after Mr Brooks sold the 6C into a short chain of California-based owners, but it is a testament to the Alfa Romeo’s timeless appeal that Brooks later included the car in his book Cars I Could’ve, Should’ve, Kept, with 8513064 featured as one of the cover stars. Brooks then sold the Alfa Romeo to Art Valdez of Los Angeles. He retained possession for 11 years, during which time the car successfully completed the Mille Miglia Storica on four occasions. Purchased in 1996 by another California-based enthusiast, the 6C 1750 was presented at Concorso Italiano two years later before passing to a third Golden State resident. Acquired in early-2012 by the consignor, a discerning collector based in Portugal, chassis number 6C 8513064 was only mildly driven for the following 10 years before it was submitted to respected marque specialist Jim Stokes Workshop (JSW) in 2023. In addition to performing a comprehensive inspection and service, JSW prepared a written report that indicates the Alfa Romeo retains its matching-numbers engine, a significant confirmation of the car’s high degree of authenticity».
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Chassis-Nummer: 10814362
Motoren-Nummer: 10814362
Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, Paris 2025, Schätzpreis 2,25 bis 2,75 Millionen Euro. Der Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 mit Chassis-Nummer #10814362 und Zagato-Karosserie wurde am 2. Oktober 1931 in die Schweiz ausgeliefert, nach Gonda. Am 25. Juli 1933 wurde der Alfa auf Marguerite Ulrich aus Blonay, ebenfalls in der Schweiz, zugelassen. Zusammen mit ihrem Gatten unternahm die Dame anscheinend ausgiebige Reisen, auch nach Deutschland. Kurz vor Ausbruch des 2. Weltkrieges soll Herr Ulrich seinen geliebten Alfa Romeo in einer doppelten Mauer seiner Villa eingemauert haben. Als das Haus nach seinem Tod verkauft wurde, konnte #10814362 von einem gewissen Louis Visinand befreit werden. In der Folge hatte der 6C einige interessante Besitzer, vielleicht sogar Allen Dulles, den späteren Direktor des CIA, sicher aber Emmanuel de Graffenried, den Schweizer Rennfahrer. «Toulo», wie er genannt wurde, verkaufte den Alfa für 15’000 Franken – das war damals viel, viel Geld – nach Amerika. Nächster Besitzer war dann, wohl ab 1958, Phil Hill, der spätere Formel-1-Weltmeister. Hill liebte den Zagato-Alfa, er blieb 30 Jahre in seinem Besitz. In den 2003/2004 wurde #10814362 vom damaligen Besitzer restauriert, anscheinend gab es nicht so viel zu tun, die Rechnung belief sich auf relativ bescheidene 45’000 Dollar. In der aktuellen Beschreibung heisst es: «The car benefited from a complete overhaul of its running gear and drivetrain, save for the engine, with particular attention paid to preserving the interior and Zagato body. Still sporting its fabulous Zagato coachwork today, this Alfa Romeo retains its matching-numbers engine, and is accompanied by period-correct seats, a detailed report from Hans Matti, expired FIA HTP papers, historic photos, and period articles.»
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Chassis-Nummer: 10814388
Auktion: RM Sotheby’s, London 2025, Schätzpreis 800’000 bis 1’200’000 Pfund, mit diesen Informationen: «The most desirable of the sporting 6Cs were those bodied as Spiders by Touring and Zagato. Chassis number 10814388 is a late Series V example that was adorned from new with a stunning Spider body by Touring—desirably this body is very similar to ones fitted to younger 8Cs. According to the estratto cronologico, this 6C was delivered to its first owner, Sig Guido Dó of Turin, on 22 June 1932. Guido Dó rallied a 6C 1750, believed to be this car, in an RACI rally at the Colle del Sestrières during a bitterly cold December in 1932. He finished 3rd in class in the challenging Alpine event. Dó then sold the 6C on 28 June 1933 to Dario Sessarego, who was clearly fond of his purchase as he kept it for the following 18 years until 1951. It then passed through a couple of dealers before being bought by a US serviceman, Joseph McNeill, who was posted in Rome. McNeill had servicing work done, which was invoiced in May 1952, before it was exported to the USA. A photo on file from this period shows that this Alfa Romeo was almost identical then to how it is today with exception to a different windscreen, seat and trailing edge of the rear wing. By 1956, it was owned by Robert Becker of Hyde Park, New York. Becker kept the 6C into the early 1960s and then it passed through a couple private owners in the USA before it found its way to the United Kingdom and eventually Russell Abrahams. Abrahams was clearly an Alfa Romeo enthusiast as this 1750 shared a garage with an older 1500 Tourer. At the beginning of the 1980s, this wonderful 6C joined the collection of the late David Black, a well-known Alfa Romeo restorer and authority—other cars in the stable included a P3, Alfa 8C 2900s, and a 2300. Utilising his knowledge, Black clearly recognised that this Gran Sport was a particularly special example. While factory build data for individual components is not available, it is possible to state that the engine is the original unit for the car, and components such as the front axle, gearbox, rear axle, and steering box are highly likely to be original to the car. Importantly, the bonnet is also numbered, further supporting the originality of the body. For the last two decades, this glorious Alfa Romeo has been maintained by the renowned specialist Jim Stokes Workshops to allow the continued enjoyment of it by the Black family. Offered after four decades of ownership, it is unlikely a Series V of this quality will become available again for some time».
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Chassis-Nummer: 10814391
Motoren-Nummer: 10814391
Auktion: Gooding Christie’s, Amelia Island 2026, Schätzpreis 1,75 bis 2,25 Millionen Dollar, mit diesen Angaben: «Chassis 10814391, the 91st Series V Gran Sport built, was completed on August 3, 1932, and delivered new just nine days later through Alfa Romeo concessionaire Oreste Peverelli of Como, Italy. Sold for 60,000 lire, it was registered the same day as “CO 6852” to Renato Lo Cascio of Inverigo, a textile industrialist and devoted Alfista. Finished as a two-seat Zagato Spider – as were most Gran Sports – this Alfa would enjoy an unusually well-documented and fascinating early life. Lo Cascio was no casual owner. As the the proprietor of SAPITI (Società Anonima per Industrie Tessili Inverigo), he possessed both the means and the passion to assemble a small but significant collection of Alfa Romeos. Records confirm that he owned at least two 6C 1750 Gran Sports, including a Series IV example acquired in 1931 (and sold in 1933) and this car, purchased new in August 1932. Family recollections add vivid texture to the car’s early history. According to Lo Cascio’s son Giorgio, the Alfa was originally delivered in gold paint with green leather upholstery, a flamboyant specification by the standards of the day. The effect was apparently too successful: Lo Cascio’s wife was said to be “ashamed” of the attention the car attracted and reportedly refused to ride in it after an evening at Teatro alla Scala, where the brightly colored Zagato Spider drew a crowd outside the famous Milan opera house. Within months, the car was refinished in a more restrained silver, though the transformation went beyond paint alone. Period photographs show that the entire front end was subtly modernized, reflecting emerging styling trends of the mid-1930s. The updates included a new waterfall-style grille, the removal of the radiator cap, reshaped front fenders, metal spare tire covers, and delicate blade-type aluminum bumpers. Whether these changes were executed by Zagato or another Italian coachbuilder remains unknown, but the result was a cleaner, more contemporary appearance that aligned perfectly with the tastes of the period. Lo Cascio actively used and displayed his Gran Sport, entering it in concours events and regularity competitions throughout the 1930s, including the Concorso di Eleganza at Bormio on August 15, 1935. After nearly two decades of ownership, he reluctantly parted with his cherished Alfa, with registration records declaring it “definitively exported” from Italy on September 6, 1949.
The buyer was Ralph Stein, one of the most influential early voices in the collector-car movement and, to many, the poet laureate of the automobile. Stein owned and experienced a wide array of significant machines, yet he held a special reverence for Alfa Romeo’s prewar sports cars, which he regarded as peerless in their balance of engineering sophistication and emotional appeal. In his landmark book The Greatest Cars, Stein sings the praises of his 6C 1750 Gran Sport, describing it as the finest Alfa he had ever owned. Reflecting on the car’s performance and character, he wrote: “That first 1750 Super Sport (senza compressore) Alfa was, of course, superb. But some years later I became the joyful owner of an even better one. This was a 1750 supercharged Gran Sport. A late fifth-series Zagato-bodied model… This blown Alfa was, of course, faster than my old unblown Super Sport. Top speed was near 100 mph. Zero to 60 took about eleven seconds. The engine was even more willing.” Stein’s affection extended beyond words. The Gran Sport was pictured in both The Greatest Cars and Sports Cars of the World and was also illustrated on the cover of Sport Cars and Hot Rods, a popular Fawcett Book publication from 1950. In 1966, Stein finally sold the Alfa to David H. Tunick of Greenwich, Connecticut, a discerning collector whose stable included a Bentley Speed Six team car, a chain-drive Simplex, and a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing.
Tunick chose preservation over restoration, storing the Alfa carefully for many years. This approach proved invaluable, allowing the car to survive in a remarkably original state. In 2001, following Tunick’s passing, the Alfa was offered publicly for the first time in more than 30 years and was acquired by noted French collector Paul-Emile Bessade. At the time, the odometer showed just 13,654 km, a figure consistent with the car’s undisturbed condition. During M. Bessade’s ownership, the Alfa Romeo benefited from mechanical work overseen by renowned marque specialist Jim Stokes Workshops and successfully participated in several editions of the 1000 Miglia.
A few years later, the Gran Sport returned to the US when it was purchased by Tony Schwartz, becoming only the fifth private owner in over seven decades. Recognizing both the car’s originality and its performance potential, Schwartz commissioned Jim Stokes Workshops to conduct an extensive mechanical rebuild at a cost of more than £200,000. During this process, the upper half of the engine was fitted with a new JSW block, camshafts, pistons, and ancillaries, while retaining the original matching-numbers crankcase. Dyno testing reportedly showed approximately 135 hp, a staggering increase over the original factory rating. Other subtle upgrades, including revised blower drive ratios, increased compression, a modern racing clutch, hidden electronic ignition, and full-flow oil filtration, transformed the Gran Sport into a formidable yet reliable performer, ideally suited to demanding historic races and rallies. Acquired at the Gooding & Company Scottsdale Auction in 2010 by California collector Larry Bowman and later joining Curtis Leaverton’s superb stable, the Alfa has since served as the centerpiece of a significant assemblage of the marque.»
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