Unequalled in their class in the 1927-1930 era were the superbly engineered, extremely light and very quick Tipo 6C twin-camshaft, supercharged Alfa Romeos from the design board of the brilliant Vittorio Jano. Alfa Romeo’s concessionaire in England, Fred Stiles, imported four “works” cars with Zagato racing coachwork, chassis numbers 0312871 to 0312874. The cars were picked up in Milan, photographed outside the factory with Mrs. Stiles at the wheel of this car and Johnny Lurani and Giulio Ramponi in two others. The cars were driven back to England, where 0312873 was sold to Edgar Fronteras and registered GU9699. Fronteras was invited […]
Unequalled in their class in the 1927-1930 era were the superbly engineered, extremely light and very quick Tipo 6C twin-camshaft, supercharged Alfa Romeos from the design board of the brilliant Vittorio Jano.
Alfa Romeo’s concessionaire in England, Fred Stiles, imported four “works” cars with Zagato racing coachwork, chassis numbers 0312871 to 0312874. The cars were picked up in Milan, photographed outside the factory with Mrs. Stiles at the wheel of this car and Johnny Lurani and Giulio Ramponi in two others. The cars were driven back to England, where 0312873 was sold to Edgar Fronteras and registered GU9699.
Fronteras was invited to participate as a “works” driver in the Junior Car Club’s Double Twelve Hour race at Brooklands in May, 1929. He placed 12th, while Ramponi won outright. Ramponi later took a 6th on the Tourist Trophy Ards circuit. The car appeared at Shelsley Walsh in the same year and at Brooklands in 1930 before being retired. At some time during its racing career, the original engine was replaced with the powerplant from 0312872. In 1933, the car was rebodied as a two-seater by Freestone & Webb, then sold to Mrs. Beryl Leitch, who kept the car until 1937. After the war, Mic Comber rebodied it to its original Zagato configuration. After being campaigned throughout England and Europe, the car was sold to a Japanese collector in 1989. Remaining with the car are its V5 registration document, old log books, FIA and FIVA identity documents. While presently equipped with an SU carburetor, the original-type Memini is included.
{analysis} This Alfa sold for $230,683, including buyer’s commission, at the Brooks auction held on June 18, 1999 as part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, Sussex, England.
When Jano joined Alfa Romeo, his assignment was to create a Grand Prix car that could beat Fiat, then develop a passenger car along the same lines, as racing success generates sales. Jano’s P2 earned Alfa its Championship wreath in 1925 and sired the 6C1500 and 6C1750 cars which first appeared two years later. Among the 6C1500 model’s first wins, Enzo Ferrari led the field at Modena in 1927, with Marioni just behind in another unsupercharged 6C1500. Campari and Ramponi took a 1st overall with a supercharged model in the 1928 Mille Miglia. Other 1928 6C1500 wins included the Essex Six Hours at Brooklands and the Belgian GP at Spa. By 1929, the 1750s were dominant, but Ramponi still managed the win at the JCC Double Twelve with his 6C1500 Super Sport.
I have always felt that the soul of the Alfa Romeo mystique has been Jano’s 6Cs, which dominated the racecourses in their era, and set a reputation for lightness and performance that has carried Alfa through some very lean years indeed. The 6Cs were available as sedans, convertibles and roadsters, with single- or twin-cam engines, the latter with a supercharger option. The larger-displacement 1752cc cars have always been more popular, but the 1487cc version differs only in its slightly smaller bore and stroke.
The original engine configuration of the supercharged cars (3rd series) included a Memini carburetor on the driver’s (right-hand) side and a deeply-finned inlet pipe which did a U-turn over the top of the supercharger and then made a right-angle turn back along the head. A more direct path was adopted beginning with the 51st car of the 3rd series 6C1750, when the ports of the supercharger were swapped, echoing the layout of the P2.
After so many years, we’re pretty sophisticated about the differences between the P2s and the passenger 6Cs. This, I think, was not at all true of the motoring public in the early 1930s, most of whom would never have seen the P2’s straight-8 powerplant. One of the secrets of Jano’s early success may have been the widespread belief that the 6C cars were really road-going versions of the P2. Certainly, Varzi’s use of 1750 Gran Sport parts on his 1930 Targa Florio-winning P2 only confirmed this popular belief.
Although 0312873 now carries replica Zagato bodywork, English bodies on the 6C Alfas are not unknown. James Young bodied several phaetons and drophead coupes. It’s a shame that so many of these less sporting cars have been rebodied as Zagatos, primarily to increase their value. With its Freestone & Webb bodywork, this car would be even more rare, though certainly not more valuable.
The third series configuration is rare, and a third series 1500 SS is one of the rarest of Jano’s delectable confections. A large part of the value of this car is its well-documented provenance. Bless the Brits for their meticulous attention to the details of history. In this case, they have conserved an important Alfa icon. The price paid, while on the high side for a 1500cc SS, was fair given the outstanding history, beginning with the day it was delivered, of this particular car.-Pat Braden
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