Beschreibung:

1931/33 ALFA ROMEO 8C - 17/50 LE MANS Registration No. DYE 484 Chassis No. 101014852 Engine No. 2211136 Italian racing red with black seats, upholstery and hood. Engine: 8 cylinder in-line, twin overhead camshafts, 2.6 litres producing 165bhp at 5,000rpm; Gearbox: four speed manual; Suspension: front, semi-elliptic leaf springs, beam axle, rear, semi-elliptic leaf springs, live axle; Brakes: Four-wheel drum, mechanically operated. Right hand drive. This very interesting Alfa Romeo "Special" has a fascinating history, incorporating pre-war racing activity in European events. The car started life as a long-chassis late series Gran Turismo type with drophead coupe coachwork by Castagna, which was purchased in 1950 by the well-known Alfa afficionado Viscount Ridley, who found it heavy and underpowered. As a result he located an 8C engine and gearbox with the London dealer and motor racer Jack Bartlett, which he discovered could be simply installed in his chassis, which bore a remarkable similarity to the 8C production models, with larger brakes and heavier springing. Having purchased the engine, gearbox and steering box, he discovered that it was not a 2.3 but a 2.6 racing engine from one of the original factory-produced "Monza" machines, which had enjoyed considerable success in pre-war European events. In addition, to accomodate the extra power of the motor, Ridley fitted a higher axle ratio of 12/52, together with alloy brake-drums as on the sports models, and having stripped the engine and rebuilt it found it bored out to 2.7 litres and producing 165bhp at 5,000rpm. He used it extensively until his death whereafter it passed through several owners, latest of whom had access to the Leslie Hawthorn Le Mans-winning car, which was then on loan to the Montagu Motor Museum, from which he carefully copied the body style to produce the attractive coachwork which it bears today. The vendor has owned the car for twenty years during which it has been carefully maintained in company with other historic cars and although sparingly used latterly, has competed in many European and International rally events during his ownership. It is in running condition and is offered with a selection of spare parts including a pair of new machined cylinder heads and inlet manifolds. A dossier on the car includes the full racing history of the mechanical components, as well as details of its erstwhile origins, with all numeration carefully listed. According to historian Simon Moore's research the Monza engine was the original power-plant in chassis no. 2211136, which was supplied from the factory to a Mr. Walthausen of Liechtenstein, who with his friend Villars founded the Ecurie Versoix team, based in Switzerland. They ran two Monza Alfa Romeos shared between the two drivers, making it impossible to know exactly which car each drove, but they competed extensively across Europe during the 1933 season with varying successes until Walthausen was killed during the Marseille Grand Prix in August. Thereafter Villars lost interest and sold up the team cars and spares - the second Alfa Romeo being sold to Swiss driver Ulrich Maag, who shared the drive with Hans Ruesch in the Mille Miglia of 1934, where they failed to finish after an impressive early showing. For the 1935 event the car was entered by Ruesch, co-driving with Guatta, and they finished a creditable fourth. Following this it passed on to another Swiss driver, Emilio Rampinelli, who raced it in local events before the war and then it appears to have been broken up, as the engine was acquired by Jack Bartlett in London, from whom it was purchased by Lord Ridley, who installed it into his Castagna bodied drophead coupe. He relates the story briefly in a note dated 10th February 1964. "The car is not standard, I bought it in 1950 as a long chassis 17/50, I think it was called the Gran Turismo, and said to have been made in 1937. It had a supercharged 6-cylinder 1750cc engine, but the car was much