Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport
From 1927, Alfa Romeo offered the 6C as a new sports car. Initially, 29 kW/39 hp from 1.5 liters of displacement were available. Since the car was mainly intended as a vehicle for private racers, Alfa Romeo constantly developed it further. Soon there were Sport (40 kW/54 hp), Super Sport (44 kW/60 hp) and finally supercharged versions with up to 62 kW/84 hp. After 1,075 units, the 6C 1750 followed in 1929 with a corresponding displacement and at least 34 kW/46 hp in the Turismo version. The Gran Sport version with bodies by Zagato or Touring became particularly well known. At the same time as the Turismo, there were also the Sport (41 kW/55 hp) and Super Sport (48 kW/64 hp), the latter also being available with a supercharger (63 kW/85 hp). Only 121 examples of the Super Sport were built. The 6C was available until 1952 as 1900, 2300 and 2500 as well as some cars as 3000.
VIP customers bought this 6C 1750 Super Sport
One of these rare Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport cars will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s tonight. The two entrepreneur brothers Alfredo and Tito Nasturzio from Genoa were already important customers of the brand. In addition to several 6Cs, they also owned two 8C 2300 Zagato Spiders, two Tipo B Grand Prix race cars with fenders and road registration and two Monzas over the years. Alfredo took delivery of this new 6C 1750 Super Sport with chassis number 0312901 on May 13, 1929, selling the car to his brother seventeen months later. When in June 1931 two new 6C Gran Sport Series V were ready for them at the responsible dealer, the Super Sport changed into the hands of Gio Batta Barilaro. The latter sold the sports car six months later to Rosalino Arzani on the Ligurian coast. In September 1932 there were two more changes of ownership, bringing the car back to Genoa. From August 1933, Giovanni Caviglia took over the wheel for three years.
Export to South Africa
After two more owners in Italy, the Alfa Romeo moved to Durham in South Africa on January 30, 1939. There Gianni Vallero, an employee of the Italian Embassy, used it with the Italian license plates until May 30, 1942. Already at the time of export, the car wore a new body, probably made in 1938 by an Italian coachbuilder. Since it doesn’t have any doors, the client clearly wanted a pure road sports car. This is so clearly evident as the regulations for sports car racing required at least one door on the cars. On arrival in South Africa, the car was painted dark red and equipped with a supercharged engine. From 1950 on, the 6C was in the car collection of Dr. Hugh Gearing in Johannesburg for more than 60 years. He frequently used the car in local hill climbs and rallies. In 1992, he loaned his classic to Juan Manuel Fangio for some demo laps on the Kyalami circuit.
Restoration in the USA
In November 2012, the current owner took delivery of the 6C from Dr. Gearing’s estate. He had it taken to Automotive Restorations Inc. in Stratford, Connecticut, where he commissioned an extensive restoration. This three-year effort is extensively documented with pictures and invoices in a binder. In fact, the original engine with the correct engine number was still sitting in the vehicle. However, over the decades, previous owners had replaced the supercharger with a more powerful component, and the transmission was also no longer in the condition as delivered. In the course of the restoration, correct components were returned to the car. In 2015, the 6C claimed the “Most Elegant Sports and Racing Car” award at the Elegance at Hershey Concours. That was followed by a “Best of Class” title in the “Pre World War 2 Coachbuilt” category at the Lime Rock Park Historic Concours and “Best in Italian Class” at the Boston Cup. Now RM Sotheby’s expects between US$ 800,000 and US$ 900,000.
Images: RM Sotheby’s, Erik Fuller
