1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Spider

This 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, with registration GN 6076, won the 1931 LeMans 24-Hour race entered by Lord Howe and driven by Lord Howe and Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin of Great Britain. The race covered 1,875 miles at an average speed of 78.132 miles per hour. These vehicles were specially made for competition in this LeMans 24-Hour race and were the finest racing cars of the early 1930s. Nine of them were made (the second of four Le Mans Long Chassis Zagato Spiders), and four different teams won the Le Mans race consecutively between 1931 and 1934.

A twin-overhead cam, straight eight-cylinder engine divided into two blocks of four-cylinders, powers the car. The supercharged, 2,336 cc (2.3 liter), engine is rated at 180 horsepower and is coupled to a 4-speed transmission. It weighs 2,185 pounds and has a top speed of 135 mph. The chassis consisted of semi-elliptic suspension with a live rear axle, drum brakes, and wire wheels.

The Alfa also raced at the Tourist Trophy, Brooklands, and achieved a 3rd overall at the 1932 Spa 24 Hours before it was sold to Sir Malcolm Campbell in 1933. After surviving the war years in England, 1950 found the 8C on its way to New Zealand and a second racing career.

By 1971, 8C had moved to the United States where owners included Stephan Griswold and Paul Pappalardo. In the 1980s, the well-traveled Alfa returned to the United Kingdom in the hands of Alain de Cadenet and Peter Hannen before a trip to Australia. Following Australia, the 8C made a stop in Japan, and then finally returning to its current home in the United States in 2000.