1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B

The Alfa Romeo was a replacement for the 6C 1750 and interim 6C 1900, and combined race car engineering with grand touring styling. It was a more affordable alternative to the 8-cylinder Alfa Romeo and made its debut in 1934, ranking among the company's most memorable creations. Coachwork was provided by some of the finest coachbuilders of the era including Castagna, Zagato, Touring, Pinin Farina, and James Young. Three versions were offered including (in ascending order of specification and performance)Turismo, Gran Turismo and competition Pescara models.

Produced through 1938, 760 examples were of the rigid-axle 6C 2300 and 840 of the B-model (6C 2300B) with an independent front suspension and rear swing axle, along with hydraulic brakes.

The Alfa Romeo 6C
The '6C' name references the straight-6-cylinder engine and '2300' was for its displacement size (2,309cc). The first of the series was the 6C 1500 of 1927 which would set new standards for lightweight, high-performance motorcars. It combined a low and lightweight ladder-frame chassis suspended by semi-elliptic springs with a Vittorio Jano-designed, 1,487cc displacement engine. Several carrozzeria created coachwork for this chassis including Zagato whose Spiders would come to epitomize the springs 6C series.

A more powerful version, dubbed the 6C 1750, was introduced in 1929 with a displacement size of 1,752cc. It would win every major racing event it entered during the 1929 season, including the Grands Prix of Spain, Belgium, Tunis and Monza, along with the Mille Miglia, the Ulster TT, and the Brooklands Double Twelve. During the 1930 season, it won the Mille Miglia and Spa 24 Hours.

The final derivative of the original 6C 1500 arrived in 1933 before the arrival of the 6C 2300 the following year. Known as the 6C 1900, it was built solely on a 115-inch 'Gran Turismo' chassis. The 6C 1500 chassis had wheelbase sizes that ranged from 114.2 to 122 inches and the 6C 1750 had a 108.1 to 124.4-inch wheelbase platform.

The lightweight and performance credentials bestowed upon the 6C 1500 continued and evolved through 1750, 1900, 2300 and 2500 models.

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300
The 2300's six-cylinder DOHC 2,309cc engine featured an integrally cast crankcase and cylinder block topped by an aluminum-alloy cylinder head. The Turismo version produced 68 horsepower at 4,400 RPM and the Gran Turismo delivered 76 bhp at 4,400 RPM - both had a single carburetor. The Prescara had two carburetors and produced 95 horsepower at 4,500 RPM.

The 6C 2300 B was unveiled in 1936 at the Milan Auto Salon and broke new ground for the company with its independent suspension that lowered the center of gravity of the car and improved its handling. The introduction of hydraulic brakes was a vast improvement. The wheelbase of these cars was now standardized at 3 meters (118.1 inches), with the optional long (Lungo) chassis variant at 3.25 metres.

The independently sprung 6C 2300B were built through 1938, when they were re-badged from Turismo, Gran Turismo and Pescara to Lungo, Corto and Mille Miglia. The 'Mille Miglia' name was in recognition of Alfa Romeo's 1st in Class in 1936, 1937 and 1938 at the event. The Mille Miglia versions had 20 additional horsepower while the racing versions had 30 more hp. The increase was from a 7.75:1 compression ratio and twin single choke Solex 35-40FH carburetors driving through a 14/61 rear axle.

The 6C 2300 made an auspicious competition debut in 1934 at the Giro d'Italia when Gran Turismo models (forming the basis of the Pescara version with 95 horsepower) featuring tuned engines and special bodies placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd. At the 24 Ore di Pescara in August, three examples would finish the race in 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B was replaced by the 6C 2500, which would remain in production (albeit, halted during WWII) through 1952.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2023