1931 6C 1750  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
Image credits: © Alfa Romeo.
1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
 |  |  | Spyder Designer: Zagato Chassis Num: 8513033 Engine Num: 8513033 |
| Sold for $1,107,000 at 2008 Bonhams. Sold for $1,107,000 at 2008 Bonhams. | |||
This was the latest iteration of the gifted Vittorio Jano's 6C series, a supercharged version of the 1750cc engine. In 1930, the 6C 1750 could be purchased in one of three versions - a naturally-aspirated Turismo featuring a single overhead camshaft, and the 2nd and 3rd series twin-cam Super Sport available with or without a supercharger and the 4th series supercharged Gran Sport.
Both of the supercharged versions were fitted with Alfa-built twin-lobe Roots-type blowers. The difference between the Gran Sport and the Super Sport was the supercharger - the Super Sport has a smaller, geared-up supercharger. The Gran Sport version was driven at engine speed which eliminated the high-pitched supercharger while. The GS produced 102 horsepower at 5000 RPM and fitted into a wheelbase that measured 1.745m. The engine was mounted 15-inches back, in the frame, with a sloping radiator mounted in front.
Chassis number 8513033 was first registered on April 1st of 1930 with the Macerata provincial index 'MC 2012' which it still wears today. It wears a two-seater body which was built by Zagato. Most of the cars clothed by Zagato during the 1920s and 1930s were built on Alfa Romeo chassis.
Two weeks after receiving the car, Scarfiotti drove in the Mille Miglia road race as part of the Scuderia Ferrari Team. His co-driver and mechanic was Guglielmo Carraroli, who had been Enzo Ferrari's riding mechanic since the early 1920s.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750's swept the board in the Mille Miglia, with Nuvolari finishing first. The 1500cc version won its class. Even though the Alfa Romeo cars had much success in this race, none of the Scuderia Ferrari cars finished. Scarfiotti cars had been eliminated by a broken leaf spring.
Scarfiotti continued to race his Alfa during 1930 with several significant finished. He placed second overall and first in his class at the Colle di Paterno in July. He placed fifth overall in the Coppa Gran Sasso and fourth in the 12-mile Teramo-Civitella del Tronto hillclimb. Another fourth was earned in the Coppa Pierazzi.
The car returned to the Mille Miglia in 1931 with Scarfiotti at the wheel and under the banner of Scuderia Ferrari. His co-driver and mechanic was Piero Bucci. This time, the car emerged in sixth place overall, in 17 hours, 27 minutes, and 36 seconds. It was just 1 hour and 17 minutes behind the winning SSK Mercedes driven by Rudi Caracciola. It finished three places and 21 minutes ahead of Tazio Nuvolari who was driving an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300.
Scarfiotti sold his 6C 1750 GS back to Alfa Romeo in 1932. It was re-registered 'as new' two months later to the Scuderia Ferrari with two-seat spider bodywork. It was registered to the Alfa Romeo company in Milan on May 18th of that year, but its subsequent history is unclear. It was 'discovered' in Modena in the early 1960s. It was brought to a restoration shop in Florence for re-commissioning. It is believed another restoration was completed by Autofficina Faralli, near Pisa, Italy, in 1999. In 2005, the car came to the United States and has since been part of a collection in Texas.
In 2008, this GS Spyder was offered for sale at the 'Quail Lodge, A Sale of Exceptional Motorcars and Automobilia' presented by Bonhams Auction. The lot was sold for $1,107,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
 |  |  | Spyder Designer: Zagato Chassis Num: 8513053 |
In competition, the 6C-1750 was quite possibly the most successful car/chassis ever manufactured by Alfa Romeo. In addition to winning the 1929 Mille Miglia, twenty-five out of twenty-six supercharged 1750s completed the 1000 mile course. During the 1930 Mille Miglia, the 1750 would sweep the first four places in the race and would become known for an epic 6C-1750 duel between Nuvolari and Varzi. Nuvolari overtook Varzi in the pre-dawn with his 1750's headlights switched off and continued to win the race with a finishing time of 6 hours 18 minutes 59 seconds (averaging 62.78 mph) making the 6C-1750 the first car to ever complete the 1000 mile Mille Miglia Race averaging over 100 kph. Other victories included the 1929 and 1930 24-Hours of Spa, 1930 Tourist Trophy, several World Speed Records (2000cc class) at Montlhery, France in 1931 (including 1000 kilometers @ 97.1 mph, 4000 Mile Record @ 93.97 mph and 48 Hour Record @ 94.4 mph) as well as winning numerous other Road Races, and Hillclimbs.
The Red Headlight covers (removed at night) served several purposes and were used by most Alfa Romeos competing in the pre-war Mille Miglia Races. Being an open road race, the covers protected the headlights from flying rocks, allowed the cheering crowds to easily identify an Alfa as it approached and could be used to distract non-Alfa competitors turning on those big 12V Bosch lights and tailgating the opposing car.
This particular car won its class in the 1990 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and was also the recipient of Automobile Magazine's 'True Spirit Award' in 2003, for driving from San Francisco, racing in the Historic's and driving home again....all without using a trailer.
 |  |  | Spyder Designer: Zagato Chassis Num: 8513064 Engine Num: 8513064 |
| Sold for $1,265,000 at 2008 Gooding & Company. Sold for $1,169,160 (879,200) at 2010 RM Auctions. Sold for $990,000 at 2011 RM Auctions. | |||
At the Laguna Seca historic meet in 1985, Alfa Romeo was the featured maruqe. This 1750 was piloted by world champion Phil Hill in race to a very impressive fourth place finish overall. A short time later, it graced the lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
In 1986, the car was sold to Art Valdez who participated in the Mille Miglia Storica on three occasions. In the early 1990s, the car was sold to another Californian who showed the car at the 1998 Concorso Italiano.
In 2008, this 6C 1750 Series IV Gran Sport was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company Auction held in Pebble Beach, California. It was estimated to sell for $1,200,000 - $1,400,000. The lot was sold for an impressive $1,265,000, including buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2009
 |  |  | Spyder Designer: Zagato Chassis Num: 8513045 Engine Num: 8513045 |
The car is powered by a water-cooled, double-overhead-cam, 1752cc, 6-cylinder engine coupled to a four-speed manual transmission. The competition version developed as much as 102 horsepower at 5000 RPM. This car was so outstandingly successful not because of outright speed - its absolute maximum was 105 mph - but because it was reliable and exhibited superb road handling.
A total of 369 Super Sport and Grand Sport 6C 1750s were built. This Zagato-bodied two-seat spider is typical of the 6C 1750 Grand Sport.
 |  |  | Drop Head Coupe Coachwork: Castagna Chassis Num: 121215033 Engine Num: 121215033 |
| Sold for $744,688 (€560,000) at 2010 RM Auctions. Sold for $781,000 at 2012 Gooding & Company. | |||
This example (a 1933 model that is titled as a 1930), chassis number 121215033, is a very early 6th Series Grand Sport, of which only 44 were built. Introduced in 1933, these late-production 1750s received many of the features found on the new 6C 1900 GT, including a boxed chassis, third- gear synchromesh, a slightly taller radiator and updated instrumentation. The result of these improvements added greater comfort and mechanical sophistication, while retaining the sporting characteristics of the early models.
Castagna of Milan was tasked with outfitting this car with a Drop Head coupe body, reminiscent of the contemporary long-chassis 8C 2300s. In the back are dual rear-mounted spares and long, sweeping fender lines.
The car was discovered in the British Zone following World War II. It is believed that the car was built for a customer in Germany. The car was fortunate to survive the duration of the war, though it did receive a hole in the middle of the passenger door, which was caused by artillery fire.
The car was imported in the summer of 1955. On August 4th it was registered OMJ 480 to Chiltern Cars Ltd. and by the end of the month, it had been sold to Robert Thomas. It was acquired by George Simpson of Kent on September 5th of 1957 only to sell it to Frederick James Keeling a short time later. In June of 1959, it was acquired by Kenneth Koupal, by then the car had been refinished in red.
When Mr. Koupal moved to the United States, he brought with him. Once in the states, he dismantled the car with hopes of completing a comprehensive restoration. The car remained with him for more than four decades, though the restoration was never completed. The car was sold in 2002 to French collector Dr. Bruno Lafourcade.
Between 2003 and 2009, the car was given a complete restoration. Upon completion, the car was displayed at the 2010 Avignon Motor Festival as a tribute to Vittorio Jano's contributions to the centenary of Alfa Romeo.
The car was purchased by an American collector in 2010. The car is currently finished in black with contrasting red beltline and upholstery.
In 2012, this vehicle was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. The car had an estimated value of $750,000 - $850,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $781,000 inclusive of buyer's premium.
By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2012
 |  |  | Spyder Designer: Zagato |
The 6C 1750 Grand Sport benefitted from Vittorio Jano's brilliant engineering and design principles. One of the biggest changes introduced was a modified Roots-Type supercharger that operated at engine speed and with larger rotors. With no step gear, it ran slower and therefore spun the opposite direction which relocated the carburetor from the left to the right side of the manifold. With its supercharger, the 1750 Grand Sport was an invincible race car, one with ample torque for its small chassis.
The supercharged engine is a water-cooled, double-overhead-cam 6-cylinder, developing 85 horsepower and capable of 90 miles per hour when coupled to the four-speed manual transmission.
A total of 369 Super Sports and Grand Sport 6C 1750s were built.
In 1929 the 6C 1750 was created as a replacement for the aging 6C 1500. The name, 6C 1750, was a combination of the six-cylinder engine and the 1752 cc engine displacement. The 1750 continued the strong racing legacy Alfa Romeo had established with their P2 Grand Prix car and the 1500. The design for the Sport editions were simply yet sophisticated. They used a light frame coupled with a small inline-six cylinder supercharged engine capable of producing nearly 100 horsepower.
The 1750 was created in 1929 and produced until 1933, during this time nearly 2500 examples were created. There were six series each achieving a higher level of sophistication over the prior series. As was the case with many manufacturers at the time, Alfa Romeo supplied the rolling chassis and commissioned coachbuilders such as Zagato, Touring, Stablimenti Farina, Castagna, and James Young to finish the body. The result was a wide range of specifications and creativity.
The design was handled by Vittorio Jano, an individual Enzo Ferrari, an employee of Alfa Romeo, had been able to lure from Fiat. Jano had been tasked with designing the 6C 1500 which had been powered by a six-cylinder engine. He was then tasked with designing the 6C 1750 which was debuted at the 1929 Rome Motorshow. It shared many similarities with its predecessor; the biggest difference being an enlarged engine. Because of the larger engine it was capable of being outfitted with larger, heavier bodies.
The first version of the 1750 was the Turismo. The second version was the Sport which sat atop a shorter wheelbase and was given an improved engine. The most powerful and competitive versions of the 1750 was the Super Sport or Gran Sport. In this form they were often campaigned by the factory and privateers in a plethora of sporting events. They were equipped with supercharged engines and sat atop a short wheelbase. Most of the 360 examples received coachwork courtesy of Zagato, mainly because of the lightweight design. Only 44 examples of the sixth series Gran Sport were produced. The Gran Sport was successfully campaigned at events like the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Tourist Trophy where it emerged victorious.
In 1931 the 8C 2300 replaced the Gran Sport. The 1750 Gran Sport is one of the finest sporting examples of its time. The 1750 continued Alfa Romeo's reputation for fun-to-drive vehicles that were competitive and durable.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
The 1750 was created in 1929 and produced until 1933, during this time nearly 2500 examples were created. There were six series each achieving a higher level of sophistication over the prior series. As was the case with many manufacturers at the time, Alfa Romeo supplied the rolling chassis and commissioned coachbuilders such as Zagato, Touring, Stablimenti Farina, Castagna, and James Young to finish the body. The result was a wide range of specifications and creativity.
The design was handled by Vittorio Jano, an individual Enzo Ferrari, an employee of Alfa Romeo, had been able to lure from Fiat. Jano had been tasked with designing the 6C 1500 which had been powered by a six-cylinder engine. He was then tasked with designing the 6C 1750 which was debuted at the 1929 Rome Motorshow. It shared many similarities with its predecessor; the biggest difference being an enlarged engine. Because of the larger engine it was capable of being outfitted with larger, heavier bodies.
The first version of the 1750 was the Turismo. The second version was the Sport which sat atop a shorter wheelbase and was given an improved engine. The most powerful and competitive versions of the 1750 was the Super Sport or Gran Sport. In this form they were often campaigned by the factory and privateers in a plethora of sporting events. They were equipped with supercharged engines and sat atop a short wheelbase. Most of the 360 examples received coachwork courtesy of Zagato, mainly because of the lightweight design. Only 44 examples of the sixth series Gran Sport were produced. The Gran Sport was successfully campaigned at events like the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Tourist Trophy where it emerged victorious.
In 1931 the 8C 2300 replaced the Gran Sport. The 1750 Gran Sport is one of the finest sporting examples of its time. The 1750 continued Alfa Romeo's reputation for fun-to-drive vehicles that were competitive and durable.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2008
| WHAT IS THE MILLE MIGLIA? | |
 | Numerous attempts have been made to answer the question 'What exactly is the Mille Miglia?' and the responses have been carefully considered and contemplated. Many of the answers are more than valid, as they involve a Red Arrow race that encompasses a multitude of shades, facets and colors. According to the online encyclopedia known as 'Wikipedia', the Mille Miglia is defined as the following: 'The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times fro...[Read more...] |
| ICONIC BLOWER BENTLEYS PRIMED FOR MILLE MIGLIA CHALLENGE | |
 | Famous, supercharged Bentleys set for 1,000 mile Italian epic •'Bentley Boy' Tim Birkin's 1930 Le Mans racer leads charge •Original Bentley Motors 'demonstrator' completes team (Crewe, 14 May 2013) Bentley Motors will compete in this year's Mille Miglia with two unique 4 ½ litre Supercharged 'Blowers'; a 1930 Le Mans race car belonging to perhaps the most famous and daring of the Bentley Boys and a company demonstrator that is still going strong even after nine decades on the road. The N...[Read more...] |
| RM Announces Early Highlights For Sale During the Concorso D'Eleganza Villa D'Este Weekend | |
 | • RM Auctions returns to Cernobbio on Lake Como, Italy, on the 25th of May, for its biennial sale during the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este • Exclusive evening sale to a featured, elite, handpicked selection of approximately 40 blue-chip automobiles • Early attractions include a superb 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe, a historically significant 1947 Cisitalia 202 MM 'Nuvolari' Spider, a delectable 1930 Bugatti Type 46 Superprofile Coupe, and a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Open Tourer wit...[Read more...] |
| Lost Mercedes - Surfaces At Bonhams | |
 | One owner, unrestored, supercharged 'S' Type Mercedes to be sold by Bonhams at Goodwood Revival this autumn One of the greatest and most important motor car finds of the last decade, the 'Lost Mercedes' is to be offered at Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale on Saturday 15th September 2012. Bonhams announced today that it has been commissioned to sell a recently discovered 1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 'S' Type Sports Tourer which almost without precedent for motor cars of this type and d...[Read more...] |
| Bentley Ready For Classic Thousand Mile Challenge | |
 | •Iconic Bentley Blowers ready for great Mille Miglia adventure •Bentley Continental W12 and V8 models join historic cars in Italy (Crewe, England & Brescia, Italy. 16 May, 2012) W.O. Bentley's gift for creating cars that combined the speed of a thoroughbred racing machine with an enviable reputation for strength and comfort, allowing them to effortlessly cover hundreds of miles, is set to be underlined once again at the 2012 Mille Miglia when two 4½ litre Bentley Blowers take on the ...[Read more...] |
 1930
Alfa Romeo
models |
| Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Citroen | Fiat |
| Lancia | Morgan |
| Opel | Peugeot |
| Renault | Seat |
| Skoda | Vauxhall |
| Alfa Romeo: 1920-1930 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Other models by Alfa Romeo |
| 147 156 164 1750 1900 SS | 2000 24HP 2600 6C 8C | 8C 2600 90 Alfetta Arna BAT | Giulia Giulietta Junior Zagato Milano Montreal | P3 RL Spider Sprint Zagato SZ | Tipo 158 Alfetta Tipo 33 TZ |
| 1931 6C 1750 |
