 1959 Sprint Zagato |
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1960 Alfa Romeo Sprint Zagato news, pictures, and information | ||
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 |  |  | Coupe Coachwork: Zagato Chassis Num: AR 00126 00051 Engine Num: AR 00120 00175 |
| Sold for $332,795 (€257,600) at 2012 RM Auctions. | |||
Boasting of elements from Alfa's extensive racing heritage, and yet, having supple and appealing lines, it would be little wonder the Sprint Zagato would be one of the most desirable of the Giulietta line.
Much of the draw and exciting surrounding the car would be the sheer amount of time Zagato would spend on each and every body that would be mated to the Alfa Romeo chassis. Apparently no fewer than 300 hours would be spent refining and making sure each body fit perfectly with its mate. For this reason alone it would not be at all surprising that just 200 examples were ever to be produced. And even smaller number of these would be the long-tailed 'Coda Tronca'.
Known as the 'Coda Tonda', the Sprint Zagato would be sporty enough to take to the race track. And many of the 200 produced would see time on the track. Unfortunately, that would mean many would not return with hardly any original equipment, or, they would not return at all.
Offered at RM Auctions' event at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco would be a rather rare Sprint Zagato. Of the 200 produced, chassis AR 00126 00051 would not see one moment on the race track, and therefore, would be one of the lucky ones to retain its original 135 bhp, 1300 cc inline four-cylinder engine.
This particular chassis was originally delivered to a Mr. Philip Vyvyan of London, England. Originally finished in Rosso Alfa Romeo and the traditional black interior, the car would be registered in the UK in February of 1961. Amazingly, the car still bears the same registration number it received all the way back in 1961. The owner, Mr. Vyvyan would keep the car away from the tough riggers of racing and would only use the car as a road car.
In 1965, the car would be sold via Taylor and Crawley, two London-based dealers, to another Brit, Michael William Stow of Henley-on-Thames. A Cambridge man by the name of Richard Anthony Springett would be the next to own the car before it was purchased by an Italian collector in the 1990s.
When the car was purchased it almost immediately underwent restoration. The majority of the car had never been touched ever since it left Zagato new back in '61. Therefore, the car had need of some restoration. However, while the restoration would get underway, it would never reach its destination. Still, the car remained with the Italian collector.
After much persuasion, and a lot of other efforts, the car would finally be sold to its current owner. The current owner of 00051 was certainly familiar with the car having owned three other examples, including a Sprint Zagato 'Coda Tronca' and a 'Low Nose' Giulietta SS. The restoration would be completed by an Italian specialist while under its new ownership. And while the process would take a long while, the restoration would bring back to life 00051 in all its former glory including its Rosso livery and black interior.
Boasting its original UK plates, this sprightly red machine would remind all of the pride many share for Alfa Romeo. And in many ways, the car is the perfect mate. It truly is Romeo's Juliet.
The clean and un-abused nature of the car would lend to 00051 earning a sale price of 257,600 EUR at the auction in May of 2012.
Sources:
'Lot No. 347: 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato 'Coda Tonda'', (http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r352&Currency=EUR). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r352&Currency=EUR. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
Acuna, Evan. '1959 Alfa-Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce News, Pictures and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z8946/Alfa-Romeo-Giulietta-Sprint-Veloce.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z8946/Alfa-Romeo-Giulietta-Sprint-Veloce.aspx. Retrieved 16 May 2012. By Jeremy McMullen
 | Coupe Coachwork: Zagato |
Feezell raced the car in many SCCA races throughout the Southeast from 196 to 1968 in classes C-Production to F-Production. After being sold in St. Louis, the SZ passed through a succession of owners. It ended up in a chicken coop in Baltimore, MD, where it remained for almost thirty years. The present owner found and purchased the car in 2000 and had it restored by KTR of Ayer, MA. The current owner races it today with VSCCA.
 |  |  | Coupe Coachwork: Zagato |
Legendary coachbuilder Zagato created a special version of the Giulietta for use in competition. The result was dubbed the Sprint Zagato, commonly referred to as the 'SZ'. This creation was built atop of the shorter Giulietta chassis and given the mechanical prowess of the Sprint Veloce. The aluminum body panels were hand formed at Zagato's workshop using designs by Franco Scaglione of the Bertone Studio. The aluminum bodies were placed on the space-frame chassis and given weight-saving perspex side windows. The interior was void of non-essential items resulting in a very lightweight vehicle.
The public was given an opportunity to view the SZ in all its glory at the 1960 Geneva Motorshow. There were a total of 200 examples created with the final 30 receiving a longer tail called the 'Coda Tronca.' This, along with its shortened body, was done in hopes of slicing through the air in a more efficient fashion. Other improvements included disc brakes in the front, a lower roof, cut-off Kamm tail and a front air intake that had been narrowed.
By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2008
The public was given an opportunity to view the SZ in all its glory at the 1960 Geneva Motorshow. There were a total of 200 examples created with the final 30 receiving a longer tail called the 'Coda Tronca.' This, along with its shortened body, was done in hopes of slicing through the air in a more efficient fashion. Other improvements included disc brakes in the front, a lower roof, cut-off Kamm tail and a front air intake that had been narrowed.
By Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2008
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 1960
Alfa Romeo
models |
| Alfa Romeo 2000 |
| Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider |
| Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Citroen | Fiat |
| Lancia | Morgan |
| Opel | Peugeot |
| Renault | Seat |
| Skoda | Vauxhall |
| Similarly Sized Vehicles from 1960 |
| Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider |
| Elva MKV |
| Jaguar E2A |
| Nash Metropolitan |
| Saab 93F |
| Saab 95 |
| Saab 96 |
| Simca Aronde Montlhery |
| Alfa Romeo: 1950-1960 |
| 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 |
| 1959 Sprint Zagato |
