1969 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 Sports Racer

In the immediate post-World War II era, Alfa Romeo was one of the strongest manufacturers in motor racing. Then, in the late 1940s and during the first couple of years in the 1950s, Alfa Romeo was absolutely dominant. In grand prix racing, its 158 and 159 Alfetta was certainly the car to have in the new Formula One World Championship. However, after 1951, Alfa Romeo would withdraw from racing to focus on road car production. The hiatus wouldn't last all that long though, and soon, Alfa Romeo would be dominating its class in endurance sports car racing.

After leaving motor racing with its withdrawal from the Formula One World Championship at the end of the 1951 season, Alfa Romeo would be absent from motor racing until 1963 when it returned with its TZ1 model with its Zagato-designed body. The process of Alfa's return to motor racing had been rather slow and very intentional. And it would pay off. By 1968, just five years after returning to motor racing, Alfa Romeo would sweep its class at Le Mans. The car that would achieve the feet would be the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2.

The 33/2 was certainly a strong performer earning victories in the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Daytona, Nurburgring and Monza. However, the car just could not compete with the likes of Porsche's 908 and Ferrari's 512. Both of those cars utilized engines larger than 2.2-liters, whereas the Tipo 33/2 only used a 2.0-liter engine. Therefore, the car was very competitive, if not dominant, within its class, but it certainly struggled to match the pace of the Porsches and the Ferraris.

Something had to be done about that. And in 1969, Alfa Romeo would debut its Tipo 33/3. While the design of the car would certainly change, the biggest departure from the 33/2 would be the use of a 3.0-liter engine capable of producing some 400 bhp. Now, Alfa would find itself in the same league as the Porsche and the Ferrari.

Despite making the move to the 3.0-liter category, no Tipo 33/3 would be entered in the 24 Hours of Daytona. Tragedy would strike at Sebring when Lucien Bianchi died during practice. The tragedy would lead the team not to enter the 24 Hours of Le Mans for 1969. Instead, 33/3s would only take part in smaller endurance races and would come away with a couple of victories. Still, the team would end up 3rd in the championship.

1970 would hold any greater promise as Porsche and Ferrari would move into the 5.0-liter category thereby only increasing the divide between themselves and Alfa Romeo. Besides a class win in the 1000km of Zeltweg, the greatest achievement the team would have in 1970 would be its role it played in the film Le Mans.

1971 would see Alfa Romeo'a 33/3 return the team to successful ways with class victories in numerous events. This would be helped by the move to a five-speed gearbox and many unreliability issues being resolved. But still, Alfa could not compete regularly against the likes of Porsche and Ferrari. Therefore, the surprise victory by de Adamich and Pescarolo in the 1000km of Brands Hatch over the powerful Porsche 917s would be truly something special.

Throughout the years of competition with the 33/3 and all previous models, Autodelta was the official factory effort and one of its 33/3 chassis, chassis number 23, would be made available for auction at RM Auctions' event in Monaco. Held at the Grimaldi Forum in 2012, RM Auctions would present to the public a virtually untouched original Sports Racer that actually saw competition and actually still appears to have just come away from the track.

Chassis 23 had been sold in 1973 by Autodelta S.p.a. to Milan's Weiss-Siam company. Although usually difficult to track because of Carlo Chiti's habit of keeping detail within his own memory, this particular chassis is known to be sold for 5,000,000 lire and was sold to Weiss-Siam, which was a company responsible for importing Koni shock absorbers into Italy.

Again, while exact records are difficult to come by there are hints within the chassis itself that suggest the car had been used throughout the 1970 season by Piers Courage and de Adamich. Some of the highlights the two drivers managed to earn throughout the 1970 season included a 13th place result overall at the 1000km of Monza, an 8th overall at the 12 Hours of Sebring, a 6th at the 1000km of Buenos Aires and a victory in the 200 miles of Buenos Aires race.

After being campaigned, apparently, during the 1970 season, chassis number 23 would be sold in 1973 and would remain in a private collection for some thirty years. Throughout this thirty year period the car would remain untouched and highly original, a true time capsule.

Then, after thirty years of being part of a single private collection, the car would be sold in 2003 to only its second private owner. Moved by the highly original state, confirmed by numerous photographs and other information, the new owner couldn't be moved to do anything to the car and elected to leave it in its unaltered state as well.

One year later, the car would be sold again. At that time the car would be imported to the U.K. and would take its place in yet another private collection. Then, in 2006, Pearsons Engineering Ltd. would be commissioned to restore the car with the main focus being to keep the car's high originality. This would induce an extensive process that would start out with examination of the car and other research. Gerry Pearson would then set about carefully dismantling the car taking out its engine and gearbox. This would be just the beginning as Pearson would then turn to removing the suspension and the fuel cells.

Instead of replacing components, Pearson would thoroughly test them and focused on returning them to service with the car if it was at all possible. This meant the chassis and all of its components would be ultrasonically cleaned and rebuilt. In total, the inspection and restoration would cost nearly £100,000. But what would result would be a car of incredible originality, a true look back into the world of endurance sportscar racing from the early 1970s.

Expected to earn between 725,000 and 825,000 EUR at auction, chassis 105 800 23 is certainly one of the marquee Alfa Romeo racing automobiles in the world. Drawing from a lineage that includes the famous 158 and 159, this Tipo 33/3 Sports Racer, with its beautifully flowing nose and brawny backside is certainly an evocative machine and would be a proud and prominent feature in any collection, especially amongst those in which Alfa Romeo is so dear.

Sources:
'Lot No. 373: 1969 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 Sports Racer', (http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r335). RM Auctions. http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=MC12&CarID=r335. Retrieved 14 May 2012.

'Le Mans 1968-1971—List of Races', (http://www.racingsportscars.com/races/search.html?track=Le%20Mans&from=1968&to=1971). Racing Sports Cars. http://www.racingsportscars.com/races/search.html?track=Le%20Mans&from=1968&to=1971. Retrieved 14 May 2012.

'Drivers: Piers Courage', (http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Piers-Courage-GB.html). Racing Sports Cars. http://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/Piers-Courage-GB.html. Retrieved 14 May 2012.

'Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 (105-33)', (http://www.alfa-models.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=91). Alfa-Models.com. http://www.alfa-models.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=91. Retrieved 14 May 2012.

'1968 Alfa –Romeo Tipo 33/2 News, Pictures and Information', (http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10330/Alfa-Romeo-Tipo-33/2.aspx). Conceptcarz.com: From Concept to Production. http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z10330/Alfa-Romeo-Tipo-33/2.aspx. Retrieved 14 May 2012.

By Jeremy McMullen