1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Castagna Cabriolet

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 is considered one of the best sports cars built in its time. It was designed by Vittorio Jano, who created a straight-8-cylinder engine of light alloy with twin overhead camshafts, one carburetor, and a Roots supercharger on a stiff chassis. The engine was capable of 142 bhp and delivered speeds exceeding 100 mph. This particular example is a third series Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, one of 89 built in 1933 on a long chassis. Stylist Emilio Castagna of Milan's Carrozzeria Castagna & Company was responsible for the coachwork of this car. Castagna was famous for the luxury bodies it produced for major Italian and German automakers. Their work adorned upscale models such as Isotta Fraschini, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia.

Castagna bodied eight examples of the long-chassis 8C 2300, and each was built to order. This particular example is a four-seater on a third-series chassis. Work was completed in September 1933 and sold new to Erminio Cidonio, a resident of Ravenna, Italy, where it was first registered as 'RA 4373.' It remained in Sig. Cidonio's family's ownership until May 1937, when his brother Giovanni sold it to Giorgio Bottelli. About a year later, the Alfa was sold to a local dealer, Soc. An. Commercio Automobili Perugia, in August 1938. Oliviero Olivieri acquired the Castagna Cabriolet in March 1939 and registered it in Florence as 'FI 25681.' Near the onset of World War II in Europe, the Alfa Romeo was sold to an Englishman and was exported to England.

By June 1941, the Alfa Romeo was in the United States in New Jersey under the care of Frederick MacHugh, a US Navy lieutenant. Keeping it briefly, Mike Caruso of Long Island, New York, became the car's next owner. In March 1942, Haig Ksayian purchased the 8C from George Rand's New York City dealership and entrusted it to the Zumbach Motor Repair Company for service.

In 1951, Mr. Ksayian purchased a second 8C 2300 - a short-chassis Spider with Zagato coachwork. Since the Castagna Cabriolet was in better mechanical condition, driveline components were exchanged between the two cars. Shortly thereafter, the Castagna Cabrio was placed into storage, where it would reside for nearly four decades.

Mr. Ksayian retained both 2.3s until 2001, when they were sold to David Sydorick of Beverly Hills, California. Mr. Sydorick embarked on a restoration of the Zagato Spider, reuniting each 8C with its original driveline components during the process. The Castagna Cabriolet was sold in 2005. Its next owner, Ervin F. 'Bud' Lyon of New Hampshire, commissioned Paul Russell and Company of Essex, Massachusetts, to return the Alfa Romeo to its original splendor.

With assistance from 8C expert Simon Moore, it was determined that several period updates to the car had been performed, possibly by Castagna during the mid-1930s. Traces of the original body lines were discovered during the disassembly phase. Additional research and deliberation resulted in a decision to return the car to its original 1933 configuration, rather than its updated mid-1930s form.

Upon completion, the car wore a two-tone period color combination of dark blue and claret. The interior was given leather upholstery, a Bakelite steering wheel, and a correct cracked finish dashboard.

The Castagna Cabriolet made its restoration debut in 2008 at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it participated in the Tour d'Elegance® and won First in Class for European Classic Open 1922–1934. In 2009, This Alfa-Romeo was offered for sale by Gooding & Company at their Pebble Beach auction and sold for the sum of $4,180,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.

This Alfa Romeo is powered by a 2,335cc dual overhead camshaft inline eight-cylinder engine with a gear-driven Roots-Type supercharger and a single Memini carburetor. It produces 150 horsepower at 4,800 RPM. There is a four-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel mechanical drum brakes, and a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs and shock absorbers.