Alfa Romeo 6C

Alfa Romeo 6C 1750
Alfa Romeo 6C 1750
	1931 6C 1750 Super Gran Sport Testa Fissa[9]
Overview
Production	1929–1933
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door saloon; 4-door torpedo; 2-door cabriolet; 2-door spider;
Powertrain
Engine	1.7 L (1,752 cc) I6; 1.7 L (1,752 cc) supercharged I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,100 mm (122.0 in) Turismo[10]; 2,920 mm (115.0 in) Sport, G.T.[11]; 3,160 mm (124.4 in) G.T. Compr.[12]; 2,745 mm (108.1 in) S.S., G.S.[13];

Alfa Romeo 6C 1500
Alfa Romeo 6C 1500
	1929 6C 1500 Super Sport, 1929, in the Louwman Collection
Overview
Production	1927–1929
Powertrain
Engine	1.5 L (1,487 cc) I6; 1.5 L (1,487 cc) supercharged I6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,900 mm (114.2 in) 4-seater[1]; 3,100 mm (122.0 in) 6-str., Normale[1]; 2,920 mm (115.0 in) Sport, S.S.[2];

Alfa Romeo 6C
Alfa Romeo 6C
	1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Touring Superleggera Berlinetta
Overview
Manufacturer	Alfa Romeo
Production	1927–1954
Assembly	Italy: Portello, Milan
Body and chassis
Class	Luxury car; Sports car; Racing car
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	Straight-six
Chronology
Predecessor	Alfa Romeo RM
Successor	Alfa Romeo 1900

The Alfa Romeo 6C name was used on road, race, and sports cars produced between 1927 and 1954 by Alfa Romeo; the "6C" name refers to the six cylinders of the car's straight-six engine. Bodies for these cars were made by coachbuilders such as James Young, Zagato, Touring Superleggera, Castagna, and Pininfarina. Beginning in 1933 there was also a 6C version with an Alfa factory body, built in Portello. In the early 1920s Vittorio Jano received a commission to create a lightweight, high performance vehicle to replace the Giuseppe Merosi designed RL and RM models. The car was introduced in April 1925 at the Salone dell' Automobile di Milano as the 6C 1500. It was based on the P2 racing car, using a single overhead cam 1,487 cc in-line six-cylinder engine, producing 44 horsepower. In 1928 the 1500 Sport was presented, which was the first Alfa Romeo road car with double overhead camshafts.

6C 1500 (1927–1929)

In the mid-1920s, Alfa's RL was considered too large and heavy, so a new development began. The 2-litre formula that had led to Alfa Romeo winning the Automobile World Championship in 1925, changed to 1.5-litres for the 1926 season. The 6C 1500 was introduced in 1925 at the Milan Motor Show. Series production started in 1927,[3] with the P2 Grand Prix car as a starting point. Engine capacity was now 1,487 cc, as against the P2's 1,987 cc, while supercharging was dropped. First versions were bodied by James Young and Touring Superleggera.

In 1928, the 6C Sport model was released, with a dual overhead-camshaft engine. Its sport version won many races, including the 1928 Mille Miglia. Total production was 3,000 (200 with DOHC engines). Ten examples of a supercharged (compressore, compressor) Super Sport variant were also built.[4]

6C 1500 James Young Drophead Coupe, 1928
6C 1500 Sport Zagato Spyder, 1928
Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Sport, Boris Ivanowski and Attilio Marinoni, winners of the 1928 24 Hours of Spa.

Specifications

Model	Years	Crankcase/block/head construction	Valvetrain	Compr. ratio	Fuel system	Peak power	Top speed
Normale[1]	1927–29	Alum./iron, monobloc	SOHC	5.75:1	Single carburettor	44 bhp (33 kW) at 4,200 rpm	110 km/h (68 mph)
Sport[5]	1928–29	Alum./iron/iron	DOHC	6.0:1	Single carburettor	54 bhp (40 kW) at 4,500 rpm	125 km/h (78 mph)
Super Sport[6]	1928–29	Alum./iron/iron	DOHC	6.75:1	Twin choke carburettor	60 bhp (45 kW) at 4,800 rpm	125 km/h (78 mph)
Super Sport Compressore[6]	1928–29	Alum./iron/iron	DOHC	5.25:1	Single carburettor, supercharger	76 bhp (57 kW) at 4,800 rpm	140 km/h (87 mph)
Super Sport Testa Fissa[7]	1928–29	Alum./iron, monobloc	DOHC	5.25:1	Single carburettor, supercharger	84 bhp (63 kW) at 5,000 rpm	155 km/h (96 mph)

Production

Alfa Romeo 6C 1500, production by model[8]
Model	4-seater	6-seater	Normale	Sport	Super Sport Compressore	Super Sport	Total
Series	I	I	II	II	II	II	I–II
Prod. years	1927–28	1927–28	1928–29	1928–29	1929	1929	1927–29
Prod. number	56	506	300	171	15	10	1,058

6C 1750 (1929–1933)

The more powerful 6C 1750 (1,752 cc actual) was introduced in 1929 in Rome. The car had a top speed of 95 mph (153 km/h), a chassis designed to flex and undulate over uneven surfaces, as well as sensitive geared-up steering.[14] It was produced in six series between 1929 and 1933. The base model had a single overhead cam. Super Sport and Gran Sport versions had a double overhead cam engine (DOHC). Again, a supercharger was available. Most of the cars were sold as rolling chassis and bodied by coachbuilders such as Zagato, and Touring Superleggera. Additionally there were 3 examples built with James Young bodywork, one of which is a part of the permanent collection at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, PA, USA, in original and unrestored condition.[14]

In 1929, the 6C won every major racing event in which it was entered, including the Grands Prix of Belgium, Spain, Tunis and Monza, and the Mille Miglia was won by Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi. The car also won the Brooklands Double Twelve and the Ulster TT. In 1930 the car again won the Mille Miglia and Spa 24 Hours.[15] Total production was 2,635.

Gallery of models

6C 1750 Gran Turismo Compressore Touring Superleggera, 1931
6C 1750 Gran Turismo Compressore, 1932
6C 1750 Gran Sport Zagato
Giuseppe Campari on Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Compressore; standing in centre (from left) Enzo Ferrari and Achille Varzi
Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Garavini
1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 by James Young
1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Touring Superleggera ‘Flying Star’ - built specifically for the 1931 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
1931 6C 1750 Gran Sport with bodywork by Walter Freund.

6C 1750 GS Zagato/Aprile

Lopresto's 6C 1750 GS Zagato-Aprile at Rétromobile, Paris, 2015.

The 1931 6C 1750 with license plate number "3710 SV" and chassis/engine number #10814331, which is currently owned by notorious rare car collector Corrado Lopresto, is a unique example, whose story is told in Lopresto's bilingual 2015 Skira book Best in Show – Capolavori dell'auto italiana dalla collezione Lopresto – Italian Cars Masterpieces from the Lopresto Collection.

The English-language section about this car tells:

Born with a spyder body by Zagato, this car is a 6C 1750 Gran Sport with Compressor, the sportiest version of the Milanese 6-cylinder, and was sold new to Giovanni Battista Aldo Barabini of Genova in 1931.
After several changes of ownership the car goes back to Alfa Romeo, to be resold in 1933 to Dino Carabba, who in 1934 enrolls in the Varese-Campo dei Fiori [rally], coming in fourth in class and eleventh overall.
In those years, the 6C probably runs in minor races, changing hands three times before being sold to the body shop Giuseppe Aprile of Savona, in August 1938. Less than a year after, the car is purchased by Brunello Feltri of Altare, province of Savona, but meanwhile, Aprile has completely rebuilt the body of the car with a new ["more" is written here in the Italian-language section] modern and elegant look.
The design, so well executed, indicates the work of the most famous designer of that time: Mario Revelli di Beaumont, father of this and many other beautiful bodies.
The car so transformed survives the war unscathed and changes ownership again in 1956, in Liguria, where it remains still today, rediscovery yet in order [sic],[16] although with some modifications.
The painstaking restoration work has restored it to its original splendor, as well conceived by Revelli: a unique car that blends the great elegance to the sporty temperament of mechanics.

A plush version of the car, manufactured by Vitale Barberis Canonico, was also given, together with the book, to some of Lopresto's friends.