Beschreibung
For sale in our forthcoming auction during Le Mans Classic, on 30 June 2023:
Unregistered
Chassis n° 0110910
Engine n° 0110882
- Significant milestone in Alfa Romeo history
- Designed by Vittorio Jano, 6-cylinder with single overhead camshaft engine
- Beautiful condition
The first part of this car's existence is not known with certainty. According to a previous owner (with no actual evidence), it was sold new in April 1928 by the make's importer Juan Roccatagliata in Argentina to a man named Mr. Pertoni. There is an invoice relating to this matter but it cannot be formally linked to this car.
In 1970, it seems to have been bought by Carlos Pires, President of the local Chamber of Commerce, who modified the bodywork and installed an engine of the correct type. This Alfa Romeo was then apparently sold in the 1990s to the Swiss dealer Albrecht Guggisberg, who brought it to Europe at that time.
The story becomes a lot clearer from 2006, as described by Cristian Bertschi who is a specialist in pre-war Alfa Romeo vehicles and cars delivered in South America. He stated that his first encounter with this Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 was in Argentina at a place called Pur Sang, a company renowned for building Bugatti replicas. In a healthy appearance and all in one piece, apart from its missing number plates, it had been given to Pur Sang as payment for the purchase of another car.
According to a report by the Argentinean Register, it was sold on 27th January 2009 and then registered in Argentina on 6th July 2010 in the name of Pablo Marcelo Villanueava, under the registration IZU 498. But between 2006 and this purchase, the bodywork was offered separately for sale. Cristian Bertschi gave an explanation on this matter: "During a conversation in February 2009 with Keith Duly at Retromobile, he asked me to get in touch with Pur Sang to buy the bodywork. I had a few mail correspondences in March with Carolina Battista from Pur Sang, who offered to sell the bodywork, but also the complete car. It's very strange that the bodywork was removed and left outside during this period, as indicated in some pictures".
Anyway, the car was complete when it was displayed at the 2011 edition of Autoclassica, a concours d'elegance organised by the Club de Automoviles Clasicos de San Isidro in Buenos Aires (Argentina). It was then well presented and in good condition. On the 28th September 2012, Villanueva sold the car to Alberto Mieres, who carried out some cosmetic improvements and took part in the Desafio Vintage hosted by the Club de Automoviles Clasicos de la Republica Argentina on 9th July 2015. It is worth mentioning that Alberto Mieres is a member of the Club de Automoviles Sport and also a relative of Roberto Mieres, an Argentine racing driver who raced in several Formula 1 Grand Prix events in the 1950s. And in January 2018, the car was finally exported in Europe.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 is an interesting car, as it was the first in the line of 6C 1500 Sport, 6C 1750 Sport and Grand Sport, followed by the 8C. With this model, Alfa Romeo wanted to expand its customer base while avoiding taxes aimed at cars with bigger engines. In charge of designing the car, Vittorio Jano came up with a light chassis on which he fitted a 6-cylinder engine of 1, 500 cc with a non-detachable cylinder head, an overhead camshaft operated by a vertical shaft and bell crank and two carburettors. The prototype was unveiled in April 1925 and deliveries of the production model started in 1927. The first 6C 1500 examples were named "NR", in honour of Nicola Romeo who had saved the factory and encouraged this project. Its 6-cylinder 1500 engine enabled it to reach 110 km/ h, a speed attained only by sports cars at the time and it didn't take long before it was entered in racing events: one of its first victories in Modena in 1927 was won by… Enzo Ferrari.
This model was available in two chassis lengths and this particular car, likely to be authentic, was fitted with a short version. It has a 6C 1500 engine, as well as an elegant and light bodywork respective of the original model. It will enable its new owner to fully enjoy the assertive personality of an Alfa Romeo, which not only constitutes a significant milestone in the brand's history but also offers road qualities that are just waiting to be experienced, on the road or on track.
Photos © Sian Loyson
Estimate: €220 000 / € 260 000
