Alfa Romeo's racing career really began to take off seriously in 1924, at which time Giuseppe Meurosi (previously with Bianchi), who had been Chief Designer since 1910, was still at the helm.
Alfa Romeo's racing career really began to take off seriously in 1924, at which time Giuseppe Meurosi (previously with Bianchi), who had been Chief Designer since 1910, was still at the helm.
Alfa Romeo's racing career really began to take off seriously in 1924, at which time Giuseppe Meurosi (previously with Bianchi), who had been Chief Designer since 1910, was still at the helm.
His place was taken in 1926, however, by Vittorio Jano, who introduced a range of touring and Sportscar designs with single and twin overhead camshaft six-cylinder engines - initially of 1,500 cc, and latterly in 1,750 cc guise. The legendary Zagato-bodied twin cam supercharged 1750 GS was capable of 95mph from an output of just 85 bhp.
The car pictured here was imported into the UK in 1950, and is believed to have been previously in Eritrea, North Africa. It was registered LVO 891 at the time of importation. The chassis started life as a 1930 (and thus true vintage) single-camshaft-engined Turismo, with a 3.1-meter (10 ft. 2 in.) wheelbase. Sometime prior to its importation, however, it was shortened to about 2.75 meters (9 ft.) and it was fitted with an amateur-built sports body.
The car was acquired, unrestored and incomplete, sometime around 1978 by Tony Hill of Swindon, and over the following ten years a painstaking restoration was undertaken by Keith Bowley of Ashton Keynes Restorations. This included new cross shaft gears complete with hood frame, engine rebuild, supply of correct supercharger and much other work. Up until May 1988 some $54,400 had been expended, including the purchase of the unrestored car, and another $5,760 was subsequently spent on the supercharger in July 1988.
Since that time, many more thousands of dollars have been expended to complete the car, with over $7,000 for parts alone. All the bills for work done come with the car, together with some engineering drawings, and the restoration was finally completed after a total of fourteen years, in 1992. The restoration was completed by RMS Engineering of Silverstone for the present owner, who purchased the car unfinished two and a half years ago. Work done by RMS included fitting new steel and bronze cross shafts from Frenchay Garage, the fitting of a brand new cylinder head in aluminum, made in Italy and featuring larger valves, and the installation of sealed bearings in the supercharger. Original correct Bosch headlamps, a correct steering wheel and pedals are all features of the car, as are correct battery boxes at the rear, and the car comes with Dunlop racing tires on the four road wheels and a set of tools.
Paintwork in Alfa red is excellent, and the tan leather upholstery and tan carpets are new. The car has the four-speed gearbox, and it starts "on the button" and goes well. The clutch improves every time the car is driven and is bedding down well, and the car has attended a number of VSCC meetings successfully. The new cross shafts are working beautifully.
Apart from the upright touring radiator, there is little to distinguish the car from a true Grand Sport, and the standard of restoration throughout is at an extremely high standard and incorporating as many correct parts and features as possible.
{analysis} This attractive but un-original Alfa brought $103,960 on 23 June 1995 at the Brooks Goodwood auction. While the quality of the restoration was high, and all the right bits in place, the fact remains that this car is nearly a "special," with a shortened chassis and an altered engine. Nonetheless, the new owner should be able to enjoy themselves at any number of vintage outings for half the price of a true 1750 GS. - ED.{/analysis}