1958 ATL Alfa Romeo 1900 Sport Prototipo
HIGHLIGHTS
- Stunning “one-off” custom coachwork
- Designed and built by Italian coachbuilder
- Alfa Romeo 1900 Super mechanical package
- 2.0-litre “dual plug” Alfa Romeo engine
- Twin Weber carburetors with velocity stacks
- Striking crowd pleaser everywhere it goes
SPECIFICATIONS
- All aluminum custom coachwork
- 2.0 litre Alfa Romeo DOHC, ‘twin-plug’ inline four-cylinder engine,
- twin Weber twin-choke carburetors, estimated at 130 HP
- four-speed manual gearbox,
- custom chassis with independent front suspension, four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes;
THE ALFA ROMEO 1900
The brainchild of renowned Italian engineer Orazio Satta, the Alfa Romeo 1900 series was a breakthrough achievement and set the standard for the Milanese company’s successes to come during the 1950s and 1960s. Debuted at the 1950 Paris Motor Show, the 1900 remains historic as the first Alfa Romeo model built entirely on a modern production line. Offered in a range of two- and four-door body styles, the 1900 was proudly advertised by Alfa Romeo as “…the family car that wins races,” following its successes in the punishing Targa Florio, Stella Alpina, and many other demanding European races and rallies. In addition to its responsive powerplant and excellent chassis design, the 1900 was designed from the outset for interpretation by the top Italian body designers and coach builders of the era including Bertone, Ghia, Pinin Farina, Touring, and Zagato, resulting in a wide range of custom-bodied 1900s ranging from elegant to decidedly sporting – all using the excellent mechanical engineering at the heart of the 1900.
THIS CAR
This unique “one-off” coach built car was created by Autotechnica del Lario in Lecco, Italy. The curvaceous, all-aluminum bodywork was crafted from 12/10-gauge panels and with its voluptuous, decidedly sexy lines, stands along with the best body designs of the 1950s, with styling cues reminiscent of Bertone’s Alfa Romeo 2000 Sportiva of 1954, Zagato’s 1950s designs, and Pinin Farina’s eventual Ferrari 250 GT SWB of the early 1960s. The quality and detailing of the coachwork of this vehicle is amply demonstrated by the 16 louvers cut into the hood, the five front-fender louvers, the competition-style wind deflector on the hood, the recessed registration-plate holder, and large competition-style fuel filler.
Power is provided by a 2.0-litre, DOHC engine from the Alfa Romeo 1900 Super of 1957. Sparking is provided by twin distributors and a ‘twin-plug’ cylinder head similar to those developed by legendary Italian racing engineer Virgilio Conrero for many of Alfa Romeo’s most successful racing cars of the 1950s and 1960s, including the TZ2. An electric fuel pump feeds the dual Weber carburetors mounting racing-style velocity stacks. A four-speed manual gearbox transmits the ample power output. The black interior is understood to be original to the car, comprising twin leather-trimmed bucket seats and transmission tunnel. The car remains mostly original, with select upgrades for touring enjoyment and safety including replacement of the original drum brakes with four-wheel discs. Weighing less than 1,800 pounds, the car has an estimated 130 horsepower on tap, endowing it with excellent power-to-weight and strong performance.
This car was discovered at an obscure auction it Italy in 2006 and imported to the United States that year, where it was held in a private collection until 2018. While only shown publicly on occasion, the car has never failed to generate the admiration of Italian sports-car enthusiasts everywhere it has appeared, at venues including Quail Lodge, the Palos Verdes Concours d’Elegance, and the Manhattan Beach Concours, where it received an award in May 2014 for Best Original/Preserved car. Titled in California as a 1958 Alfa Romeo, this stunning vehicle stands ready to provide a thrilling overall experience while honoring the best in Alfa Romeo engineering and the time-honored artistry of Italy’s designers and small custom coach builders.
SOLD