02-15-2006, 08:27 AM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Southeast PA
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A strange ALFA for you history specialists.
Going way back when I lived in Westchester County, NY, my father and I would often visit the Vintage Car Store in Nyack, NY.
On one visit, in 1975, we saw a strange and interesting ALFA parked in the back, seemingly very neglected.
It was red, had the driver in the center and the engine, a 1900 CC 4-cylinder, directly in back of the driver.
A salesman told us it was a one off factory prototype and was to be scrapped.
Can anyone into ALFA history recall this odd car?
Bob Z.
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02-15-2006, 08:43 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Los Angeles
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whoah.. Ive seen a dual engined alfa, one in front, one behind the driver.. this sounds cool though!
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02-15-2006, 09:19 AM
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Hi, Henry - This car, although not the typical ALFA stunner, was just plain fascinating. Seems like the gearbox was behind the rear axle.
The windshield was just a flat peice of glass in a flimsy looking frame!
As I recall, there was a passenger seat on each side of the driver's seat but iImay be wrong there.
Bob Z.
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02-15-2006, 02:21 PM
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Nope!!
Hi, 2000 - sorry but that's not it.
I should have mentioned that the car I saw might have been pre-war. Maybe not but it really was old. In fact, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure it had cycle fenders in front.
Bob Z.
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02-15-2006, 02:34 PM
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You state it was a 1900 4 cyl
Alfa Romeo has produced 3 diff 4cyl 1900
The RM series from 1923 until 1926/27
A protype 4cyl 1500 prototype in 1935
The Alfa Romeo 1900 series from 1950 to 1958
The Alfa Romeo 2000 series from 1958 to 1962
So the time frame you give , don't gives any real tread
If it is pre WW2 its back from the 20
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02-15-2006, 07:07 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
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 Quote:
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Originally Posted by Bob Zambelli
Going way back when I lived in Westchester County, NY, my father and I would often visit the Vintage Car Store in Nyack, NY.
On one visit, in 1975, we saw a strange and interesting ALFA parked in the back, seemingly very neglected.
It was red, had the driver in the center and the engine, a 1900 CC 4-cylinder, directly in back of the driver.
A salesman told us it was a one off factory prototype and was to be scrapped.
Can anyone into ALFA history recall this odd car?
Bob Z.
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02-17-2006, 10:35 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Belgium
Posts: 219
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Interesting
Interesting, as a similar car pre war was at Poulain auction last week.
Center driving position like a Mc Laren F1 and central engine..
A photo please ?
Regards
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02-17-2006, 10:38 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Belgium
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Photo
Photo and details on website
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02-17-2006, 10:40 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Belgium
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Concerning Special Alfa, it s not because some "experts" never heard about it that s it don t exist ....
Regards
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02-17-2006, 07:05 PM
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Now that I see the photo, I know EXACTLY what it is. It is still an Alfa based "special" and not an Alfa Romeo built car.
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02-21-2006, 12:17 PM
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Location: Belgium
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"Brothers Gino and Oscar Jankovits were architects with a great love of sports cars. They lived in Fiume in Hungary. Because of family connections they had the ear of Vittorio Jano, the legendary Chief Development Engineer at Alfa Romeo. The Jankovits designed a sports car that so impressed Jano that he allowed them to build it at the factory. The plans depicted a most futuristic sports car with a central driving position (click) with passenger space on either side... There was a long sloping tail (click) enveloping the rear mounted engine. The car was designed to take a 6C 2300 engine and was completed in 1937. I have been told that it might have been a test bed for the Tipo 512 racing car which came out in 1940. There are also similarities with the prototype Berlinetta Dacorsa Tipo 163 closed coupe planned for 1941. After the war the car was purchased by a United States serviceman and taken back to America. Nothing is known of its history until that great car sleuth Colin Crabbe bought it in New York in 1967. It then passed to well known Northern Ireland racer Malcolm Templeton. Ten years later it was still in the same condition. Neil Crabb purchased it and passed it on to Phil Bennett of Benson Classics in Leeds. At this time it was fitted with a 6C 2500 engine of 1938
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03-05-2006, 06:33 AM
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Banned
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This car was for sale at the big Retromobile show in Paris, but I don't know if it sold, or for what price. Does anyone have the Retromobile auction results?
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03-05-2006, 08:46 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Belgium
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Car was not for sale at Retromobile, it was at auction in Palais des Congres, porte Maillot Paris, which is 20 minutes from Retromobile.
When we don t known, we don t imagine !
Regards
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