Alfa Romeo "Vico"

[SilverShadow]

Find on Internet:

Giulia 1600 Prototipo Berlinetta ‘Vico’








With Autodelta now in Milan (it would become the Alfa Romeo Racing Department in 1966), Negotiations began for Alfa to buy all Chiti and Chizzola’s shares in the company. Chiti happily complied, moving to Milan to become General Manager at the new Autodelta. Chizzola, however stubbornly refused to sell, causing some rancour and it was only his friend, Chiti, who eventually convinced him to sell. With the development of the TZ’s successor the TZ2 continuing at Milan Chizzola completely ignored the existence of the Alfa TZ2. Instead he continued to develop the TZ in the way that he thought it should evolve. Chizzola made a prototype 1600cc car of quite radical design. Convinced that a car should have the lowest possible moment of inertia around the centre of gravity, he made the prototype with the front mounted engine as far back towards the driver as possible. The fibreglass body had gull wings and some clever technical solutions, which allowed the front, and back of the car to be laid completely bare. The prototype, named Vico, after its inventor, due to its innovative configuration was of wide, very low and short appearance. The TZ derivative was road tested by Chizzola on his test circuit and he claimed it lost a little in terms of top speed due to the larger front section with a Cx that was not as good as that of the TZ, but the car made up for this with better and more user friendly handling. Although the car would remain a prototype and never go into production, Chizzola was very proud of the car and loved to drive it. Having been inspected by an expert from the Alfa Romeo Factory, Chizzola’s TZ evolution prototype proves to be based on a heavily modified TZ chassis. The front is similar, but lower with most tubes at different pick up points. The front suspension is from a TZ, as is the steering box, radiator and windscreen. The engine is also from a TZ with the correct sump spacer and sump. The engine itself is mounted on a lower chassis rail with original engine mounts, although these are fitted upside down. Inside the cockpit, the chassis has been heavily modified, but original TZ pedals are used, as well as some instrumentation and an original TZ steering wheel. The gear change mechanism is TZ as is the petrol tank, which have both been modified. The differential, drive shafts, rear suspension and uprights are all original TZ parts. The engine of the prototype car is of single-plug configuration and when tested recently, performance was startling. The car remained with the Chizzola’s at Udine until 2000; during this time it was seen in public only once, in 1996, at an Autodelta reunion. The car was acquired at by a known and respected collector and now, having benefited from careful storage and maintenance during his ownership, this unique Alfa Romeo prototipo is for sale once again.

[Aghevli]

The front and rear view profiles are beautiful! Any side profile shots available?

[gt601]

Holy Cow!! She's a beauty!
What a drag it would be to have to drive something like that!

[MarcE]

It must have been extremely difficult to turn a TZ in something that looks like a cheap kit car. A beetle chassis would have done the job too.

imho an ARNA looks better

[SilverShadow]

That's all i could find about this car !!

[Alex]

From memory, this car was sold at auction and didn't fetch a lot of money, maybe because it was considered a development 'special' instead of a pure-blood TZ? This car is now for sale in England through a company called Specialized Vehicle Solutions, they had a very nice Giulia SS for sale that was covered on the BB a while ago.

As an aside, I've always been curious about the TZ carb air intake for two reasons. What's the thinking behind the alloy collector which starts off narrow and then flares out before narrowing again? And the two extra lines which run to the carbs above the main inlet feed, why not just route those directly from the airbox?

Alex.

[sprintgtc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex As an aside, I've always been curious about the TZ carb air intake for two reasons. What's the thinking behind the alloy collector which starts off narrow and then flares out before narrowing again? And the two extra lines which run to the carbs above the main inlet feed, why not just route those directly from the airbox? Alex.

[dretceterini]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverShadow Find on Internet: Giulia 1600 Prototipo Berlinetta ‘Vico’ With Autodelta now in Milan (it would become the Alfa Romeo Racing Department in 1966), Negotiations began for Alfa to buy all Chiti and Chizzola’s shares in the company. Chiti happily complied, moving to Milan to become General Manager at the new Autodelta. Chizzola, however stubbornly refused to sell, causing some rancour and it was only his friend, Chiti, who eventually convinced him to sell. With the development of the TZ’s successor the TZ2 continuing at Milan Chizzola completely ignored the existence of the Alfa TZ2. Instead he continued to develop the TZ in the way that he thought it should evolve. Chizzola made a prototype 1600cc car of quite radical design. Convinced that a car should have the lowest possible moment of inertia around the centre of gravity, he made the prototype with the front mounted engine as far back towards the driver as possible. The fibreglass body had gull wings and some clever technical solutions, which allowed the front, and back of the car to be laid completely bare. The prototype, named Vico, after its inventor, due to its innovative configuration was of wide, very low and short appearance. The TZ derivative was road tested by Chizzola on his test circuit and he claimed it lost a little in terms of top speed due to the larger front section with a Cx that was not as good as that of the TZ, but the car made up for this with better and more user friendly handling. Although the car would remain a prototype and never go into production, Chizzola was very proud of the car and loved to drive it. Having been inspected by an expert from the Alfa Romeo Factory, Chizzola’s TZ evolution prototype proves to be based on a heavily modified TZ chassis. The front is similar, but lower with most tubes at different pick up points. The front suspension is from a TZ, as is the steering box, radiator and windscreen. The engine is also from a TZ with the correct sump spacer and sump. The engine itself is mounted on a lower chassis rail with original engine mounts, although these are fitted upside down. Inside the cockpit, the chassis has been heavily modified, but original TZ pedals are used, as well as some instrumentation and an original TZ steering wheel. The gear change mechanism is TZ as is the petrol tank, which have both been modified. The differential, drive shafts, rear suspension and uprights are all original TZ parts. The engine of the prototype car is of single-plug configuration and when tested recently, performance was startling. The car remained with the Chizzola’s at Udine until 2000; during this time it was seen in public only once, in 1996, at an Autodelta reunion. The car was acquired at by a known and respected collector and now, having benefited from careful storage and maintenance during his ownership, this unique Alfa Romeo prototipo is for sale once again.

[DaveH]

Rough looking proto. Even if it is just a 'proof-of-concept'.

Wonder what hardware store the hinges for the door came from? You can see them, mounted externally at the tops of the doors.

[chrisgpj1c]

It's much less than a 'special'. I viewed the car last year,also 4 years ago.
I will not post my findings or opinion here, but please feel free to pm me.

Chris

[gt601]

Who cares it's a hand built Alfa!!
Sweeeeet!

[Aghevli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcE It must have been extremely difficult to turn a TZ in something that looks like a cheap kit car. A beetle chassis would have done the job too. imho an ARNA looks better

[Alfa-GT]

It's on sale:

Category: Classic Cars
Make: Alfa Romeo
Model: Giulia 1600 Prototipo Berlinet
Year: 1965
Price: £175000 As stated
Country: UK
Region: Lancashire

Source

[Alex]

That car has stubbornly refused to be sold ever since it came on the market through that vendor. Might have something to do with the highly optimistic price being over $200K more than its hammer price when it last sold at auction circa 2004. Of course, it could be something else ....

[All torque]

I've noticed this being for sale for months in Classic Cars magazine, although I'd not realised it had such an interesting history until now!

It does indeed look 'pudgy' from the side, but down-right menacing from the front.