1900 TI Super motor number

[jaro61]

My 1900 TI Super as the chassis number AR 14782 and the engine number 1308.01436. According to the Archivo Storico Alfa Romeo the numbers accord to an original 1900 TI Super built on 4th Oct. 1955, so we think the numbers to be correct. Fusi says the motor number should be a 1306 one (between 14051 and 16500) and our number should belong to a 1900 Sprint, second series. Does anybody have an idea about it?

[Erik S]

Fusi is wrong here, TiSupers have 1308 engines. I'm not with my books, so can't give you more details now.
I have TiSuper *08559* with engine 1308 *00809*, a 1954 car.

Regards,
Erik

[dretceterini]

S/N 1306 is the 1884cc 1900 engine. S/N 1308 is the 1975cc (1900 Super) engine...

[Erik S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dretceterini S/N 1306 is the 1884cc 1900 engine. S/N 1308 is the 1975cc (1900 Super) engine...

[iicarJohn]

There is always the possibility of an anomaly for any one car and this TI Super might be one. However, there is no indication that this has to be an anomaly or an historical engine swap. Note that the larger displacement engine would have been taxed a bit higher in some countries ... most importantly Italy ... so while the larger engines were often in cars for export, the smaller engines continued to be available routinely. A true description of the complexity of the production cannot be shown in a simplistic chart as presented by Fusi. In fact, sometimes it would seem to be incorrect to lump early production of one "type" together with later production simply because it all took place in the same year.

Here are some engine numbers and the cars they are (or were) fitted to. Some of this information comes from observation and reports from owners over the last 30 years (thanks in great part to the efforts of Peter Marshall - UK) and some is from period documentation. There is room for error in any individual car's listing, but the implication of the collected data is clear.

1308.00809 AR1900TI*08559 TI Super 1954
1308.00871 AR1900TI*08353 TI Super 15.11.54
1308.01059 AR1900TI*13760 TI Super origine 26.3.55
1308.01062 AR1900C*02075 coupe Touring (anomaly?)
1308.01176 AR1900TI*14272 TI Super sold 3.6.55

1308.01320 AR1900C*02078 coupe Touring
1308.01341 AR1900C*02073 coupe Touring
1308.01364 AR1900C*02085 coupe Touring
1308.01396 AR1900C*02129 coupe Touring origine 9.12.55
1308.01420 AR1900C*02118 coupe Touring
1308.01435 AR1900C*02114 coupe Touring origine 20.9.55
1308.01436 AR1900TI*14782 TI Super "build date" 4.10.55
1308.01437 AR1900C*02115 coupe Touring
1308.01458 AR1900C*02142 coupe Touring "prodotta" 23.7.55
1308.01461 AR1900TI*15359 TI Super
(1308?)01475 AR1900TI*15376 TI Super (engine removed)
1308.01477 AR1900TI*15381 TI Super
1308.01482 AR1900C*02157 coupe Touring
1308.01506 AR1900C*02173 coupe Touring
1308.01518 AR1900C*02130 coupe Touring
1308.01531 AR1900C*02186 coupe Ghia

1308.10605 AR1900*15085 berlina Super

More numbers should either clarify or confuse this listing.

John de Boer
The Italian Car Registry