Alfa Halftrack

[Alex]

Just a heads-up for those that are going to be in the UK between 23-25 March this year ...

At the Historic Motorsport Show at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry, the Jim Stokes Workshop (well-known for reproducing 8C engine etc parts, among many other things) is apparently going to be displaying a pre-war Alfa Romeo halftrack, according to their full-page advert on page 71 of the March 2007 issue of Motorsport magazine. No further information is given on the company website but it appears to be a late '20s/early '30s design, seating four or five people, RHD, full-length running boards, and a halftrack which appears to be driven from one end only with a slave wheel at the other end. Painted olive green with very faded burgundy (?) leather seats, brass headlights and auxiliary lights mounted underneath on the same carrier, solid artillery-style wheels at the front and rubber tyres. Maybe someone else has also seen this and can offer some information. I plan on attending so I'll take a photo or three

Alex.

Exhibition website

[gtv2000]

From your description, I understand it's a RM (2-litre, 4-cylinder derivate of the RL of the mid-20ies) based half-track with Kegresse-Citroen gear at the rear. This vehicle spent its life in the north-east of the USA and was recently imported in Belgium (no, not that Belgian, a real Alfista). It is still in original, very good conditions.
It is much closer to a standard RM car than the Half-Track prototype, also with RM engine, featured in some Alfa books, which was fitted with two steering wheels allowing reverse drive.

[Alex]

OK, I know I said that I would only 'take a photo or three' but my enthusiasm got the better of me and I figured that such an unusual beast deserved some publicity

The show was great and I'll be starting a separate thread for the rest of the photos I took today.

Enjoy ...

Alex.

[Alex]

Further pics ...

[Alex]

Last couple of photos. I do have some of them in hi-resolution if anyone is interested.

[AllthingsZagato]

I also this beast today, what a thing, good shots Alex

[2600]

Fantastic stuff Alex. It's like something out of an "Indy" movie !
Wouldn't it be fun in the dunes, you can almost see Mussolini staring at Tobruk from the back seat...............Wishful thinking.........thank God !
Wonderful shots, thanks for sharing,

Adrian

[charley]

Great photos Alex, I had been wishing to see photos of this beast after I saw the Motorsport ad.
I wonder If anyone can shine a little light on the AR 800 Re half track truck , the tracking being to the rear axle only. I presume that it was a one off . There is no mention of it in the Camion Alfa book. any info would be appreciated.
Charley

[Alfacliff]

those inner fenders look like skis. inboard of the wheel fenders.
cliff

[Roadtrip]

Doesn't look right.

Needs some panasports at least on the front wheels.

[RedSpider]

alfacliff,
They are. They're removed from their storage location (where you see them) and placed under each front wheel to facilitate movement through the snow.