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Rometsch Alfa Romeo 6C
It is too early to be certain, but there is a very good chance that this "1951 Alfa Romeo 6C2500" was actually a 1950/51 rebody on a 6C2300, chassis N. 700610. I saw 700610 a few weeks ago after exchanging some information with the owner in Arizona over the last couple of years. Tight storage conditions, low light and a hasty visit prevented being able to stand back to gain a sense of overall perspective that might have helped confirm or deny the probability, but several features of 700610 and the Rometsch body shown at the top of this thread are very similar if not fully matching.
As a reminder, these early 6C2300 cars were marketed early on as the "7th Series 6C" and were considered a continuation of the 6C1500/6C1750/6C1900 series but without provisions for a supercharger on a heavily revised engine design. Otherwise, the chassis and mechanical package is an evolution of what came earlier but, as with the 8C2300, retains the beam front axle mounted on leaf springs as well as the rear axle housing also on leaf springs and with a torque tube helping establish the location.
The engine is numbered "6C2300 GRAN TURISMO N. 700610" but the chassis number has not yet been found on the chassis itself. It seems quite likely that the body is covering it. However, all of the other numbered parts on the car seen thus far carry numbers that imply that the chassis is original to the engine even if there is a remote chance that all the numbered parts came en masse from another chassis. The engine has not been disassembled for measurement, so it could be 2500cc by now, but that detail is perhaps less important than the fact that the engine has been raised to "Pescara" specification at least as regards the carburetion. The work was very likely done in Germany as the fuel system components are of German "Solex" origin.
I will leave it up to the owner to post the photos he might wish to, but will note that the following numbers were seen by myself.
Engine 6C2300 GRAN TURISMO No. 700610
Gearbox N. 741750 (ratio: 23x38)(The ratio is the gear count of the input shaft to layshaft. This number can vary depending on the car's original intended use mixed with engine characteristcs and overall weight of the car. We have not yet confirmed that the gears fitted match the ratio marked on the case. I've not yet seen this ratio in another Alfa Romeo gearbox but only a small number of these cars are known to remain so this is perhaps not surprising.)
Steering Box N. 751629 (ratio: 3x40) (This ratio is a count of how many teeth are moved by one revolution of the steering wheel (3) and then the number of teeth in the full circle (40) of the gear, so it can tell us how many degrees the sector shaft moves with a full turn of the steering wheel. This makes the steering "slow" or "fast", once again giving a clue to the original car's intended purpose and characteristics.)
Front axle 761807
Rear end gear carrier (number and ratio not yet seen)
Rear end/Back axle housing N. 781624
There is a good likelihood that there will also be a frame number (different than the chassis number) to be found when restoration commences. It will be interesting to learn if the engine is still 2300cc or if it has been enlarged to 2500cc as implied by the photo caption, presuming it is indeed the same car.
We are trying to identify where and when the car was being shown when the photo was taken.
The "who", the "how" and the "when" of this car's arrival/appearance in the USA is currently a mystery, but the car was found on Long Island (New York) in the 1960's with Arthur Jacobs, former owner of several other "important" Alfa Romeo cars (Aren't they all?) as well. The current owner purchased 700610 from Art Jacobs in 1969. Any additional history or thoughts would be most welcome!
Last edited by iicarJohn; 10-03-2007 at 11:07 AM.
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