Topic: Solved - MJW #1068 - Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Colli c.1942

[woodinsight]

Another one that I have scant details on - I only know the marque and coachbuilder and I am assuming the model and year.
A positive identification - marque, model, year and coachbuilder will earn you one point.

[Hiawatha]

Alfa Romeo 2500 6c SS corsa. Body by Colli, apparently body made in 1939 and chassis in 1942.
Mille Miglia in 1948 with Bianchetti/Cerulli

[woodinsight]

Alfa Romeo 2500 6c SS corsa. Body by Colli, apparently body made in 1939 and chassis in 1942.
Mille Miglia in 1948 with Bianchetti/Cerulli

That's a very precise reply Hiawatha and I don't have enough information to disagree with that.
My only comment would be, are you sure this body was built prior to WWII as it looks as though it was built after the war?
Anyway I'll give you a point for your answer but request further information regarding the body from any other members.

[Hiawatha]

The history of the car is not perfectly clear. Anyway it was entered in one or two fairly recent historic Mille Miglia as a 1948 model. Is it possible that the body was indeed built in 1939 and then modified?
Thank you for the point.

Luciano

[woodinsight]

The history of the car is not perfectly clear. Anyway it was entered in one or two fairly recent historic Mille Miglia as a 1948 model. Is it possible that the body was indeed built in 1939 and then modified?
Thank you for the point.

Luciano

Interesting!
I will promote this puzzle up a level soon as I feel that there is quite a lot of information still to be discussed, plus I will change it to a 2-point puzzle (one of which I have given to Hiawatha for identifying the make, model and year of the chassis)

[woodinsight]

The history of the car is not perfectly clear. Anyway it was entered in one or two fairly recent historic Mille Miglia as a 1948 model. Is it possible that the body was indeed built in 1939 and then modified?
Thank you for the point.

Luciano

Interesting!
I will promote this puzzle up a level soon as I feel that there is quite a lot of information still to be discussed, plus I will change it to a 2-point puzzle (one of which I have given to Hiawatha for identifying the make, model and year of the chassis)

After carrying out some research on this particular car this morning I can report that Hiawatha was indeed correct with identifying the coachwork as Colli.
As far as I can ascertain, the car is an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Corsa built c.1942. The tube-frame chassis was built by Gigi Platé in Argentina and presumably the body was fitted just after WWII. It may have been built in 1939 and possibly modified before fitment.
The car was put together and prepared by Alfa mechanic/driver Carlo Canavesi and was raced by Giampiero Bianchetti in 1947 at the Circuito di Pescara, Coppa delle Dolomiti, Circuito di Senigallia and at Novara with several class wins and awards. It also raced at the Como-Lieto Colle where it achieved a second place overall as well as competing in the 1948 Mille Miglia where it finished 6th. overall. It's possible that the car was fitted with a 6C 2300 engine (when I don't know) and it also appeared at the Susa-Moncenisio event in 1951 but was no opposition to the Ferraris and Maseratis.

In view of the above I will call this puzzle solved now and apologise to any Experts and Rookies who were waiting with an answer (there will be more puzzles like this from me in the coming months)

Here is a view of the car competing in the Como-Lieto Colle in 1948 with Bianchetti at the wheel.

[Paul Jaray]

I think there's an error.

In Curami's book, this car is featured on pag.71:

'...giungendo...secondo assoluto alla Como-Lieto Colle e sesto assoluto alla Mille Miglia del 1948.
Spinta probabilmente da un motore 6c 2300 d'anteguerra era, invece, la vettura a telaio tubolare costruita da Gigi Platé e portata in corsa senza fortuna da Soprani alla Susa-Moncenisio del 1951, anno in cui tali vetture erano ormai surclassate dalle più leggere e potenti Ferrari e Maserati'

Using your translation, it should be:

'It also raced at the Como-Lieto Colle where it achieved a second place overall as well as competing in the 1948 Mille Miglia where it finished 6th. overall.
Possibly fitted with a prewar 6C 2300 engine, instead  , should be the tube-frame chassis car built by Gigi Platé that raced without luck with Soprani at the Susa-Moncenisio event in 1951 but was no opposition to the Ferraris and Maseratis.'

The second part of your text refers to his car:
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=17839.msg175237#msg175237
pictured on the book on page 72.