Topic: Solved (All but 1)-PJ- Alfa Romeo Barchettas

[Paul Jaray]

I know the answer for these 11 cars. Consider the year as indicative.

1arb: Alfa Romeo Sprint Barchetta 2500 CM 1955
5arb: Alfa Romeo C52 3000 MM recreation owned by Al Cortes
9arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 Barchetta Sportiva 1955
10arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 'Conrero' Evocation
11arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Barchetta Conrero 1955
15arb: Alfa Romeo 1900SS Barchetta Stradale 1954
16arb: Alfa 1900 Barchetta with 2.4L Alfa Engine 1963
18arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 Barchetta 1953 from Argentina
22arb: Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 PR 1953
36arb: Fiat 500 C Barchetta
40arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 Barchetta Sport 1954 

I do not have a definitive proof for these 10 cars. If anyone will find the solution, it will be worth a point (and not 1/4 of it), if no solution will arrive in a reasonable time, points will be awarded to the puzzler who find the name as it is known. The year is indicative.

7arb: Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 Spider Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to oko94.
13arb:  Alfa Romeo Disco Volante Fianchi Stretti recreation 1952  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Carnut.
14arb: Alfa Romeo 6c 2500 Barchetta Evocation Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to oko94
17arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 Barchetta Conrero  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Carnut.
21arb:  Alfa RomeoDisco Volante recreation from California   Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Wendax
25arb:  Alfa Romeo 1900 Barchetta Frianchistretti Replica  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Wendax
26arb: Alfa Romeo 1800 Barchetta 1953 from Jakarta  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to  pnegyesi
27arb: Alfa Romeo 1900 SS Barchetta  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Carnut.
35arb: Alfa Romeo Disco Volante recreation from Georgia  Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to Wendax
39arb: Alfa Romeo Disco Volante replica (Tom Zat's) Who built it? If no name is found, it goes to oko94

[oko94]

18arb: built by Nestor Salerno ?
22arb: was it built circa 1954 or is it a modern recreation ?
23arb: built by Nestor Salerno ?

[Paul Jaray]

18arb: built by Nestor Salerno ?
22arb: was it built circa 1954 or is it a modern recreation ?
23arb: built by Nestor Salerno ?

18arb: not by him.
22arb: not built in '54. A modern car.
23arb: I thought it was the easiest one left! Correct!

[Carnut]

I thought I (almost) got 15 ARB (the name anyway but not the builder) but it's still shown as a blank (the only one...) on  your latest list?:

I think 15 ARB might be an AR 1900S Zagato Spider Conrero 1957 OR more likely an AR 1900SS Barchetta Stradale 1954?

I also had 22 as by Touring but you say it isn't so must keep looking:

15arb: Alfa Romeo 1900SS barchetta Stradale is the name given to this recreation. The year I have is different (but whi knows!). Who built it?
22arb: it's not a guess, and you are right.

[oko94]

1arb: built in Argentina ?
5arb: built in Argentina ?
9arb: built in Argentina ?
10arb: built in Argentina ?
11arb: built in Argentina ?
18arb: built by Vintage Racing Cars ?

[Carnut]

36 ARB is said to have been built by a coachbuilder named Trevisan, who is located in north-east Italy.

Below are a couple of photos; the blurb with them said the car was built in 1950 (one of a handful built for racing) but there's also a period photo which says it was built in 1954, although it also states "1950-1954", perhaps indicating it was made for four years.

[Wendax]

I already had posted it as buit by Trevisan, but that seems to be wrong.

[Carnut]

I already had posted it as buit by Trevisan, but that seems to be wrong.

Sorry, I didn't see that.
I guess it must be a re-creation.

[Paul Jaray]

I thought I (almost) got 15 ARB (the name anyway but not the builder) but it's still shown as a blank (the only one...) on  your latest list?:

I think 15 ARB might be an AR 1900S Zagato Spider Conrero 1957 OR more likely an AR 1900SS Barchetta Stradale 1954?

I also had 22 as by Touring but you say it isn't so must keep looking:

15arb: Alfa Romeo 1900SS barchetta Stradale is the name given to this recreation. The year I have is different (but whi knows!). Who built it?
22arb: it's not a guess, and you are right.

You are right. Please, consider that the same car can be listed in several different places with different names. In this case I know the builder and the name is not that relevant (it's pure fiction). In other cases, I do not know the builder (or I have just an idea) and the name is enough (even if it's pure fiction).

1arb: built in Argentina ?
5arb: built in Argentina ?
9arb: built in Argentina ?
10arb: built in Argentina ?
11arb: built in Argentina ?
18arb: built by Vintage Racing Cars ?

1arb: no
5arb: no
9arb: no
10arb: no
11arb: no
18arb: no

36 ARB is said to have been built by a coachbuilder named Trevisan, who is located in north-east Italy.

Below are a couple of photos; the blurb with them said the car was built in 1950 (one of a handful built for racing) but there's also a period photo which says it was built in 1954, although it also states "1950-1954", perhaps indicating it was made for four years.

Bruno Trevisan was an Alfa Romeo engineer who died years before this car was born. He has nothing to do with it, or at least, not directly. I found definitive proof and evidence about the actual builder of this car.

[Carnut]

Noted!

Below is an ad for the car which appeared in Issue No. 1 of Ruoteclassiche, 11/1987.

Also here is the car when PJ puzzled it right here on AP!:

https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/2009-37/solved-pj86-trevisan-topolino-1954/

[Carnut]

7 ARB:  I have it as by Colli, but since it seems to be a replica rather than original I don't suppose that can be right...

[Paul Jaray]

Noted!

Below is an ad for the car which appeared in Issue No. 1 of Ruoteclassiche, 11/1987.

Also here is the car when PJ puzzled it right here on AP!:

https://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/2009-37/solved-pj86-trevisan-topolino-1954/

I use to keep digging on each car I am not sure about. Many times I can't find anything new but sometimes, like in this case (and few others you will find here on AP too, expecially in my Etceterini Madness puzzles) I am lucky and some reliable sources are found. The owner had no clue. The papers reveal zero...but still the car was not a modern car. I saw it myself and few experts had the same impression. Then, out of the blue, looking for a totally different car, I not only found a period picture of this very car, but in that picture there was a young lady at the steering wheel: she is the builder's daughter, still alive and has a facebook page too! To close the matter, I made contact with a friend of the family too who confirmed the version. In addition to that, this is not the only car he made. 

7 ARB:  I have it as by Colli, but since it seems to be a replica rather than original I don't suppose that can be right...

7arb: locked for you for a complete answer.   

[Carnut]

Thanks for the lock.
I haven't found any actual evidence that this was by Colli, but it might have been since all the 3000 CM's which followed it were by Colli; it was described as a Colli Spider on one website.
It is the 2nd Disco Volante 3000 prototype, chassis number 1361.00012, from 1952, so it's an Alfa Romeo 6C3000 Spider.
It was made originally as a Spider; the first prototype was by Touring but it doesn't say on the Italian Car Registry who built this second one (see below).
It went out to Argentina way back (possibly in the 1950s) and ended up as a road car; see the picture below for how it was found.
The car was later returned to its original appearance, which is still  how it appears (rear view pictured below).
It carries the registration number BI943896.

[oko94]

1arb: built in Europe ?
5arb: built in Europe ?
9arb: built in Europe ?
10arb: built in Europe ?
11arb: built in Europe ?
22arb: built in Europe ?

[Carnut]

22 ARB:  This is the 6C 3000 PR (as already identified), or rather it's based on it but like a lot of these cars there are not many original parts left apart from the engine and some mechanical bits.
I believe the full restoration/rebuild was carried out at the Ferrari Classiche workshops?

[Paul Jaray]

Thanks for the lock.
I haven't found any actual evidence that this was by Colli, but it might have been since all the 3000 CM's which followed it were by Colli; it was described as a Colli Spider on one website.
It is the 2nd Disco Volante 3000 prototype, chassis number 1361.00012, from 1952, so it's an Alfa Romeo 6C3000 Spider.
It was made originally as a Spider; the first prototype was by Touring but it doesn't say on the Italian Car Registry who built this second one (see below).
It went out to Argentina way back (possibly in the 1950s) and ended up as a road car; see the picture below for how it was found.
The car was later returned to its original appearance, which is still  how it appears (rear view pictured below).
It carries the registration number BI943896.

I was prepared for some mistakes and here they are. 7arb was already assigned to oko94 and  "Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 Spider" is more or less what I have to. I saw that website but there is not a conclusive proof about it. It's definetly too new to be original and my opinion is that is not. I would bet on Nestor Salerno, but I have nothing so far. I hope you did not waste too much time on that, sorry.

1arb: built in Europe ?
5arb: built in Europe ?
9arb: built in Europe ?
10arb: built in Europe ?
11arb: built in Europe ?
22arb: built in Europe ?

1arb: Yes
5arb: No
9arb: Yes
10arb: Yes
11arb: Yes
22arb: Yes

22 ARB:  This is the 6C 3000 PR (as already identified), or rather it's based on it but like a lot of these cars there are not many original parts left apart from the engine and some mechanical bits.
I believe the full restoration/rebuild was carried out at the Ferrari Classiche workshops?

22arb: The car was build in a workshop, but not Ferrari Classiche's. I have some pics showing the process.

[Carnut]

Thanks for the lock.
I haven't found any actual evidence that this was by Colli, but it might have been since all the 3000 CM's which followed it were by Colli; it was described as a Colli Spider on one website.
It is the 2nd Disco Volante 3000 prototype, chassis number 1361.00012, from 1952, so it's an Alfa Romeo 6C3000 Spider.
It was made originally as a Spider; the first prototype was by Touring but it doesn't say on the Italian Car Registry who built this second one (see below).
It went out to Argentina way back (possibly in the 1950s) and ended up as a road car; see the picture below for how it was found.
The car was later returned to its original appearance, which is still  how it appears (rear view pictured below).
It carries the registration number BI943896.

I was prepared for some mistakes and here they are. 7arb was already assigned to oko94 and  "Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 Spider" is more or less what I have to. I saw that website but there is not a conclusive proof about it. It's definetly too new to be original and my opinion is that is not. I would bet on Nestor Salerno, but I have nothing so far. I hope you did not waste too much time on that, sorry.


22arb: The car was build in a workshop, but not Ferrari Classiche's. I have some pics showing the process.

Thanks.  I know oko94 had already identified it but you're still asking "who built it" on p1 so I thought I'd found that..
So it's not Chassis 1361.00012 at all?  But it's the same car that's pictured as found in Argentina?
It did actually say on another site that the car might actually be a 6C3000 CM which has been changed into the replica of the 6C 3000 PR as which it masquerades, but there was little proof of anything.  As there seems to be for most of these cars!  Hence my comments in my Reply #36.

[Paul Jaray]

All I know about that car comes from that website. There are speculations and theories, but nothing more, unfortunately.
It can't be the same as 3000PR, because they are both alive:

[Carnut]

Yes, I think I'm getting confused..
All I can see when I go to bed is Alfa Barchettas flashing before my eyes!  I think I'll stop scouring the websites as there seems to be little useful information on them and much mis-information...

There was one website which mentioned one of these cars as being built by Colli but in Touring's workshop, as they were opposite each other on the same street!  I can't remember which one it was now (maybe it was 22 ARB), but I guess it wasn't what you were looking for anyway as no doubt the car in question is now a rebuild/recreation so that won't be the answer...

What's the chassis no. of 22 ARB then?  Is it 1361.000125?

EDIT:
On another thread it says 22 ARB went out to Brazil after it had been badly damaged in the crash which injured Sanesi and had been rebodied.  It says it spent many years in the owner's museum in Brazil before being brought back to the UK by well-known dealer Colin Crabbe, who sold it to Christopher Mann, who is of course still the owner.  No mention of who built it into the car it is today though.
All these sites bear out what I said before: it's only a matter of time before the lines are blurred and these cars become 'original' because there will be nobody left who knows otherwise and there seems to be so little written about how they ended up looking like they do today.  We're nearly there already in fact.  And the thread goes on to say that the Goodwood scrutineers were somewhat miffed when they couldn't find the chassis plate anywhere on the car...

[oko94]

1arb: built in Italy ?
9arb: built in Italy ?
10arb: built in Italy ?
11arb: built in Italy ?

[oko94]

22arb: some source says the car has been built by Henri Wessels III.

[Paul Jaray]

Yes, I think I'm getting confused..
All I can see when I go to bed is Alfa Barchettas flashing before my eyes!  I think I'll stop scouring the websites as there seems to be little useful information on them and much mis-information...

There was one website which mentioned one of these cars as being built by Colli but in Touring's workshop, as they were opposite each other on the same street!  I can't remember which one it was now (maybe it was 22 ARB), but I guess it wasn't what you were looking for anyway as no doubt the car in question is now a rebuild/recreation so that won't be the answer...

What's the chassis no. of 22 ARB then?  Is it 1361.000125?

EDIT:
On another thread it says 22 ARB went out to Brazil after it had been badly damaged in the crash which injured Sanesi and had been rebodied.  It says it spent many years in the owner's museum in Brazil before being brought back to the UK by well-known dealer Colin Crabbe, who sold it to Christopher Mann, who is of course still the owner.  No mention of who built it into the car it is today though.
All these sites bear out what I said before: it's only a matter of time before the lines are blurred and these cars become 'original' because there will be nobody left who knows otherwise and there seems to be so little written about how they ended up looking like they do today.  We're nearly there already in fact.  And the thread goes on to say that the Goodwood scrutineers were somewhat miffed when they couldn't find the chassis plate anywhere on the car...

  , I see barchettas everywhere too...and since I started this puzzle, I found 2 more to add. Regards 22arb, not Colli or Touring, because it's a modern recreation. Its chassis number is a mistery...and that's not a good sign. I know who created the car but I have no info about the details of it. I'll suggest you to focus on those names known for recreating cars like that

1arb: built in Italy ?
9arb: built in Italy ?
10arb: built in Italy ?
11arb: built in Italy ?

Yes to all.

22arb: some source says the car has been built by Henri Wessels III.

Nope, and not an entirely obscure name.

[oko94]

22arb : built by Greppi ?

[oko94]

1arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
9arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
10arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
11arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?

[Paul Jaray]

22arb : built by Greppi ?

1arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
9arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
10arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?
11arb: built by Salvatore Diomante ?

No & no & no & no & no.