Museo Stradale
Dominic's Auto Museum
One man's passionate quest to survey finest motorcars in the world
#0024 - Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Grand Sport Spyder by Zagato, 1930
Photographed: Saint Michael's Concours d'Elegance, 2008. Owner: John H. Willock
The Grand Sport: Also known as the Gran Sport, drop the 'd' thank you, this version of the 6C 1750 is as close to competition as the Alfa gentleman ventured. From here, coachwork omissions and racing paraphernalia would spell out the upgrades to racing machinery, though a Grand Sport as depicted here would not have been exempted from racing as a private entry, or more likely taking part in a weekend hillclimb or time trial. Compare this 6C 1750 to the standard 6C 1750 Spyder and the major difference is a supercharger. Forced induction raised power from around 64 brake horsepower to around 85 brake horsepower, but more practically provided a wealth of mid-range torque that the period's naturally aspirated cars did not possess.
In the classic era, Italy constructed a broad network of autostrada, and Alfa Romeo cars were on the right track to make full use of it. Whereas the typical flow of traffic would amble along anywhere between 40 and 50 miles per hour, the 6C 1750 Grand Sport could easily double that. Later 8-cylinder Alfa Romeo cars would do better than triple that figure, but being more exotic represented a sophisticated hammer pounding the already delicate boundaries of speed on public roads; the 6C was nothing quite so drastic, but a simple, lightweight sports car.
A Word on Design: Being nearly identical to the standard 6C 1750, we kindly direct you to that feature as the car's morphology is better described therein. As to specifics, the skirts on this 1930 car are slightly loose in comparison to the later effort of 1931, placing the stance of our Grand Sport slightly high. Further, this Grand Sport does without a retractable top and retains the earlier detached grille screen and primitive headlamp bar. Aside from that, the panel shape and brightwork is carried over faithfully. The only final note is to remark that the first 8C 2300 cars will appear with similar coachwork, stepping directly into the shoes of the last 6C 1750 series Zagato cars.
Sources:
Power Behind the Wheel, Creativity and the Evolution of the Automobile by Walter J. Boyne, c. 1988 Stewart, Tabori & Chang, Inc., New York, N.Y., p. 162-164
Christie's International Motor Cars - Pebble Beach Auction Catalogue, 1999, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport, 1931 p.122-123
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