Last of three post-war Pinin Farina-bodied special cabriolets, built on the short-wheelbase Super Sport chassis, 2020 Pebble Beach accepted but still awaiting it's major concours debut.1949 Alfa Romeo 6C2500 Super Sport CabrioletPinin Farina CoachworkChassis No. 915871Engine No. 928182Silver with Green Leather InteriorAmong the most beautiful automobiles ever produced, the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 occupies a unique and special place in the history of coachbuilding and automotive engineering. Having built cars of premier design and competition prowess, Alfa Romeo engaged the finest artisans and craftsmen with the sole objective of building handmade automobiles to an impossibly high level. In 1923, the great Vittorio Jano unveiled the incomparable six and eight-cylinder engines that would become legendary to the Alfa Romeo mystique. With amazing power and reliability, races were won, but at great cost. In 1925, just one year after constructing their first straight eight engine for Alfa Romeo, they won the very first World Championship. Though praise and acclaim were in order, Alfa Romeo was operating at fiscally unsustainable levels of perfection. The foundation of Alfa Romeo as an industrial leader teetered on financial ruin. In 1933, state recovery orders were put in place to save the company, giving the powerful Italian government control over Alfa Romeo. Fueled by national vigor and bolstered by unlimited government funds, Alfa Romeos of this era were opulent, highly refined, and emblems of Italian pride. Vehicles of bespoke construction were now outfitted with the finest in coachbuilt bodies, stunning interior treatments, and luxuriant appointments befitting royalty. The 6C 2300 and 2500 were offered in variations including the Super Sport, the premier offering of the 6C configuration. The dual overhead cam engine was the perfect fit in the 2,700mm wheelbase independent suspension package which was light years ahead of the typical sold rear axle platforms of other manufacturers. The combination of sophisticated engineering, reliability, and handmade coachwork offered customers the very best in sport-oriented motoring. Unlike many cars of this era the Alfa Romeo didn’t demand highly skilled drivers or significant physical strength. The 6C 2500 was light, supple on rough roads, and delightfully nimble on a variety of terrains. The triple Weber carburetors and broad powerband delivered a robust 110hp with top speeds well beyond the capability of most skilled drivers. In the hands of top drivers competing in motorsport events, Alfa Romeo campaigned both the 2300 and 2500 to high acclaim achieving an impressive string of top finishes including 1st and 2nd in the 1937 Mille Miglia, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the 1937 6-Hour Targa Abruzzo, Pescara, and pressing on after the war with an overall win at the prestigious 1950 Targa Florio.History of this Alfa Romeo
This beautifully restored Alfa Romeo was delivered new to pre-war racing legend and subsequent Alfa Romeo factory racing team member Count Goffredo Zehender of Milan, Italy. According to noted Alfa Romeo expert Angelo Tito Anselmi, chassis number 915871 was built in October 1949, specified as a short-wheelbase Super Sport chassis, and equipped with engine number 928182. Specially prepared at Pinin Farina, this cabriolet coachwork design is believed to be limited to just three or four examples influenced by Zehander due to his racing prominence in the community which resulted in his cars finished with special details, either for himself, or for his friends and customers. These details included a unique front fascia with enveloping treatment, larger inset grille sections, a sculpted hood and rear haunches, and a license plate cut-out in the trunk lid. In addition to his racing prowess with Alfa Romeo, Zehander continued to race with Maserati and Mercedes-Benz during the 1930s while participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. The elegant but sporty 6C was the ideal cabriolet for the man who would ultimately manage the Scuderia Inter racing team, one of the first privateer teams to campaign Ferrari sports cars.
After Zehander’s ownership, in 1953, a US Army officer purchased the car from the South of France and imported it to California. In March of 1957 it was acquired by Robert Allinger of Saratoga, California. Allinger, an American coachbuilder, was well known for his body designs building record chasing dry-lakes cars. Allinger was also an avid West Coast motorsports enthusiast who entered a Maserati Coupe for John Fox in 1957 at Laguna Seca, and an Osca, also for Fox, the following year. In 1969, Allinger sold the car to Wayne Williams of Mountain View, California, who retained the car in original condition, remaining for decades in dry California storage until 2010 after a remarkable 41 years of ownership, when it was purchased by the next owners who consigned it to Fantasy Junction. The car was sold to the current owner in 2013 who commissioned a comprehensive seven-year restoration of the finest quality employing expert European craftsmen addressing every detail, material, and finish befitting the historic import of this exquisite Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport.
During the restoration, the restoration process was eased by nearly 50 years of indoor preservation allowing for only minor metal work to the original body and appropriate welding for the rocker sills. With many of the original parts properly preserved, details such as the factory wheel covers with brass centers were carefully restored while accurate templates supplied dimensions for consumables such as the meticulously fabricated exhaust. Further details were painstakingly restored with attention to authenticity, fit, and finish. Consistent with consummate attention to all aspects of the car, the correct in-line six-cylinder engine was delivered to a specialist in Belgium who disassembled it entirely and performed a comprehensive rebuild, while the suspension elements, rear axle, steering components, and radiator were rebuilt by a marque expert in Germany, with Italian specialists rebuilding the carburetors, instruments, and wiring loom. Addressing the finishing touches, Motorima in Sweden, Scandinavia’s leading specialist in Italian marques, refinished the car in grigio metallizzato including new chrome for the brightwork and careful refinishing for the beautifully complex 98-piece grille. Expert upholstery was carefully stitched and fitted in Norway using the finest forest green leather hides and sage green convertible top.
In 2020, after seven years of careful restoration, this Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 was accepted for exhibition at the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it would have been displayed in the special Pininfarina class to celebrate their 90th anniversary. Due to Covid restrictions, however, the event was cancelled, and the following year further travel restrictions prevented participation. Today this Alfa Romeo presents as one of the most stunning examples of this era, combining coachbuilding artistry and technical innovation. The finishes throughout are exemplary in every respect. Just as the traditions of fine Italian craftsmanship were applied when first built, premier European artisans have once again proven their exquisite restoration skills. The Pinin Farina coachwork with its unique design features adorns the elegant cabriolet Super Sport body with elegance and sporting flair. The lustrous, deep silver paint is beautifully finished, applied with consistent coverage and excellent final polish to all areas. This rich metallic color enhances the streamlined singular envelope body which was very advanced for the period. The polished rocker trim accentuates the low-profile body while a set of Blockley tires and full chrome wheel covers add to the sporting nature of this design. Refined brightwork surrounding the sculpted art deco headlamps is perfectly formed and polished, while accessory lights, specially trimmed rear license plate, and recessed door handles are beautifully fit to the body. The exterior trim, chrome, and elegant Super Sport features are beautifully presented while the contrasting dark green interior is offset by delightful amber handles and knobs, a wicker wound steering wheel, and Jaeger gauges. Every aspect of the leather interior is properly executed including correct seat pleats, door panels and pockets, and tinted plexiglass sun visors. No detail has escaped the careful eyes of the celebrated experts who participated in this world class restoration. Under the hood, the matching numbers engine and beautifully finished engine compartment have been comprehensively restored using correct factory finishes, correct hardware and fasteners, and proper wiring, all of which are brought together with mechanical refinement and aesthetic harmony befitting a car of this caliber. The engine castings are uniformly finished with attention to detail and authenticity in every respect, including the three original Weber carburetors, sculpted intake, and finned exhaust manifolds. The trunk is finished with a correct spare wire wheel, matching Blockley tire and a correct scissor jack with tire changing tools. The underside of the car has been restored with the same attention to detail and authenticity afforded to the exterior, displaying accurate details, proper fasteners, and correct exhaust down to the hand shaped square edge exhaust tip. The entire composition resonates with passionate Italian artistry and restoration excellence in this truly exceptional car. This Alfa Romeo is accompanied by tire changing tools, an owner’s manual and brochure, and a presentation display highlighting the restoration. This Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport represents a rare opportunity to acquire a beautifully restored Alfa Romeo with coach work by Pinin Farina and world-class restoration. The elegant body lines, sporting 6C engine, and stunning interior makes this Super Sport a welc