1954 Alfa Romeo 1900C Super Sprint Zagato (SSZ) Berlinetta
- Engine
- 1,975cc DOHC inline-four with Weber carburetors, 115 bhp
- Colour
- Midnight blue
The Alfa Romeo 1900C Super Sprint Zagato with chassis number 01909 is the 16th of approximately 39 coupes bodied by Zagato, completed in April 1955. Its early competition history is tied to the Milan-based Scuderia Madunina, under whose banner it raced in South America, finishing fourth overall and first in class in a 1955 Colombian road race. After decades of ownership changes across Venezuela and Europe, the car underwent a comprehensive, fully documented restoration beginning in 2008, subsequently appearing at Pebble Beach and winning Best in Class at the 2012 Greystone Mansion Concours.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate US$1,400,000 – US$1,800,000
- 1955 →Acquisition unknownCarlos Ruiz Luceropartial documentation
Raced the car under the Scuderia Madunina banner in Colombia in late 1955; believed to be the effective owner as Madunina did not formally hold cars.
- 1955-03-23 →Factory deliverySIMAR of Caracasfull documentation
Venezuelan dealership or proxy buyer, likely acting on behalf of a Scuderia Madunina driver. Car was delivered in ivory and campaigned in South American competition.
- 1993 →Private saleLudo Doorenweerdpartial documentation
Belgian marque enthusiast who purchased the car and later sold it through a British intermediary collector.
- Date unknownPrivate saleLuis Beltran Morenopartial documentation
Fellow Venezuelan who acquired the car after Lucero; tenure dates not specified in the catalogue.
- Date unknownPrivate saleGraham Earlpartial documentation
British collector through whom Doorenweerd sold the car; acted as an intermediary in the chain of ownership.
- Date unknownPrivate saleScottsdale-based collectorfull documentation
Arizona enthusiast with an extensive collection and an in-house restoration facility; commissioned a comprehensive rebuild starting in 2008, documented by workshop invoices.
Competition
- 19551955 Mille MigliaDriver: Galluzzi26th overall
Multiple SSZ entries contested this event; a separate Madunina-linked car driven by Vanini and Badaracco led all SSZ finishers in 19th place.
- 1955-08-071955 Sverige Grand Prix (2-litre class)Driver: Joakim Bonnier1st overall
Bonnier's SSZ defeated numerous Porsches and a pair of Fiat 8V entries to take the overall win.
- 1955-12-18La Vuelta a la CordialidadDriver: Carlos Ruiz Lucero4th overall, 1st in class
225-mile race between Barranquilla and Cartagena, Colombia; car ran as number 44 under the Scuderia Madunina banner. Teammate Juan dos Santos won the race outright in a Ferrari 250 MM.
- 20102010 Colorado Grand
Car was entered mid-restoration to serve as a mechanical shakedown; cosmetic work was largely complete but the full rebuild had not yet been finalised.
- 20112011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Car was displayed upon completion of its full restoration; no award result stated.
- 2012-05-012012 Greystone Mansion Concours d'EleganceBest in Class
First concours appearance following the Pebble Beach debut; car received a class award.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2008RestorationIn-house staff of consignor
A comprehensive, documented restoration to factory specification was undertaken, covering bodywork, paintwork in midnight blue, full re-trimming of the interior in tobacco tan leather, and mechanical refurbishment throughout.
Cosmetic and chassis work handled by the owner's personal restoration garage; the team studied other correctly restored examples to ensure accurate detail work.
- —Modification
An Alfa Romeo 2000 engine was fitted at an undetermined earlier point, replacing the original 1900C unit.
Exact date and installer unknown; discovered prior to the 2008 restoration.
- —Engine rebuildEpifani Restorations
A correct 1900C tipo 1308 engine was sourced and rebuilt to replace the incorrect Alfa Romeo 2000 unit; the rebuilt engine had accumulated roughly 4,000 miles at time of cataloguing.
Work carried out by Epifani Restorations of Berkeley, California; fully documented by invoices retained in the car's file. Completed after the 2010 Colorado Grand outing.
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