1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport

In the early 1920s Vittorio Jano was entrusted by Alfa Romeo with the creation of a lightweight, high-performance vehicle to replace the large and heavy RL and RM models. The result was the Alfa Romeo 6C: a range of road, race, and sports cars produced between 1927 and 1954; the main steps being the 6C 1750 in 1929, the 6C 2300 in 1934 and the 6C 2500 in 1939. The "6C" designation refers to the number of cylinders in the car's straight-six engine. The bodies were crafted by renowned coachbuilders such as Castagna, James Young, Pininfarina, Touring, and Zagato. Starting in 1933, Alfa Romeo also offered an in-house body option, built at their Portello factory. The new 6-cylinder car was introduced in 1925 at the Salone dell'Automobile di Milano and officially produced from 1927 with the name 6C 1500, recalling the engine layout and displacement. This displacement choice was necessary, because the 2-liter formula leading Alfa Romeo to win the Automobile World Championship in 1925, had changed to 1.5-liter for the 1926 season.

The more powerful 6C 1750 was introduced in 1929 in Rome. The car featured a top speed of 95 mph (153 km/h), a chassis designed to flex over wavy surfaces, as well as sensitive geared-up steering. It was produced in six series between 1929 and 1933. Base model had a single overhead cam; Super Sport and Gran Sport versions had double overhead cam engine (DOHC) and a supercharger was available. Most of the cars were sold as rolling chassis and bodied by coachbuilders. The 1750 quickly gained a reputation for winning. In 1929, it won every major racing event it was entered, including the Grands Prix of Belgium, Spain, Tunis and Monza, as well as the Mille Miglia, with Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi. In 1930 it won again the Mille Miglia with Tazio Nuvolari and the Spa 24 Hours. Total production was of 2635 cars. From the beginning, the racing background of the brand led inevitably to the birth of a sporty version of the 6C, the 6C 1500 SS, fitted with a compressor, soon replaced by the 6C 1750 SS in 1929 and the 6C 1750 GS in 1930. The 6C 1750 GS (Gran Sport) was produced in three series (IV, V and VI) until 1933, for a total of around 250 units. The chassis of the Gran Sport was shortened to a wheelbase of 2.745 m and the engine was capable of 85 hp, for a top speed of around 145 km/h. Almost all 6C 1750 GS produced were bodied with a spider body by Zagato or Touring, ideal for the sporting purposes of the model.

The Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS, chassis no. 6C 8513048, is the 48th unit built of the IV series 6C 1750 GS. Introduced in early 1930, the model targeted gentlemen drivers seeking high-performance vehicles for the racing season. A total of 100 units were built by the end of the year. This particular example was completed in the spring of 1930, with its certificate of origin dated May 16, and featured a roadster body by Zagato. Sold new on May 17, 1930, by Ditta Mancinelli e Ferrari to the Ministero dell'Agricoltura e delle Foreste for a purchase price of 65,000 lire, it was registered as “23855 ROMA.” The car was effectively entrusted to Mario Ferraguti, the director of the Istituto di Frutticoltura in Grottaferrata, secretary of the Comitato Permanente per il Grano presso la Presidenza del Consiglio, and a professor of agriculture at the University of Perugia. Ferraguti, a passionate gentleman driver, debuted the car at the 1931 Mille Miglia in the Sport -over 1,100 cc- class with co-driver A. Femminini, but they were forced to withdraw before reaching Rome. In August of the same year, Ferraguti and the car found more success at the Premio Adriatico, finishing 4th overall and 2nd in class in the Turismo category. These events were not just for enjoyment but also served as experimental tests, as Ferraguti was a pioneer in the use of gasogeno (producer gas) in Italy during the 1930s. He developed and refined gasogeno devices for vehicles, promoting alternative fuels at a time when fossil fuels were scarce. In April 1933, chassis no. 6C 8513048, modified to run on gasogeno, was prepared by Scuderia Ferrari for the Mille Miglia and presented in a grand ceremony attended by Enzo Ferrari, Tazio Nuvolari, Borzacchini, and Trossi. The car bore the bold label “GASOGENO DUX” on its large rear-mounted tank. At the Mille Miglia, Ferraguti was joined by co-driver Augusto Agostini, a Forestry Militia General and agronomist. Though slower than gasoline-powered counterparts, the car proved the feasibility of gasogeno in competitions. Entered non-competitively by the Ministry of Agriculture, it unofficially started before the first official car, recording a respectable average speed of 64.376 km/h and setting an economy record of just 85 Lire for the entire route. The gasogeno system utilized the gasification of solid materials like wood or charcoal to power internal combustion engines. While it offered advantages in cost and resource availability, the system had drawbacks, including reduced engine efficiency and bulky equipment, often mounted at the rear or on the roof, impacting aerodynamics. Despite its diffusion during periods of fuel shortages (such as the embargo and, later, the war) and the strong regime support of “autarchic” products, the gasogeno fell out of favor after the war as conventional fuels became readily available. Chassis no. 6C 8513048 continued to participate in events. After being exhibited in April 1933 at the Salone Internazionale dell'Automobile in Milano, the gasogeno device was refined with a less intrusive tank better integrated into the rear section. In August 1933, the car participated in the Targa Abruzzo with Professor Ferraguti using one of his pseudonyms, “Dei Frutti,” finishing 17th overall and winning the Special Gasogeno prize. In December, it competed at the Chilometro Lanciato Circuito del Littorio with the specific purpose of surpassing its own record for a gasogeno-powered car. Together with mechanic Bignami, Ferraguti reached a top speed of 134 km/h and an average of 113 km/h. In 1935, the car embarked on its most famous endeavor: the “Giro d’Europa.” Professor Ferraguti left Rome under the pseudonym “Professor X,” driving his gasogeno-powered car on a raid through European capitals. Starting on September 1, he arrived in Tarvisio averaging 70 km/h, passed through Vienna at an average speed of 60 km/h, then reached Budapest, Warsaw, and Krakow, continuing to Berlin, Utrecht, Brussels, London, and Paris before returning to Rome. He completed the journey in just eight days, with 116 hours of driving. His achievement earned him commendation from Mussolini. In April 1936, chassis no. 6C 8513048 with Ferraguti returned to the Mille Miglia, competing in a new “Special Gasogeno Cars” category but withdraw after an accident in San Casciano. The experimental car’s career ended before the war, and it was lost from records. The car lost its gasogeno setup and was reshaped, presumably in the 1950s, with integrated fenders and a more aerodynamic grille, but there is no record of further sports participation; the new forms suggest it was intended for leisure use. Chassis no. 6C 8513048 resurfaced somehow in 1978, since it was featured in the film “Formula Uno, Febbre della Velocità,” a documentary exploring the Formula 1's golden era, blending thrilling race footage, groundbreaking filming techniques, and driver interviews. The film also delves into the history of the sport, showcasing its high stakes, evolving media presence, and the dangers of racing in a bygone era. The car also appeared in the book “Alfa Romeo a Gasogeno,” written by expert Luigi Fittipaldi. In 2007, the car came into the possession of Riccardo “Rocky” Agusta, a racing driver and aristocrat, heir to the aviation and motorcycle companies Agusta and MV Agusta. It became part of the family collection and was re-registered in Italy with plate ZA429ZG. In 2011, the car passed to Rocky’s sons, Corrado and Giovanni. In May 2016, the heirs of the Agusta family decided to sell a significant part of their automotive collection, including the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS chassis no. 6C 8513048, at an RM Sotheby’s auction in Monte Carlo. However, the car was not immediately sold and changed hands the following year, becoming part of the private collection of American Keith R. Duly before being resold to another private collector. Between 2017 and 2018, a complete restoration was carried out by Nick Benwell, returning the car shapes to its 1930 Mille Miglia specifications and original elegance. The original Zagato body and chassis parts were preserved and restored where possible, while modified sections, especially the rear, fenders, and grille, were rebuilt, retaining visible traces of its gasogeno conversion. Careful attention was given to using original parts where possible, and any necessary new replacements were made with original materials, such as horsehair used to pad the seats, while the main chassis was left in its original black paint. In 2019, the restored car participated in the Zoute Concours d’Elegance in Belgium. Equipped for historic car races, it received a FIVA passport in 2023, which noted an unusual chassis number stamping in a non-standard location, with unconventional numbering. In 2024, it participated in the Mille Miglia reenactment.