Vehicle Description
1957 Alfa Romeo Tipo 750E
Bertone Giulietta Sprint Veloce Allegeritta
Year 1957
Make Alfa Romeo
Model Tipo 750 E Giulietta Sprint Veloce
Type Factory Lightweight "Allegeritta" Race Car
Chassis No. AR 1493E 04768
Carrozzeria Bertone Job No. 77596
Engine No. AR 1315 30666
Gearbox No. E684
Rear Axle No. 578
Completed: July 2nd, 1957
Delivery Date July 10th, 1957
Invoiced To: AutoSport S.A. Mexico
Registration "16-59-66, 284 FK and later 969 AKV" (Mexico D.F.)
Mileage 26,153 kilometers
Background:
The first of Alfa Romeo's Giulietta models, the Sprint coupe, with
elegant and sporty coachwork by Bertone, was first revealed to the
world at the 1954 Turin Motor Show. Powered by a 1.3-liter,
all-alloy version of Alfa's veritable twin-cam four (designed by
former Ferrari engineer Giuseppe Busso), the Sprint was an instant
success, prompting the company to revise its production estimates
to meet demand.
Public demand for a more powerful performance version of the
Giulietta resulted in the Veloce, which was available in both
Sprint coupe and spider form in 1956. Alfa Romeo, always astute to
the needs of the racing community, made a special lightweight, or
Alleggerita, version available to a select few that desired even
more performance than the very capable standard Sprint and Veloce
editions. The rarest and mostly highly coveted of Alfa Romeos
Sprint Veloce's are the original limited run of Tipo 750E
"Alleggerita" lightweight racers built from early 1956 until the
Spring of 1958.
This particular vehicle is one of the impossibly rare, original
examples built in that short time frame. These lightweight, racing
variants used all alloy panels for the doors, bonnet, and sometimes
even the rear deck lids, as well as lightweight sliding side
windows, hollowed out door skins and the removal of most steel and
chrome trim to make the most of the available power. The Sprint
Veloce "Alleggerita" was intended for pure performance over luxury,
as it also lacked sound deadening and its rear seat was complete
removed in favour of a flat parcel shelf that was more suited for
extra tires and spare parts than luggage or even the thought of a
rear seat occupant!
The idea for such a vehicle was both practical, sound as well as
highly successful. Just a few years later, Ferrari copied the same
idea with their SWB series of Berlinettas. Originally available in
all steel construction for regular road use as well as in alloy for
those primarily interested in racing, an even rarer and lighter
version was made available in 1961 proving that Alfa's concept was
not a fluke.
When an order was placed by a client or a racing team for an
"Alleggerita" version, a freshly stamped Bertone Sprint Veloce tub
was set aside and moved to a separate sub assembly line. The
special "Alleggerita" versions all used body numbers stamped into
the front scuttle area that started with a "77" followed by a three
digit consecutive number designating the build sequence of the
vehicle. (In the case of our particular lightweight, the Bertone
Body or "Job" number is "77596" The stamped in chassis number was
likewise unique to the special lightweight models and achieved by a
slight modification to the chassis number by adding an extra hand
stamped "E" between the type designation and the individual vehicle
identification number. In the case of our particular Alleggerita
the Alfa Romeo Chassis Number, "AR1493 04768" then became "AR1493E
04768 These small designation changes were just a start of the
overall transformation from splendid and sport road-car into a
flat-out racing special!
Mechanical modifications to these potent, lightweight racers
included the use of magnesium for the oil pan and intake manifold,
and a special tachometer with a 6,600rpm redline that went up to
8,000 rather than the 6,200 redline and 7,000rpm limit of the
Normale. A special 220kph speedometer was used instead of the
standard 180kph unit found in the Normale model. Engines were
carefully hand assembled with close tolerances, lightened pistons,
special cams and ignition timing. A larger 22-gallon (85-liter)
fuel tank for long-distance racing was also fitted, which
necessitated some modifications to the car's handbrake cable
mechanism and rear inner panel coachwork. The new fuel tank was
more than 7-gallons (26.5-liter) larger and is easily distinguished
from the regular "Normale" tank as it has a large cut-out in the
front center area to wrap around the differential. The rear
differential itself was also heavily revised with the standard
4.55:1 ratio being replaced by a significantly taller 4.1:1 unit.
The "less weight means a faster vehicle approach" coupled with the
revised final drive ratio and engine performance improvements gave
these Alfas some very impressive performance, braking and handling
figures and they were immensely competitive as such in both short
and long distance races.
Each of these hand-assembled "Alleggerita" models was slightly
different from the next and as such unique in many ways. The Tipo
750E "Alleggerita" models were notably more responsive and sharp to
drive than the standard Giulietta Sprint Veloce, or Normale, and it
immediately proved itself to be a serious contender wherever
entered and campaigned. Because of the transitional time-frame in
just a few years, these ultra-rare Alfa racers, despite initially
being dominant in their class were soon rendered obsolete by newer
machines and technology. Many were subsequently updated with larger
engines, disc-brakes, wider wheels and continued to be pushed into
racing and races they were never intended to compete in and long
after they should have been retired. Because they were both fun and
completely at home on public roads, many were used as regular
transportation with time and the elements causing attrition in
unprecedented numbers. While most experts believe that some 600
were originally completed, less than 100 are accounted for today
and few of those are complete and as assembled and delivered when
new.
AR 1493E 04768
This particular Alfa Romeo was part of a two car order initiated in
the Spring of 1957. The order came from AutoSport S.A. Mexico in
Mexico city and was initiated via Willlys Mexicana S.A. the
licensed assembler of Willys-Overland Motors which in 1953 had
become a division of Kaiser Motors. Kaiser Motors changed the name
to Willys Motor Company but licensed assembly and sales of vehicles
in Mexico and Brazil were done simply under the name "Willys
Mexicana S.A. and Willys-Overland do Brazil." The reason the order
for the two Alfas being ordered via Willys Mexicana S.A. was simply
so that the vehicles could be dispatched from the Alfa Romeo
factory in "KD" or "Knocked Down" configuration which meant that
the engines, and wheels were not attached or fitted to the cars. On
arrival at Willys Mexicana, the cars were removed from the shipping
crates and had their engines and wheels fitted along with local
Mexican tires. By doing so, the importer could avoid the 100% duty
charges for a vehicle not built in Mexico. A small brass badge in
the engine compartment proudly states:
"Ensamblado en MEXICO por WILLYS MEXICANA S.A."
According to Alfa Romeo internal factory records, both vehicles
were completed on July 2nd, 1957 and shipped eight days later by
ocean vesse...for more information please contact the seller.
