[karlosdeville]

For years we have heard, discussed and debated a very special car in the Indian historic car scene. Mostly we just had a couple of hazy photos and stories of a special Alfa that was raced by the legendary Rossi.



One of the very few pictures posted earlier of the car in more recent times. So what is the actual story?


After decades of speculation, we were fortunate to hear first hand accounts of what is probably India’s most special post war sports car, a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Zagato. Just about 16 cars were hand built by Zagato, and their remarkable strike rate in motorsport events spawned the higher volume SZ series.




From my understanding below is the history of the car, thanks mainly to marque expert Gino Giugno and long term owner Rajesh Malhotra.

[karlosdeville]

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce AR*1493E04249, engine no. 1315-30486 was delivered on March 19, 1957 and originally registered Roma 317412. Some months later it was sent to the Zagato works in Milan to be fitted with a lightweight body upgrading the car to SVZ (as was the case with other cars too). The first owner is recorded as Mario Angioli; and subsequently Silvano Bernabei, Clara Barbato (Dario Sepe, a new registration plate number NA146353), Silvio Mandato and Renato Valli (also Renetto Venneli?).


The car had competed in multiple motorsport events in Europe, some wins are listed below

1) 1958 AGNANO - CAPPELLA CANGIANI, car driven by Dario Sepe
2) 1958 SORRENTO SANT'AGATA, car driven by Dario Sepe
3) 1959 TARGA FLORIO, car no 38 driven by Dario Sepe - Colin Davis
4) 1959 PALERMO - MONTE PELLEGRINO, car no 202 driven by Dario Sepe
5) 1959 COPPA SILA, car driven by Dario Sepe
6) 1959 CATANIA ETNA, car no 312 driven by Dario Sepe
7) 1960 TARGA FLORIO, car no 54 driven by Silvio Mandato - G.Ruggero
8) 1960 TARGA VESVIO, car driven by Silvio Mandato




The most prestigious of these was the class win and 6th overall at Targa Florio on May 24th 1959, with Dario Sepe and Colin Davis at wheel. We believe it is the only SVZ to achieve this distinction. Thankfully this is backed up by authentic documentation from the Automobile Club d’Italia and marque expert Gino Guigno who has documented each car built in his books ‘Giulietta Sprint Veloce Zagato’, as well as ‘La Targa Florio della Giulietta’. This is especially important given the high number of fakes in the international market that keep popping up.





Thanks to AlfaBB and Gino for these priceless images.

[karlosdeville]

Around 1960/61 the then owner Renato Valli (also mentioned as Renetto Venneli?) was apparently deputed to India on assignment from Alitalia. He brought the Alfa with him to Bombay, where she was registered BMF 7081. The car was regularly raced in India on the popular race tracks of Barrackpore and Sholavaram by well known racer C Rossi. Rossi had brought in quite a few interesting Italian cars, and even a Studebaker coupe. Hope to learn more of the Alfa's Indian racing history from readers. A few images that I could find showing the Alfa competing.






Subsequently the car was sold to M Shantharam in Coimbatore – I’m told he is the brother in law of legendary racing driver S Karivardhan. At some point the original engine was sent to the UK, and replaced with that of a Fiat 125, and then around 1991 was sold to Rajesh Malhotra in Madras (Chennai), without an engine. The plan was to restore the car, and moved around a few workshops in the interim without much success. Unfortunately no progress happened, and as the car moved it deteriorated further, with more parts going missing. This is what she eventually looked like - a job not for the faint hearted.

[karlosdeville]

After visiting the inaugural 2008 Cartier concours d’elegance some executives from Zagato contacted Rajesh. By a quirk of fate, they passed on information leading to a seller in Italy offering the very same correct numbers matching engine! The seller had bought the engine from the UK in 2006, and in 2009 it was finally in same ownership as the car. It stayed in Italy for another 10 years before finally being reunited with the car in 2019. The engine is complete and original, with untampered matching number stampings.




The original data plates match the VIN stamping too, the car is indeed all original and matching numbers.



The Alfa is of course totally derelict, having been raced hard all its life, and subsequently out of use for decades, with many parts gone missing. A decision was finally taken to do a grounds up specialist restoration, and the job was entrusted to Kaizad and Nekzad, the Engineer Brothers at Nicki Garage. They seem to have made a habit out of taking on 'unrestorable' cars, and never shy away from a challenge (remember the Bristol https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/vinta...-all-odds.html (1948 Bristol 400 - Resurrection against all odds!))






After a lot of deliberation, Rajesh decided to pass the car on to the next and present owner, Jimmy Tata, who owns a few rather interesting sports cars, and the car is thankfully all set to be restored in as authentic a manner as possible, retaining and repairing all the original Zagato body panels. Such a historically significant car deserves nothing less than the best. Almost every single missing part has been painstakingly sourced from Italy, with only NOS or genuine used items, rather than later reproductions (barring rubber consumables). No corner was cut, items sourced include original Zagato manuals – with such a low production run, one can imagine how difficult this was to source! In my book this car will be amongst the most important Indian cars to be restored in recent times.

Should any of the stalwarts reading this remember any more anecdotes on its history, we would be very grateful to hear from you. Can’t wait to see her ready! Do stay tuned for more updates as and when they come in.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[A.K]

This thread has made my week!!
I have been closely following this car and have been fortunate to have a couple of interactions with Mr. Malhotra who told me about the car's decorated racing history. Was always painful to see the car in that dilapidated state but mighty chuffed to know it is being restored to former glory. Fantastic to know that they've managed to find the original motor after decades, good CARma is real!

[H0RSEPOWER]

Wow! A piece of international motor racing history being revived in India! Really very rare indeed!

[sureshkumar]

An amazing story. The story of the engine coming back to its original car after all these years is eerie. Looking forward to see the fully restored car in all its glory.

[clementw]

Wow! What a slice of automotive history!! So amazed that the story has such a long Indian racing connection. Thanks for sharing

[CJP]

This restoration will look like the revival of the woolly mammoth story...I'm hoping that we can see this magnificent piece of history restored to its glory. Subscribed :-)

[ksgehlot]

Indeed a very rare and legendry car in India. How much time it will take to restore the car to its glory? I am looking forward to it.

[aah78]

What a lovely thread, karlosdeville!
It's such a rare chance for a long lost engine to be reunited with the original car body.

Will be eagerly following the progress of this build.

[LOL_FWD]

Masked as a thread on TBHP, this seems more like the first love letter to Giulietta.

I'm very much looking forward to follow the build than the final result (which I'm sure will not be any less than spectacular), especially with a car like this with so much history behind it.

[KPS]

The car was discussed much in 2009 under to Top Ten Collectible Cars Located in India.

Our good friend Wasif had posted these detail covered by Karl

Originally Posted by wasif

Some more details on this Alfa. Source Alfa Forums

SVA/SVZ *04249*: 1957-1958 wi.............

Great history but going by what is said about these cars most of them were rebodied by Zagato in the late 50's. The original SVZ by Zagato had the trademark Zagato Double Bubble style body.

Sure does qualify for the top 10 but can anyone shed more light on it ? What happened to the original engine and what got it to the state it is in now.

Some pics. The first is of the said car before it was imported to India, second and.

Pictures shared by Wasif, circa 1996





How exciting to note that the original engine was found and reunited with the car!

Great to note the Nikki Garage is taking up this restoration. I have no doubts that the outcome will be fabulous

Thanks Karl for this thread and the exciting news on the restoration of this historically important car, truly a Top Ten Collectible, post restoration

Cheers

KPS

[71Convertible]

Karl,
The Sholavaram pics show a white Fiat Spider. Looks like a 1500 OSCA version to me. These had the engines built by Maserati Brothers. I wonder if that Spider sill exists.

Also, the mention of the Fiat 125 engine got me interested. As my spider was engined with a Fiat 125 engine by Kari’s garage. Wonder if it’s the same engine.