1937 show coupe back in the limelight
An unusual and comprehensively restored Alfa Romeo with a coupe body by Touring has won this year’s Pebble Beach concours, some 80 years after it debuted at a 1938 Berlin motor show.
Winning this award is the equivalent of beatification for the restoration house involved, and is often a lifetime highlight for the owner.
To give the car’s full description, it’s a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta.
Under the paint, it’s effectively a road car body mounted on what was then a grand prix chassis.
Several versions of the 8C 2900 were built, many of them designed to compete in endurance races.
The 2900 designation indicates a straight eight engine, which in some cases featured twin superchargers. In this trim they were said to be good for around 300 horsepower.
As for this car, it’s owned by Californian enthusiast David Sydorick.
“As a Zagato collector, I broke the rules and bought a Touring-bodied car because this Alfa Romeo is very special,” he said. “It is a piece of automotive architecture mounted on a Grand Prix chassis that has technology that was top of the line for prewar cars. It’s a wonderful combination. It’s beautiful from top to bottom.”