Lot 245: 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia Historic Race Saloon

This car had been a track car for many years before being prepared as a Top Hat historic race car in 2000. After a few shakedown outings at Snetterton and Doninigton, it first appeared in a mainstream historic race event at the 2001 Silverstone Classic, where it was raced in the headlining historic saloon car event. Later in the year, it was subsequently pressed into service - at very short notice from the organisers as a replacement entry for the legendary track ace Rauno Aaltonen after his Mercedes-Benz 300SE had failed in practice during the prestigious Goodwood Revival. Rauno tigered this car into 5th position o/a (the last year that Goodwood combined '50's & '60's cars in the St. Mary's Trophy) until breaking a rear wheel on the last lap. When asked if the failure had alarmed him, the mischievous reply was 'all Alfa wheels broke like that in period when I drove them!' This game little Alfa Romeo was officially invited back to Goodwood in 2003 when, against much stiffer all pre-'66 machinery, it finished the 2-driver event in 21st place within a second (1.48.5) of Rauno's best lap. Due to the vendor's commitments abroad, this car was then put into professional storage, where it has remained unraced, apart from the occasional track day outing. Currently fitted with a little used 2-litre Randall-prepared engine, it is eligible for Top Hat's, 'Groovy Baby! and Sebring Salute Series plus HSCC Historic Racing Saloons Register events. As a well-balanced, neutral-handling car, here is an ideal entry level to classic and historic racing with the bonus of being acceptable to selected foreign events in addition to a busy UK calendar in 2006. This particular car's reliability factor has lent itself to being doubled up as a worthy track day car, helping novices to acquire their race craft under expert tuition. One such instructor, Touring Car ace and celebrated motoring journalist, Tony Dron, commented after a Top Hat track day at Goodwood in this car, 'I think that I might expire from fatigue before this game car ever guffed out!' Buyers are advised that some straightforward recommissioning work will be required before this car can return to the circuits and that some safety elements of the car (seat, harness and fire extinguisher) may be now out of date and require attention.