1963 Alfa Romeo

1963 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider by Touring
s/n 191551, engine no. AR00601 *01700*
Dark Green with Brown Leather Interior

Alfa Romeo gained fame in the early 1930's for their line of twin-cam, straight six powered Grand Touring cars. Following World War II, the company became known mostly for their lightweight, small displacement four cylinder cars. The 2600Sprint marked a return to building the powerful and luxurious "6C" Gran Turismo cars that made the company famous.

The engine was a direct derivative of the twin cam of old, now displacing 2584cc and producing 170hp.The exotic all-alloy motor was rugged too, and famously served in the Italian Carbinieri's "Squadra Volante" as high-speed "Pantera" police pursuit vehicles. European and South American racers took note, and the Sprints were raced enthusiastically with notable success. Alessandro Ragazzi won the European TT 3 Liter Championship in 1967 in a2600 Sprint.

More well appointed than the Giulietta and the Guilia Spiders, which made Alfa Romeo a viable production manufacturer, the 2600 Spider by Touring was a refined performance touring car equipped for comfort. Better suited for long distance touring events, with their larger displacement, wider torque band, standard 5 speed transmission, and larger carrying capacity, the 2600 Spider is popular among driving enthusiasts who expect to travel hundreds of miles over several days, and arrive in comfort.

This particular example came from Arizona and was reportedly a longtime Southern California car. It was comprehensively restored to very nice standards and has had a recent tune up and oil change. The car was also aligned, new wheel bearings fitted, the generator rebuilt, and new voltage regulator fitted. 

The car presents very nicely. The paint was done to high standards, with excellent gloss, and virtually no surface or prep issues. There is one touched up chip on the front of the car and a shallow scratch on the right door but the paint is otherwise nearly unmarked. The panels are straight with good fit. The driver’s door is a bit proud at the trailing edge. The chrome is excellent, with a fresh and recent appearance with no swirls, scratches, or pitting. The hubcaps are similarly nice and the wheels were nicely refinished and wear costly but correct Michelin X tires. The trim and badges are generally excellent other than some crazing to the front emblem on the grille. The lights, glass, and lenses are excellent, with some pitting on the Carello fog lamps but no other major issues.

The interior presentation is similar. The seats and door panels were upholstered to high standards in leather and show only slight mellowing. The chrome and bright trim shows light pitting and may never have been redone, in which case they are excellent. The gauges also appear to be in very nice unrestored condition. The carpets are in excellent condition and are high quality material, as is the dashboard upholstery. The car is fitted with a period Motorola radio. The steering wheel is very nice but not freshly restored. There is slight crazing to the horn button.

The engine compartment is consistent with a nice driver level example, being attractive and tidy, and partially detailed. The car is equipped with correct intake system including triple Solex carburetors, trunking, and air filter housing with FISPA decal. The engine itself is quite clean. The firewall appears to have seen some restoration work in the past but is not as fresh as the engine. The trunk is unrestored aside from the fitment of a matching mat in the same material as the interior carpet.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a cosmetically attractive restored 2600 Spider. Finished in great colors, the car runs and drives great and would make a great touring car or casual driver. The car’s owner just completed a 500 mile trip in it. Long overlooked by collectors, these 2600s have appreciated recently and are now being recognized as the elegant, timeless touring cars that they are by the collector market.