Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Pininfarina

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Lungo Cabriolet Pinin Farina, chassis 2211075, was a long-wheelbase 8C 2300 fitted from new with two-seat cabriolet bodywork by Pinin Farina. It was first registered in Turin on 23 November 1932 with the plate TO-28241 to HRH Prince Filiberto of Savoy-Genoa, Duke of Pistoia and Genoa. In April 1933, Prince Filiberto entered the car in the Monte Carlo Concours d’Elegance, where it competed against other important coachbuilt automobiles of the period. It was narrowly beaten for the Grand Prize by the Alfa Romeo 8C of Baroness Maud von Thyssen. On 30 August 1937, the car was sold to racing driver Vittorio Belmondo. During his ownership, the original Pinin Farina bodywork was updated with a new waterfall-type grille, modified wings and revised trim details. These changes gave the car a more aerodynamic late-1930s appearance, while retaining the basis of the original cabriolet body. Belmondo registered the car in Genoa as GE-24759, apparently as a new car rather than as a used vehicle. After the war, the car appeared in Switzerland in 1949, registered to French diplomat Jean-Louis Pierre Leinss. In 1956, it was acquired by British enthusiast Brian Eckersley, who registered it as PXY 63 and used it on his honeymoon. Eckersley kept the car until his death in 1999, preserving the pre-war body updates and later adding some chrome trim. The car was purchased from Eckersley’s estate in May 1999 and returned to Italy for restoration. Between 2000 and 2005, Cremonini Classics in Modena carried out a full restoration, with emphasis on retaining original components where possible. The supercharged straight-eight engine was rebuilt, the original cylinder head was repaired by Gianni Torelli, and correct-ratio gearbox gears were sourced. During disassembly, traces of grey paint and blue leather were found, influencing the restored colour scheme. It has been shown at Villa d’Este, Pebble Beach, Rétromobile and the Coppa della Perugina.