The 550 Spyder potential contender of Alfa Romeo who failed to show on the racecourse
Unique ONES Shortly after the end of World War II, the automotive world was slowly getting back on its feet in which marked by many racing events flourished which were enthusiastically welcomed and attended by participants from both the automotive industry circles and privateers. At that time, the Grand Prix racing event was also rolling again and attracted the Alfa Romeo, one of the oldest Italian manufacturers to take part in it once again by bringing a new line of cars which then succeeded in the market and became a key player in the great post-war economic miracle in Italy.
1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione speedster designed and built by Felice Boano in collaboration with Carlo Abarth based on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. (Picture from: CarPixel)
For the Alfa Romeo, the early 1950s belonged to the Giulietta which was the first large car line models to be fully built by the company during the period from 1954 to 1965. Then there were several units of which were specially modified by the third parties, and it started by Bertone, the famous Italian coachbuilder is succeeded in building the Sprint 2 + 2 coupe and then shown it for the first time at the Turin Auto Show 1954. One year later the Berlina sedan and the Spider roadster are modified by another Italian coachbuilder, Pininfarina and joined with the Sprint to complete the Guilietta car line up that were visually appealing and fun to drive.
1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione failed to show on the racecourse due to unknown reasons after only two units ever made. (Picture from: UltimateCarPage)
Almost in the same time, the sports car racing was booming once again in Europe and the US, and the 1,500cc modification became the most popular and hotly contested racing class (of which the Porsche 550 Spyder eventually dominate back then). The Italian manufacturer also made the Alfa Romeo racing cars based on the Giulietta that would be run in the competition.
1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione powered has 1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione has a striking 'Spider' body that was distinctly different from all Alfa Romeos that came before or since. (Picture from: FavCars)
At the end of 1955, Alfa Romeo motor sports engineers managed to find its finest race car candidate, named Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione, in which the "Competizione" means the car specifically made for racing purpose only and "750" was the body code for the Giulietta on which it was based. The sports car is designed and made by Felice Boano, who has developed the lightweight aluminum-made "speedster" body in collaboration with Carlo Abarth to match it on a boxed steel chassis.
1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione powered by a four-cylinder, dual-overhead cam 1.3-liter Alfa Romeo's engine. (Picture from: FCAHeritage)
The running gear, comprising an independent front suspension with twin
wishbones and coil springs and dampers, and a rigid-axle rear suspension, and could be said it was a piece of artwork. As for the drivetrain, the speedster is powered by a four-cylinder, dual-overhead cam 1.3-liter Alfa Romeo's engine based on the one used by the Giulietta Spyder and capable of spewing the power of 145 hp at 8,000 rpm, or nearly 100 hp per liter, which was a big number in the era.
1955 Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione could be said one of the serious contenders for the 550 Spyder in the 1,500cc modification racing class of the 1950s. (Picture from: FCAHeritage)
The machine coupled with the embedding of a close-ratio five-speed transmission and gear-driven, racing-spec cams
made the 750 Competizione an amazingly responsive car to wheel around a
racecourse with an overall weighs of 1,528 lbs. Even though those weight figures is slightly heavier than its rival the Porsche 550 Spyder, this is not an obstacle to its running speed, as under the hood it is then fitted with a blaster device that is said to be able to balance the extra heft with brute force and long heavy breathing.
So far, it is known that only two of the 750 Competizione speedsters have been ever made by Alfa Romeo of the initial plan was to build 50 cars. Some parties said, that the technical problems during testing had been the cause of the project's cancellation, yet others said the Alfa's business-focused management who had messed up the initial plan.
Either way, we will never know why the Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione has never appeared on the racecourse, even though at the time the most automotive observers and enthutiasts generally predicted it could be one of the serious contenders for the 550 Spyder in the 1,500cc modification racing class of the 1950s. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE DRIVE | FCA HERITAGE | WIKIPEDIA | ULTIMATECARPAGE ]
