This unrestored 1952 Touring Superleggera-bodied Alfa 1900 Corto Gara was driven by Franco Cortese in the 1952 Mille Miglia. The Corto Gara, chassis 01047, is one of a smaller number of special competition cars that were prepared by the factory for the 1952 race. The car participated in the retrospective Mille Miglia in 1984, 1989, 1990, 1995, and 1997. It has also participated in numerous California Milles and has been a frequent participant in the Monterey Historic Races.
The Corto Gara cars had highly tuned 4-cylinder, 1884 cc engines with Weber carburetors and stiffer suspensions. Their interiors were a spartan version of the production car interior with a speed column shift and a chronometric Jaeger tachometer. The exterior was distinguished by the flat glass V-windshield, sliding Perspex side windows, louvered Perspex rear quarter window, Monza type fuel filler mounted in the tail (eliminating the trunk lid) and a single large driving light mounted on the grill.
Competed in the 1952 Mille Miglia!Alfa Romeo is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1910, and it has been a part of the Fiat Group since 1986. The company was originally known as A.L.F.A. which is an acronym for Anoima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (or: Lombard Automobile Factory; Public Company).
The Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint Coupe was introduced in 1951. It had a 100 horsepower 4-cylinder twin overhead cam all-aluminum engine.
This car, serial number 1047, is the only survivor of six specially-made ‘Corta Gara’ (short race) cars made by Alfa Romeo for the 1952 race season. This car has a Touring ‘Superleggera’ (super light) aluminum body that was a lowered, reshaped, and lightened version of the series production Touring Sprint coupes. This Corta Gara has a highly-tuned 135 horsepower engine with twin Weber carburetors, a stiffer suspension, Jaeger tachometer, flat glass ‘V’ windshield, 80 liter gas tank with Monza-type fuel filler in the tail, no bumpers, and a driving light mounted on the grill.
This car competed in the 1952 Mille Miglia race, driven by Franco Cortese. It carried number 510 (the departure time). This car remains in unrestored original condition, except for the exterior paint and interior.
