The Jalopy Journal

**Ryan** · 06-30-2009, 08:14 AM

This one is off-topic for sure, but it's a great story about a gorgeous car and I figured you guys could at least appreciate it. If not, just skip it... We'll be back with big news tomorrow. Until then, let's check out what was going on at Alfa Romeo...

To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

**mctim64** · 06-30-2009, 08:19 AM

Neat lookin' car, reminds me of a beetle ready to fly with the engine compartment open. Also liked the story of the shoot out with the "Commies".

Thanks for sharing.

banjorear · 06-30-2009, 08:43 AM

Ryan or anyone:

Where is the car now? Obviously it is a significant piece of history.

Too bad it didn't have a few bullet holes in it as momentos of the shoot out.

Rolleiflex · 06-30-2009, 09:10 AM

That's a neat car, but it's not as good looking as the Auto Union car that you mentioned. Regardless, it'd be neat to see this car lowered with either disc wire wheel covers or a set of the windowless Halibrands on it.

**oldandkrusty** · 06-30-2009, 09:33 AM

What a fantastic car! Thank you Ryan for bringing it to our attention. I do have a question about the car; why does it have right hand drive if it was designed by Slavs for an Italian company? Did the Jankovits plan on their little trip out of the country and over to Great Britain well before they actually took the trip and, consequently, made the conversion?

Hmmmmmmmm, who knows...

-J- · 06-30-2009, 09:37 AM

That's simply amazing, thank you for bringing this up. Damn that is beautiful!!

**Ryan** · 06-30-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldandkrusty

What a fantastic car! Thank you Ryan for bringing it to our attention. I do have a question about the car; why does it have right hand drive if it was designed by Slavs for an Italian company? Did the Jankovits plan on their little trip out of the country and over to Great Britain well before they actually took the trip and, consequently, made the conversion?

Hmmmmmmmm, who knows...

It's actually center steer.... not left or right...

miller91 · 06-30-2009, 09:59 AM

Jano was a genius, one of the greats, known best today for his work with Ferrari. Going up against the might of the prewar German efforts was no easy task. He had come to Alfa in 1923 designing many sports and championship cars, notably the P2. At the request of racing team manager Enzo Ferrari, Jano was brought back to the board immediately prewar; the period in which this interesting car was developed. Their is a full article on this car in Octane magazine, archived in their website.

http://www.classicandperformancecar....ca_spider.html

Jano's replacement Ricart designed the relevant 512 championship car seen below.

FiddyFour · 06-30-2009, 10:04 AM

i dont know where to start with this...

its got simple lines, nothing complex that draws the eye to one point, low and sporty, i like that a lot... the sleek center of the car does kinda contrast with the way the fender tops blend along the entire side of the car, almost like a VW made it with a belly tank racer...

miller91 · 06-30-2009, 10:05 AM

and seeing Ryan has given an all-clear to play a little bit O/T, here are some notable Alfa aerodynamic classics. One of my favorite marques.

Asphalt Outlaw Hero · 06-30-2009, 10:10 AM

That's gorgeous!
I read an interesting story years ago about a guy who tracked down a Mercedes Benz 540K that was given to Stalin by Hitler.Stalin considered it too bourgeois and gave it to one of his generals as a staff car.A guy tracked it down to his kid's country estate. He thought about diassembling it but then said WTF.He drove it across the border on a Sunday like he owned it.......it worked!

1950ChevySuburban · 06-30-2009, 10:10 AM

I love it the way it is! "Improve" on it too much, and you've got a different car. Wouldn't be the same.

miller91 · 06-30-2009, 10:18 AM

and perhaps the first mid-engined car, the 1923 Benz "Tropfenwagen".

FiddyFour · 06-30-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asphalt Outlaw Hero

That's gorgeous!
I read an interesting story years ago about a guy who tracked down a Mercedes Benz 540K...

there are a LOT of interesting tales of tracking down, procuring and smuggling rare cars out of the former soviet block nations. . . Bluto could tell us volumes, but thats for another blog entry

seesko · 06-30-2009, 10:33 AM

What a sensual looking thing. Some of the machines from that era are so beautiful both aesthetically and mechanically. The Auto Union cars were pretty amazing too but had that, German, purpose built look like a Messerschmitt or Stuka.

**zman** · 06-30-2009, 10:37 AM

sleek and sexy, especially for the era... damn we were behind in that department.

**HEMI32** · 06-30-2009, 10:49 AM

Ryan ... one of your best O/T threads ever!

49ratfink · 06-30-2009, 10:51 AM

hahaha! when I saw this post I knew HEMI32 would come running.

FiddyFour · 06-30-2009, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zman

sleek and sexy, especially for the era... damn we were behind in that department.

the times have not changed sir. . .

Tman · 06-30-2009, 11:43 AM

Looks back-asswards in the above pic.

06-30-2009, 08:14 AM	#1
Ryan Administrator Join Date: Jan 1995 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 13,623	Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider This one is off-topic for sure, but it's a great story about a gorgeous car and I figured you guys could at least appreciate it. If not, just skip it... We'll be back with big news tomorrow. Until then, let's check out what was going on at Alfa Romeo... To read the rest of this blog entry from The Jalopy Journal, click here.

06-30-2009, 08:19 AM	#2
mctim64 Alliance Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California, somewhere just below Fresno. Posts: 5,010	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider Neat lookin' car, reminds me of a beetle ready to fly with the engine compartment open. Also liked the story of the shoot out with the "Commies". Thanks for sharing. __________________ Y-Block Powered Model A Tudor project http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=667198 "it looks just like a Tellafunkin U-47" http://yblockguy.com/

06-30-2009, 08:43 AM	#3
banjorear Old School HAMBer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Garden State Posts: 2,966	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider Ryan or anyone: Where is the car now? Obviously it is a significant piece of history. Too bad it didn't have a few bullet holes in it as momentos of the shoot out. __________________ I was bored before I even began.

06-30-2009, 09:10 AM	#4
Rolleiflex Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 545	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider That's a neat car, but it's not as good looking as the Auto Union car that you mentioned. Regardless, it'd be neat to see this car lowered with either disc wire wheel covers or a set of the windowless Halibrands on it. __________________ Email or PM me for prints www.cullipherphoto.com

06-30-2009, 09:33 AM	#5
oldandkrusty Alliance Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Rochester, NY USA Posts: 1,884	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider What a fantastic car! Thank you Ryan for bringing it to our attention. I do have a question about the car; why does it have right hand drive if it was designed by Slavs for an Italian company? Did the Jankovits plan on their little trip out of the country and over to Great Britain well before they actually took the trip and, consequently, made the conversion? Hmmmmmmmm, who knows...

06-30-2009, 09:37 AM	#6
-J- Grenade Inspector Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Monticello Minnesota Posts: 130	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider That's simply amazing, thank you for bringing this up. Damn that is beautiful!!

06-30-2009, 09:59 AM	#8
miller91 Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: not at hamb anymore Posts: 522	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider Jano was a genius, one of the greats, known best today for his work with Ferrari. Going up against the might of the prewar German efforts was no easy task. He had come to Alfa in 1923 designing many sports and championship cars, notably the P2. At the request of racing team manager Enzo Ferrari, Jano was brought back to the board immediately prewar; the period in which this interesting car was developed. Their is a full article on this car in Octane magazine, archived in their website. http://www.classicandperformancecar....ca_spider.html Jano's replacement Ricart designed the relevant 512 championship car seen below. Last edited by miller91; 12-31-2011 at 07:36 PM.

06-30-2009, 10:04 AM	#9
FiddyFour Old School HAMBer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: TitleTown, WI, USA Posts: 8,825	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider i dont know where to start with this... its got simple lines, nothing complex that draws the eye to one point, low and sporty, i like that a lot... the sleek center of the car does kinda contrast with the way the fender tops blend along the entire side of the car, almost like a VW made it with a belly tank racer... __________________ Custom "HF" bead roller dies Tipping, body lines PM for details...

06-30-2009, 10:05 AM	#10
miller91 Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: not at hamb anymore Posts: 522	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider and seeing Ryan has given an all-clear to play a little bit O/T, here are some notable Alfa aerodynamic classics. One of my favorite marques. Last edited by miller91; 12-31-2011 at 07:36 PM.

06-30-2009, 10:10 AM	#11
Asphalt Outlaw Hero Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Dixie Posts: 942	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider That's gorgeous! I read an interesting story years ago about a guy who tracked down a Mercedes Benz 540K that was given to Stalin by Hitler.Stalin considered it too bourgeois and gave it to one of his generals as a staff car.A guy tracked it down to his kid's country estate. He thought about diassembling it but then said WTF.He drove it across the border on a Sunday like he owned it.......it worked!

06-30-2009, 10:10 AM	#12
1950ChevySuburban Member Emeritus Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tucson AZ Posts: 6,239	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider I love it the way it is! "Improve" on it too much, and you've got a different car. Wouldn't be the same. __________________ *My '29 Sedan build thread can be viewed here:* /showthread.php?t=635145

06-30-2009, 10:18 AM	#13
miller91 Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: not at hamb anymore Posts: 522	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider and perhaps the first mid-engined car, the 1923 Benz "Tropfenwagen". Last edited by miller91; 12-31-2011 at 07:35 PM.

06-30-2009, 10:33 AM	#15
seesko Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Western Twin Cities area. Minn Posts: 2,893	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider What a sensual looking thing. Some of the machines from that era are so beautiful both aesthetically and mechanically. The Auto Union cars were pretty amazing too but had that, German, purpose built look like a Messerschmitt or Stuka. __________________ Ya gotta nip it! Nip it in the bud!!

06-30-2009, 10:37 AM	#16
zman Alliance Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Garner, NC Posts: 16,484	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider sleek and sexy, especially for the era... damn we were behind in that department. __________________ I have gotten grief for pointing out that the white, speckled stuff on chicken shit is still chicken shit. I will continue to do so... Chili Phil

06-30-2009, 10:49 AM	#17
HEMI32 Alliance Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 3,789	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider *Ryan* ... one of your best O/T threads ever! __________________

06-30-2009, 10:51 AM	#18
49ratfink Old School HAMBer Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: S.F. bay area, California Posts: 13,175	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider hahaha! when I saw this post I knew HEMI32 would come running.

06-30-2009, 11:43 AM	#20
Tman Old School HAMBer Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Beautifull Black Hills of South Dakota Posts: 28,198	Re: Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider Looks back-asswards in the above pic. __________________ Open for business, website in developement www.compulsionrodandcustom.com

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