Alfa Romeo 1900C Series 1 Pininfarina
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Car producer : |
Alfa Romeo |
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Model: |
1900C Series 1 Pininfarina |
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Year: |
1951-1952 |
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Type: |
Cabriolet |
special Giulia chassis were not intended for sale. The best-known coachbuilders were Touring, who built the well-known Superleggera coupes, and Zagato, whose efforts were more spartan and light and thus more suitable for sports car races such as the Inter-Europa series, where the 1900's principal rivals were the 2-litre V8 Fiats, including 5-speed SIATA versions of same.
Other coachbuilders who made open and closed coupes were Stabilamente Farina (whose 'Victoria' was presumably named after the light, low, four-wheeled horse drawn carriage for two), Pinin Farina, Boano (who made the 'Primavera' monocoque saloon), Boneschi, with the 'Astral', a futuristic drop head, Castagna, Ghia and Ghia-Aigle. Many of these designs were enhanced by Borrani wire wheels. Some of the coupes were capable of 112mph.
The final flowering of the 1900 was the Super series, of which the Berlina, or saloon, and the 1900C Super Sprint were produced from 1953 to 1958, and the TI Super saloon from 1953 to 1955. The Super series were mainly distinguished by the fact that the engine bore was increased from 82.55mm to 84.5mm, which had the effect of increasing the capacity from 1884cc to 1975cc.
From the spring of 1955 when two silent chains drove the camshafts instead of a single chain, the direction of rotation of the camshafts being changed. This also changed the firing order from 1,3,4,2 to 1,2,4,3.
In 1958, a stretched glass-partition limousine version of the 1900 Super was made, and there was also a four-seater, open military staff car with much the same lines as the standard saloon.
The chassis was designed specifically to allow coachbuilders to rebody it, the most notable of which was the Zagato designed, 1900 Super Sprint Coupe, with an improved engine and custom body design. The Alfa Romeo 1900M AR51 (or "Matta") is a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle based on the 1900-series.
Iginio Alessio, then general manager of Alfa Romeo, was concerned for the viability of the independent Italian Coach building industry–the avant of the unibody chassis design was threatening to put the Carrozzeria out of business. Alessio was also a personal friend of Gaetano Ponzoni co-owner of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, thus from 1951-1958 Alfa Romeo built five different variations of the 1900 unibody chassis specifically for independent coachbuilders.
Alfa Romeo gave official contracts to Touring to build the sporty 1900 Sprint coupe and to Pinin Farina to build an elegant four seat Cabriolet and Coupe. The availability of a suitable chassis led to many other coachbuilders to build versions of the 1900.
Pininfarina presented various models based on the Alfa Romeo 1900: A few coupes approximately eight built on the 1900L floorplan (2630mm) with model name 1900L TI from 1952 to 1954.
Pininfarina produced 88 convertibles on the 1900C floorplan and approximately 100 coupes in time period of 1952-1953. However, delivery of these cars continued in 1954.
As a result of generous use of aluminium, the coupe weight was only approximately 50kg above that of the Superleggera design. Even functional panels such as the inner wings or fabric covered trim panels were made from aluminium. Cars were also built with aluminium doors. The entire interior and the headlining were lined with high quality mohair, because leather did not seem exclusive enough for Battista Farina.
1900L TI Coupes has a closed-meshed grille, although identical bodies but with an entirely different design, with one or more lateral bars. This means there are at least four different versions.
The cabriolets in the early model series did not quit achieve the elegance of the later coupe models, and they were in direct competition with the convertibles of other coachbuilders as Stabilimenti Farina and much later Touring and Worblaufen. Within the type series a distinction is made between first and second series. Amongst others the modification concern – no more dual cowls, larger rear window, bumpers without horns, dashboard, door handle, side trims and modification of the front wings.
