Occasionally, you get to view stunning photos of beautiful cars here on Barn Finds. Sometimes the photos of real Barn Finds are as dusty and unclear as the cars they are supposed to be photographing, as you have to piece together the story of a car through 4 blurry photos. Not so with Sotheby’s Auctions, which has tens of beautiful photos of every detail of a car. Sotheby’s is having an Auction on Saturday 24th of September and one of the lots is this, a 1938 Alfa Romeo 2900B Mille Miglia Spider Recreation which is coming up with no reserve but an expected hammer price of between $350,000 to $400,000. If you are interested, head over to Sotheby’s here, and thanks to Araknid78 for this tip!
There is scant information about this replica, made by a company called the Appenine Car Company. It looks like this was made in the mid-1990s and was a mix of parts to make a replica so close to the original that it commands prices of close to half a million dollars. The chassis was designed and built by Spydersport in the UK, an outfit that makes replacement ‘Spyder’ chassis for the Lotus Elan. The body was handcrafted from aluminum over many thousands of hours to be as close to the original as possible. In fact, each front wing is made from 11 individual sections and then welded together which took 18 months in total.
Engine-wise, it comes with two welded together 4 cylinder units from the Alfa Alfetta with different crankshafts to create the 3.9liter V8 that powers this car. Thankfully it comes with disc brakes to aid the stopping power and uses all Alfa parts throughout the build, so replacement parts should not be too taxing to find. However, looking at the condition of this, it’s unlikely that much will need replacing soon, as the car is immaculate. This is just as well, as there are just 4 original cars that were ever made which Sotheby’s says could close 7 or 8-figure prices should they go up for auction. Which makes this replica look like a bargain in comparison.
Few of us will be lucky enough to afford one of these. But it is wonderful to see that there are individuals mad enough to go to recreate one of these, to great expense for not just their own enjoyment, but for the enjoyment of others who can see one of the rarest cars in the world, hopefully on the road. The 4 originals are all tucked up safety, but this is one that you can use on the road and not be too afraid of using. What car would you rebuild for the road if money was no object?
Elliot, I believe you’ll find that the engine resulting from the marriage of the two four-cylinder Alfa engines is an inline-eight, not a V8. Putting the cylinders in a row would be correct if one wanted to replicate the Real Thing.
And the rest of the car certainly looks as if it does that! Whoever commissioned this apparently wanted as perfect a recreation as possible, and was willing/able to pay for it. They got their money’s worth.
Unfortunately, the expected price at auction makes it likely that the Alfa will not get used for what a re-created vehicle is supposed to do, which is give the owner the same driving experience as the unobtainable original, but without the fear of damaging some irreplaceable part or unit. It will be a museum piece. That’s a shame.
Otherwise, what’s not to love?
You are probably right on it’s future as an indoor exhibit. Perhaps a traveling one even being on loan to other museums or displayed at art museums. The insurance premium for the auto would be rather high I’d think what with no replacement vehicles around were this involved in a mishap of any kind.
If you can’t afford to fix it, you can’t afford (really) to buy it. People who own these cars aren’t like us. Most of them really do drive them, even on the road.
All memorable automotive classics were built to be driven … hard!
Wow. So what if it’s “only a replica.” That’s magnificent, and if it sells in the estimated range I think it’s a steal, probably way less than it would cost to do the same now.
Can’t see any obvious replica getting that kind of money.
This is not on the level of a Lynx XK-SS, which can command $1/2 million but is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
If someone pays the price, it will be to drive the car. It has no point as a showpiece.
I went and searched to see pictures of the real thing.
This replica, except for it being near impossible to replicate the drivetrain, unlike XK-SS straight 6, which is, this is a near visual duplicate.
So yes, I can see it commanding big money.
Norwood P4 money
I couldn’t comment on my comment, here’s another one. I got to drive one of the real ones, on the road, no less. Blessed indeed, but someone had to do it.
https://rememberroad.com/what/alfa-romeo/1938-alfa-romeo-8c2900-b-champ-of-the-mille-miglia/
Refreshing. Joyous. Thank you.
No question that it is a worthy effort. But the problem is the drivetrain, even though it is brilliant in itself.
Jim Stokes Workshop in UK build new Alfa 8C engines and boxes from scratch to factory spec. If the car had one of those fitted it would be all the money.
Maybe there´s a buyer out there for this at that price, but I wouldn´t be sure that rich people like expensive fakes unless they are inditinguishable from the real deal.
these (what’s copied) are the original classics ‘over there’. For me it has to fit the “beauty’ quotient. Any angle? it’s got it!
Thnx 4 da post Elliot. As a ‘new guy’ “Here’s another” thaat’s chalkin up da points !
The engine is a magnificent piece of work with some new castings. If it is true to the original design the drive is taken from the centre of the crankshaft via a gearset. Alfa did this to reduce the crankshaft twist that straight eight engines experience. Also, if the rear end if from an Alfetta the gearbox could be incorporated with the differential.
That’s true of the camshaft and supercharger drive, but I think you’ll find that the actual output to the clutch is a rather conventional end-on arrangement.
Whoever buys this one will have a car to dream about for decades, Truly a beautiful show stopper of a car.
$341,000 USD | Sold