THE CZECH ALFA ROMEO 6C
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Turismo who lives a fulfilled life…
80 years in the Czech Republic!
For alfisti, the combination of Alfa Romeo and the 6C name is something of an incantation. The acronym simply stands for “Six Cylinders” and refers to one of the Italian carmake most successful models. I’ve had the privilege of testing one those 6Cs whic has been on the roads in the Czech Republic for 8 decades.
Starting up is surprisingly simple - first thing to do it checking the battery connection and then climbing directly on board. I pull up the choke, carefully inserting the leathery key into the ignition in the middle of the dashboard. I turn it on and the starter just whirs. The inline six cylinder engine immediately responds with a series of blasts, transformed into clouds of smoke coming out from the twin tailpipes. The throttle response is instantaneous. I move the long gear lever towards me (keep in mind back then Alfas were also right hand drive). I’m gently letting out the clutch, needing to squeeze the accelerator hard enough to get away without stalling it. Manoeuvring a five-metre Berlina is not easy, but I’ve seen worse coming from much newer cars. The more interesting stuff starts happening the moment the road opens up and the coolant temperature rises satisfactorily. Incidentally, the Viglia’s cluster indicators, with their mechanically precise raffia, are unmistakably eye-catching - one of the many details that are fascinating about the Alfa 6C...
Before we go any further, let me remind you why the 6C is such an quintessential model for Alfa Romeo. It was born in the pre-war period, when the Milanese marque produced some of the coolest cars to take to the roads - whether in sporting competitions or in the hands of the elite of the time. The 6C was the absolutely key to Alfa’s success: it was produced in many different versions, body styles and evolutions from 1927 until 1954. The six-cylinder engine, which was always an in-line engine but very advanced for its time (with two camshafts, for example), gradually increased in size. Development of the 6C began in the mid-1920s to replace the overly large and heavy Alfa Romeo RL. At that time, the rules for the World Car Championship were changed, with a prescribed displacement of 1.5 litres from the 1926 season on. And this was one of the reasons why the first 6C, presented in Milan in 1925, bore the designation 1500, referring to the combined volume of all six combustion chambers of the new model. Series production did not begin at Portello until 1927, right alongside the P2 racing model. The first Alfa 6Cs were coachbuilt by James Young or Carrozzeria Touring. With 1928 came the 6C Sport, which won many races in its sporting versions - including the Mille Miglia that year. These were the very beginnings of a long journey to achieving ever more glory and laurels culminating after the war.
Describing the history and specifications of the 6C has already taken up a lot of time for many people much more qualified than I am at describing this model, and whoever is interested to go down this rabbit hole will surely have to buy one of the many good books out there. One thing is for sure: this amazing car still fascinates many car enthusiasts today and will continue to do so in the future. the Alfa Romeo 6C was built successively as a 1750, 1900, 2300 and finally th 2500 - one of which is our star day.
The 2443cc 6C was the final road-going Alfa Romeo introduced in 1938. However, the Second World War soon came and the civil production came to a halt (only a handful were built during that dark time). After the war, only the 6C 2500 Freccia d’Oro was soon released, with a ramped up production of about 680 units, built by Alfa Romeo. The 6C’s story came to an end at the beginning of the 1950s, when its successor became known to the public the Alfa Romeo 1900 (this time, a four-cylinder). The 6C 2500 version of course used the aforementioned DOHC six-cylinder engine from Vittorio Jan, with either one or three Weber carburettors (for the Super Sport version). This was mounted on a steel-framed chassis, which was offered in three lengths: 3250 mm for the Turismo, 3000 mm for the Sport and 2700 for the sharpest Super Sport.
The Alfa Romeo 6C has always been the choice of the social or industrial who’s who, or of statesmen or nobility. It is not surprising - its pedigree was already very strong at that time, and it was further cemented by significant sporting successes. Although the sports and racing versions attract the Alfisti the most (and today you can best see them in action at the Mille Miglia race in Italy in June), Turismo is also a godsend. The closed type Berlina bodywork attracts not only by its aerodynamic shape, but also by the fact that the doors open away from each other, with no B-pillar between them. This makes the truly spacious interior much easier to enter. Which I’m gladly doing - not only to pose for a few shots, but also to get to stretch the 2.5-litre six-cylinder engine. It may not have the original carburettor set up and it deserves some care, as the oil leaks suggest, but there’s still an appetite for high revving, certainly not common in cars from the late 1930s. The appetite for accelerating is addictive, as is the delicious sound of the balanced engine. It really is surprisingly responsive to the intermediate pushes of the accelerator pedal, so much that I’m only occasionally able to handle the four-speed gearbox, whose lever I operate with my left hand, and especially to downshift with the right amount of intermediate gas and yet sufficient decisiveness. Honestly, the chassis is very comfortable for 1939. Although the whole constructionis frame-based and weighs something over 1.6 tons, the advanced independent all-wheel suspension works quite convincingly. I’ll add that the front is supported by double wishbones, coil springs and friction dampers, while the rear uses swing arms, torsion bars and liquid shock absorbers. The brakes are also effective - hydraulic, drum brakes on all wheels. I’m quite confident of a top speed of 145km/h with its 87bhp developed at 4600rpm, but I’m not even trying it, preferring to cruise through the open countryside with a steady hand on the wheel, occasionally shifting correctly with the gear lever sticking straight out of the gearbox. After some time of contemplation and reflection, it dawns on me that I’m somehow out of place here - like I’m getting inside someone else’s living room, or bedroom for that matter. This feeling is due to the very special story of this Alfa Romeo 6C. It is not known how, but it came to the then Czechoslovakia in the distant past. The oldest document in its history I’m going through is a bilingual Protectorate technical certificate, probably from 1946, issued in Karlovy Vary. So it’s certain that this Alfa Romeo (with a declared s top speed of 180 km/h) was already in my country. The next technical certificate dates from 1954 and reveals several owners, which there is no point in naming here. The most important one was Karel Martinec, to whom the car was transferred in 1959. Although the twenty-year-old car was then in running condition, Karel and his son Ivo decided to restore it. And please rememeber that it was dome during deep communist totalitarianism, when there was not even toilet paper, let alone spare parts for the expensive and luxurious Alfa Romeo from Italy! The gentlemen experienced many difficult challenges (let’s mention the complicated suspension of the front axle or the impossibility to find the right 18-inch tyres) and spent a lot of money to finally get the Alfa back on the road. This moment, hich didn’t come until the early 1980s, unfortunately didn’t get to be enjoyed b father Karel. The Alfa passed to its current owner, the aforementioned son Ivo Martinec, and began to appear in elegance competitions and rallies. Many period photographs show the car at weddings or film shootings, documenting this unique and beautiful history.
And that’s why I don’t even have to think twice about it - a brand new beautifully restored car, as attractive as it can be, is a far cry from an Alfa with such a personal story that has been in the hands of the same family for 65 years! I’m humbled o have the privilege of test driving it. And I believe that this brief description of the context, which would normally take a separate article, explains why the most knowingly of you, when viewing the photographs, will notice the unoriginal details, maybe some not period correct accessories or various little things that do complete the unique destiny of this “Czech” Alfa Romeo 6C. Actually, it is impossible to judge - whether it is the added reflectors or the unsuitable interior upholstery, or the tangle of multicoloured cables under the dashboard, not to mention the state of the body paint. It’s not for us to say - I didn’t review this this magnificent piece of Italian engineering as if I was a Concorso d’Eleganza judge. But tell me, would it deserve to be restored to full original condition at the cost of losing that patina and authenticity? I’ll let someone else decide on that… as verything comes to an end. In this case, the era of the Martin family in this vehicle’s storied life is ending. The 6C is currently for sale with Veteráni na Truc, and I have no choice but to replay in my head my last memory of the majestic Alfa - it took place on the morning of Saturday 27th April 2024, when I could once again revive the inline six- cylinder engine and drive it with its rounded body on the golf course in Prague’s Hostivař, where it was last shown to the public at the Automobilové Klenoty exhibition, probably the best elegance competition in the Czech Republic. Although she didn’t win, she was exactly where she should have been - admired by enthusiasts and among other noble cars of various brands. I sincerely hope that fate will continue to be kind to her.
Photos by Ondrej Kroutil.
