The 1935 Tipo B

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

Mike Cosgrove adds to the Nuvolari/Tipo B thread with a summary of the 1935 
specs, "bored out to 3.8 liters and had 305 hp - -  The Alfa also had a 
Dubonnet sliding pillar IFS and  hydraulic brakes"

Not to pick nits, but the Dubonnet suspension is not sliding pillar; it has 
two trailing arms, from a spring/shock unit which pivots on the kingpin. 
Prewar Chevrolets used this type for several years; the main advantage was 
unsprung weight reduction. The 1935 cars also had a revised rear suspension, 
with reverse quarter-eliptics in place of the semi-eliptics of the 1932 
through 1934 iterations. This detail, also seen on Bugattis, made a 
remarkable difference in roadholding, as the eye-end of the quarter-eliptic 
leaf spring added far less unsprung weight than the multi-leaf center of a 
semi-eliptic.

The Type B (or P3) also had an unusual rear axle layout, with the 
differential at the transmission and two splayed driveshafts to spur gears at 
the wheels. Although this made a slightly lower seating position, between the 
driveshafts, possible, it is generally understood as a ploy to further reduce 
unsprung weight.

The growth of the Type B from 2634 cc in 1932 to 2905 cc in 1934, 3165 cc in 
early 1935 and 3822 cc a bit later in 1935 could seem strange to a generation 
accustomed to cars built to displacement-limited formulas. The key to 
understanding lies in the successive formulas for international competition. 
Alfa had its first round of great successes with the P2 in 1924-25 under a 
two-liter formula. In 1926 a one-and-a -half liter formula was introduced but 
met with little success; Alfa and many others withdrew from racing and many 
organizers chose to run Formula Libre races, essentially run what you brung, 
in which Alfa did enter a revised version of the P2 in 1930.