Re: Viotti woody wagons

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

In AD8-0250 Jorn Bereng asks:

"Now, here's another one for those into early Alfas:  There's a picture in
d'Amico & Tabucchi's "Alfa Romeo production cars 1910-1996" of a Viotti-bodied
6C 2500 "woody" estate from the late forties or early fifties (I don't have
the book handy, so I can't give you the model year or exact page number).  The
caption says that a "small number" of these cars were built, but I couldn't
find any more info in the book.  Has anybody out there ever seen one of these,
or do you have more info?"

 Well, d'Amico & Tabucchi say that there were 51 examples of that chassis (the
6C 2500 Turismo con motore avanzato, a long-wheelbase chassis with forward
motor to accommodate large bodies mainly for ceremonial use) built, with 31
bodied by Stabilimente Farina and ten more by Touring - and they show a
Boneschi four-door convertible, which leaves nine other cars for all other
custom bodies.

 The registry section in Angelo Tito Anselmi's book on the 2500 lists 51
bodies on this chassis, including six of the Boneschi "cabriolet
ministeriale", leaving four. One was a chassis, body type unspecified,
delivered to the Radio Italiana in Turin; another, body type also unspecified
but built by Stab. Farina, also delivered to the Radio Italiana in Turin;. a
third was by Colli, an "autoemoteca", a word I do not recognize but the buyer
(Ass. Volontari del Sangue, Milano) suggests various clues- charitable
organization, emergency vehicle- and the last was a single Viotti Giardinetta
delivered late in 1951 rather than the 1950 date d'Amico & Tabucchi give.

 A quick scan of the register didn't show any other Viottis- mostly
Stabilimente Farina, Pinin Farina, Touring, Boneschi, fewer Ghias, some
Castagnas, a handful of Garavinis, one or two Bertones, and Viotti down among
the one-only outfits - Colli, Graber, Tuscher, Monviso, Balbo, Bagnara. Many
coachbuilders were ephemeral spinoffs from other companies, either trying to
break into the business or trying to keep a shop together after the owner went
bankrupt, as Brianza did when Zagato failed in the thirties.

 Don't know more than that; I would doubt that the car survives. Most don't.

 John H.

Raleigh, N.C.

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