Customer Reviews

Alfetta: The Alfa Romeo 158 & 159 Grand Prix Car (Crowood Autoclassics)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A true Alfa Romeo affectionado I have 2 GTV6's. While in name only, they share many Alfetta 159 features.

This book shares the history of the cars and men that designed, built and raced them. A gem that should be required reading of any Alfa fan.

Not many auto makers can claim such a heritage.

This is actually a rather good book. Well-written, lots of history, lots of photographs, a seemingly thorough history of the Alfetta, which won races in 1938, and was still winning races in 1951, by which time its 1,500 cc supercharged straight-8 engine was putting out over 400 horsepower, using the original blocks and crankcases! Pretty amazing! The book also covers `one man's obsession', the successful effort by one Michel Podberejsky (a.k.a. `Mike Sparken') to extract a derelict Alfetta from Alfa's storage area, and have it rebuilt to racing condition. The author had a chance to drive the car, and he has proof, in the form of no less than five pictures of him `experiencing the power of the Alfa'. They are very nice pictures, but I would have traded them all for more technical details of this remarkable engine, particularly detail drawings and photographs of components. There is only one rather small reproduction of an engine cross-section drawing accompanying the discussion of the engine's designer, Gioachino Columbo (yes, the same guy who did the original Ferrari engine design). I think Karl Ludvigsen (Classic Racing Engines, etc) has shown that a market exists for technical details.