Charles Addams in his 8C 2300 at Bridgehampton, courtesy Simeone Foundation.
By Pete Vack
Color photos by Harry Hurst
In April of 2012, as part of the series of Demonstration Days at the Simeone Foundation VeloceToday was provided an opportunity to drive two very special Alfa Romeos, an 8C 2300 and an RLSS. A special thanks to Fred Simeone, Harry Hurst and Curator Kevin Kelly. From the VeloceToday archives.
Serial number 2211072, the Alfa Romeo 8C2300 MM Spyder on display at the Simeone Foundation in Philadelphia, is the only 8C 2300 Spyder to be bodied by Castagna. According to Simon Moore, it likely started life as a factory racecar before being sold to privateers. Raced in the 1935 Mille Miglia by Catullo Lami and Pasquale Ermini, (who would later build his own racecars) it was forced to retire. Exported to the UK it led a happy and active life for many years with a number of enthusiastic owners. It has a few famous owners, but our favorite is Charles Addams, who is also our favorite cartoonist. Furthermore, aside from an engine rebuild in the UK, this 8C 2300 is apparently original and unrestored. All of which make this a very, very special Alfa 8C 2300.
Just get in the car and go
Never was being short such a blessing. Sliding behind the large four-spoke Bakelite brown steering wheel, everything was within perfect reach, including the necessary proximity to the wheel for leverage. For the vertically unchallenged, there is no way to adjust anything aside from subtracting material to the seat cushions. Looking over the long cowl and hood is positively snooty, but the cowl almost hides the dashboard, and it’s difficult to see the instruments. This resulted in the UK installation of an eight-inch rev counter attached to the steering column, but that was removed a few owners ago and a smaller gauge was put in its place but still hard to see. The key is inserted and pushed in and the light on the starter button comes on.
The round knob next to the add-on tach is used to adjust the shock absorbers from the cockpit and is made by Siata. The center throttle pedal can be seen below the tach.
The engine barks, the noises coming from the straight eight and the exhaust dominate everything. Like other Alfa 8C’s this writer has experienced, it is a machine that generates power by the brutal and audible forces of metal on metal separated only by a light film of oil. It seems rough, but it has high lift Mille Miglia cams, and doesn’t particularly care for revs under 2500 rpm. New, the rev limit was right around 5750 rpm. There is no need to take it anywhere close to that as there is plenty of torque, aided by a drag strip final drive ration of 4.5 to 1. The center accelerator pedal has a somewhat long and loose feel, and the flywheel does not allow for instant revs. But the throttle is sensitive enough and easy to use, though placed too close to the steering column for my taste.
The Editor listens as Curator Kevin Kelly explains the best way to remember that the throttle is in the center between the brake and the clutch pedal.
The clutch has a very short throw, somewhat of a concern at first but when it is used to engage the mechanism, it’s very smooth a despite the short path to engagement. The multi-disc clutch is very effective, though Simeone Foundation Curator Kevin Kelly warns us “… if you overheat the clutch, the discs will warp,” no doubt having visions of a disassembled Alfa gearbox on his bench after the guests have left. The gearshift is a willowy thing, with the chrome gate much like Ferrari of many years later. It is an H shift pattern with a reverse lockout.
No problem, we can do this
Great. We are about to drive a right-hand drive car with left hand gearlever, a central throttle pedal and mechanical brakes. No problem, we can do this. I tell Kevin how Stirling Moss hated the central throttle pedal arrangement still found on 1950 era Maseratis and had them all changed.
So what is this going to be like? All systems are go and we let out that clutch, carefully without too many revs. Thankfully it doesn’t stall and the rest is almost a piece of cake. The steering, which felt a little loose when parked, comes up fine and feels tight now, and very direct and sensitive. The big wheel helps, and though it lightens up at speed, it never becomes light; it is always a tough steer. There’s a lot of weight on the front end, and with less than three turns from lock to lock the work is in the steering.
This particular 8C 2300 has hi lift cams, better carburetion and the supercharger was modified, all of which helped the car achieve a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds.
Surprisingly the brakes are firm, require less pedal pressure than one might imagine, and stop the car smoothly without pulling. They must be in pretty good shape, and Kevin has not had to adjust them, yet. It is a bit tricky to remember that the brakes are where the throttle pedal should be. Coming into a corner to slow down, it’s easy to naturally go for the center pedal. And on Fred’s nice but short lot, that would be very uncool. Shifting is slow. In order not to grind the gears, those rpms have come down and the lever felt into the next gear. Downshifting is almost easier and quicker. It helps that every molecule of the car is vibrating and transmitting information to the driver, who can easily feel what needs to be done to make the car work. Usually, anyway.
Well, this wasn’t so bad now was it….but the engine was still barking and it felt rough. After a bit I dared looked down to find the tach and realized that we were still doddering around under 2500 rpm in second and third with corners coming up far too quickly. Hmm. Wonder what 4000 rpm in fourth might be like…might be fun with the heavy steering and rod operated brakes. All of this took some getting used to, and as I circulated, the brakes got warmer and better, and everything seemed to come together but I was still hesitant to use more revs. It was getting more like fun with every go around. You know the feeling, after a bit you just don’t want to come in.
Right hand drive, left hand shift, center throttle pedal all make it necessary to concentrate full time on the driving chores. But what a wonderful drive!
But eventually, reluctantly, I did, pulling up to a stop near the waiting and watching but still smiling Curator. “Still seems rough” I yelled. Kevin, eager to join in the fun, asked me to move over and jumped in. He immediately got the old Alfa into third gear and started to build up some steam. “It’s got to run over 3000 rpm,” he hollered over the noise of the engine, which was just now sounding more efficient. And indeed, the engine sang a better song at around 3500 rpm. We were really moving now, and I braced for the turns—the grab handle is there for a reason. Kevin was going around much faster than I dared and hardly letting off. He was enjoying himself, and I was amazed at the car’s ability to corner rapidly without so much as a tire squeal. We both grinned madly as Kevin, too, just didn’t want to come in.
Guy Templer driving the 8C in the UK during the late 1930s. Templer drove it in many club events including the “Fastest Road Car at Brooklands” in 1939. Here he is seen with a bit of opposite lock.
One Fast Alfa
Fast. In its day, this Alfa was a 135 mph car; it may well be a 135 mph car today as well. In 1939, in the hands of Guy Templer, the car was officially timed at 116 mph on the outer circuit and 135 mph on the Railway straight. Amazingly, zero to sixty was obtained in 6.5 seconds. It also participated in the “Fastest Road Car at Brooklands.” After the war, at Brighton, it was timed as the fastest sports car, in 1947 it was first in class at Merston and second fastest sports car at Prescott. It was also, by the written accounts of the owners over its 78 year old history, extremely reliable, in daily use for the better part of the twentieth century.
Our drive was but just a taste of the magic of the 8C Alfas, but one which, like the memory of the fragrance of burning castor oil, will linger forever.
Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum
6825-31 Norwitch Drive
Philadelphia PA 19153
(215) 365-SAFE (7233)
Fax: (215) 365-8230
The Simeone Foundation Museum is conveniently located just minutes off Interstate 95 in Philadelphia, close to Center City and the Philadelphia International Airport.
Pete
You look right at home in the 2300 ! Must have been an incredible experience being able to just sit in the car much less drive it.
Jack
I was very interested to read of your experiences with the steering on the 8C Alfa. Many years ago I owned a 1926 Lancia Lambda and drove it quite a bit around town and on moutain roads. I always found the steering to be very precise and pleasant. I do suppose that the Lancia was a bit lighter on the front wheels. On the heavier end of things, I have experience with two teens era Stutzs, one a Bearcat and the other a Sport Touring. In their day they were praised for their steering and these two cars were no exception. I believe this was really attributed to the Timken axle using Tapered Roller bearings as thrust bearings on the king pins. I have also vintage raced on road and oval tracks the 1914 Tahis Special that is fitted with the same Timken front axle as the Stutz. The steering in those events was slightly heavier that the Stutz on the street, but still very good. Steering feel is a really subjective thing, but I have driven some relatively modern vehicles with really atrocious, heavy steering, a 1958 Buick Special and a 1972 Chevy pickup truck. Neither of these had power steering. It was interesting to see a late teens Stutz Bearcat on the grid with the 8C Alfa in the photo at Bridgehampton. This series of articles on Adams’ cars and friends has been very interesting.
Regards,
Randy Reed