The Ex-Peron Alfa when owned by J. M. Ahumada in Argentina. Photo courtesy of the Iacona/Bertschi collection.
By Cris Bertschi
From the VeloceToday Archives, March, 2002
This is a brief history of a very special car, known in Argentina as Peròn’s Disco Volante. But to be more accurate, it is not a Disco Volante. In addition, during its 49 years of life it was owned by the dictator just for a couple of months. There is more irony to the story as well—
Juan Domingo Peròn testing his new car at the Autodromo de Buenos Aires in 1955. Photo courtesy of Centro di Documentazione Storico Alfa Romeo.
In 1953 Engineer Giuseppe Busso started working on what would be the natural successor to the Disco Volante project. The tests started on a Touring Spider, powered by the new three-liter engine. Two new cars were built with a spider body by Colli which either have disappeared or just been renumbered. These cars would become known as the 3000CMs. Alfa Romeo built perhaps eight 3000CMs; three of them were bodied as berlinettas by Carrozzeria Colli of Milan, and one of these, stamped 1361.00126, was the car destined for Peròn.
Mechanics prepare the car while crowds gather to view the Peròn “Disco Volante”. Photo courtesy of Centro di Documentazione Storico Alfa Romeo.
In early 1955 Eng. Giuseppe Busso was asked to build a unique road car for a very demanding person; this special client was Juan Domingo Peròn, President of Argentina. Rather than start from scratch, Busso found a used 3000CM (#00126) at the factory. Busso had the Colli berlinetta body removed and refurbished the chassis. It was then sent to Mario Boano, who sketched the unique lines of the berlinetta at his own studio. The car had to be ready very quickly as it had to be in Argentina as soon as possible. The beautiful, futuristic aluminium body was finished in blue and charcoal. The resemblance to the original Disco Volante coupe was intentional.
The car was presented in Argentina to Peròn by the Workers Union (Confederacion General del Trabajo – CGT). Rumors say that the CGT never paid Alfa Romeo for the car and an attorney was sent from Europe to solve the problem. The first public appearance of the car was at the Buenos Aires Autodromo where Peròn drove three laps before a race.
The Alfa when in the hands of J. M. Ahumada in Argentina. Photos courtesy of the Iacona/Bertschi collection.
During the few months that Peròn had possession of the car, he had a minor crash with a bus in Buenos Aires. The repairing of the aluminium was done locally by Alberto Borghi. an Italian craftsman who knew well the secrets of the aluminium bodies.
On September 16th 1955, Peròn was removed from his office by the Revolucion Libertadora. He escaped to Paraguay and all his belongings were taken by the new government and later auctioned. The 3000CM was not the only car Peròn had; he also used to drive a Ghia bodied Ferrari 212 Inter (#0191EL), and eight other cars, including an Alfa 1900 CSS Touring and a Giulietta Sprint.
The car was bought in a public auction by Guillermo Decker who then sold it to Carlos Lostalo, a sports car driver who raced successfully with his Maserati A6GCS #2010 (#2007). We certainly know that the Maserati driver Roberto Mieres is also part of the ownership chain, although it is not clear precisely when.
Interior of s/n 1361.00126. Photos courtesy of the Iacona/Bertschi collection.
Engine of s/n 1361.00126. Photos courtesy of the Iacona/Bertschi collection.
The car then surfaced in Road and Track, March 1967; the Argentinean J. M. Ahumada advertised it through E. Newbery from Maryland asking US $10,000. We don’t know the owner at that time, but probably it was not Ahumada as he was a dealer who exported cars from Argentina mainly through Vintage Car Store. Black and white pictures from Ahumada’s archives (seen here) show the car during 1966 or 1967 with two different body colours. We have a set of pictures that clearly shows a light paint, as per Ahumada’s partner this light colour was not cream as we thought, it was gold! On a different set of photos, it is most probably painted red.
The car in Argentina about 1965, when painted gold! Photo courtesy of the Iacona/Bertschi collection.
A few months later, the ex-Peròn Alfa again shows up, this time in the 30 September 3oth 1967 Competition Press. “ALFA ROMEO DISCO VOLANTE – Extremely rare 1954 “Flying Saucer” coupe with Boano coachwork. Built for Ex-dictator Juan Peròn. One of 6 produced, powered by 6-cylinder twincam 3.5-liter engine, fed through 6 Webers. 270 bhp at 6500rpm, 5-speed gearbox. Tested at 170mph. Paintwork slightly blemished but otherwise excellent condition, $10,500. Vintage Car Store, Inc., 93 S. Broadway, Nyack, N.Y.; (914) EL 8-3800 or (212) LO 2-6048″
The Peròn Alfa as it is today, with a replica Colli body when owned by Henry Wessells III. Photo courtesy of Joost Gompels.
In 1968 the Alfa finally left Argentina when sold through the Vintage Car Store to Ed Bond of Connecticut. Bond only kept it for a couple of years and in 1970 it passed to Henry Wessells III of Paoli, Pennsylvania, a very well known Alfa enthusiast. Henry Wessells III recalls that the car arrived to the USA in the early 70’s, painted black.
Wessells ran the car in classic car races until 1984 when at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix he crashed the Boano Alfa into a couple of trees. The car was much damaged, especially the body. So he decided to take the beautiful Boano creation off of the frame and send the mechanical parts to Hall & Fowler in the UK . Wessells then asked Carrozeria Diamante from Turin to build a replica of the first body that #00126 had, a berlinetta Colli.
After a seven-year restoration process the car appeared at the Mille Miglia retro in 1992, but had to retire due to mechanical problems.
Alfa Romeo 3000CM
1953
Telaio #1361.00126
Engine #AR1311.00506
Berlinetta Colli, later berlinetta Boano.
Now with a berlinetta Colli style body
Engine:
6 cylinder – twin cam
3495cc – 87mm x 98mm
Compression ratio: 8.2:1
6 Webers Tipo 48 DOM
270 BHP @ 6500 RPM
5 speed gearbox
. . . . . . .
Thanks to the Telaio Group, especially Damien Duigan, David Seielstad and Michael Lynch.
See Sports Car International, December 1997, “1953 Alfa 6C3000CM:Star Crossed” By John Matras to see the replica Colli-bodied Wessells car as it is today.
I had the occasion to spend the day with Henry and his Alfa. First at Concorso, original location, then over to Laguna Seca. I don’t have the space here to describe what a pleasantly startling experience this was.
Ironically it had been a decade earlier that I had experienced my first custom bodied CM. I had been in Europe producing a bunch of TV shows, the EB110 piece being one. A week before going to Campogalliano we had spent the day shooting at Peter Kaus’ Rosso Bianco Museum outside Frankfurt. After we finished Peter turned to me and said, “Scott, you like Alfas, come, let me show you one.” I followed him into the basement, where they were doing some refurbishment on a couple of cars. There sat the most amazing line up of Zagatos, which I thought is what we came down to see. “No, that’s my divorce settlement,” Peter commented, “No it’s over here.”
He walked over and pulled a tarp off of the Pinin CM; the glass roofed Super Flow Coupe Sperimentale. The forerunner of the future Duetto.
I was too stunned to say anything.
“You know what’s under there? Lift up the hood,. It’s not attached.”
When I did there was that amazing engine. And Peter went on to explain the history of the car, first as racer then as a series of prototype experiments.
Fast forward to 2005 I think it was. Bill Warner had asked me to write the center piece article for his Alfa year at Amelia. I suggested he invite Peter to bring the Pinin CM. At Bill’s request I gave Peter a ring.
Now while I don’t have the space here to describe that amazing day with Henry, Karl (Ludvigsen) had plenty of space in the February 1961 issue of Sports Car Illustrated for his cover story driving the Pinin CM, titled “Last of the Red-Hot Alfas!” The exclamation mark is his.
When Wessells had the car rebodied he took full advantage of the suite of photos taken of a Colli-bodied coupe by Rodolfo Mailander, residing in my archive at the time. He said it couldn’t have been done without them.
Reminds me of the sister Pininfarina-bodied car we drove and featured in the February 1961 Car and Driver. We titled it “Last of the Red-Hot Alfas” and I think that still holds true!
Karl, I’m looking over at that cover of Sports Cars Illustrated, it says in smaller type “soon to be Car and Driver”
Sorry, couldn’t resist!
One of the great things about that article, besides the fine tale told of course, is the C.O.LaTourette cutaway illustration.
It now resides in the Auriana collection, I believe.
I watched Henry race this car up the Equinox Vintage Hill climb, even helped himpush the car to then starting line. This was before the Pittsburgh GP.