If you are thinking about spending as much as 20 million (or more) on three used Alfas at tomorrow night’s Sotheby’s Auction, it is advised that you read the following four articles, which provide additional background information about the Scaglione B.A.T.s. From the Archives of VeloceToday, they were published in 2019 but timely and relevant today.
After making a few sketches, working with Ezio Cingolani, who was responsible for fabrication, Franco Scaglione developed a full size model, watched daily by Nuccio Bertone. This is B.A.T. 5
What are these openings for? One, to strengthen the rather large fin itself, and two, to allow some of the air to escape that was ‘tunneled’ through the extremely inward curved fins on B.A.T. 7.
Aiming to create more of a GT car and needing a direct connection with Alfa, Scaglione forgot penetration and allowed the use of the new Giulietta grille on B.A.T. 9.
Courtesy Centro Documentazione Storica Alfa Romeo
When I was a graduate student at Michigan State University, East Lansing, 1967/68, the BAT 9 was the everyday car of a student from Detroit. It used to sit in the student parking lot. In those days the car was red.
Not that I go to Batman movies, but if they ever make another one, they ought to set it in the ’50s and recreate one of these for the Batmobile. I vote for B.A.T. 7.
Twenty years ago (or so) a one-person Chicago sports/speciality auto dealer had a large photo of a B.A.T. car on his office wall. Why, I asked, during a visit. I had seen his regular ads and was in town on business.
I owned it once, he said. It was Sebring, the year it really rained (1966?), in the parking lot with a for sale sign. I didn’t want to miss the seller, so in pouring rain came back to the car again and again.
I bought it, he told me, and I told my associate to get in and head to Chicago. Still raining, or dark, or both.
An hour later he called from a pay phone. I can’t do it, the car is undriveable. Lights? Wipers? Visibility?
We called a truck.
Can anyone add specifics to that story, told to me? I can picture the dealer’s regular ad in auto magazines, one column, listing eight or 10 usually interesting cars.
Richard G. Ballantine
It was Harry Woodnorth, Sebring 1956 and B.A.T. 9 and the attempted drive to Chicago, all of which which Pete Vack included in his October 2019 report on the B.A.T. cars.
I’ll remember hearing the story from Woodnorth, seated below the photo. It must have rained in 1956 as well.