In the 1930’s, the 8C 2900 Alfa was not a mere sports car but was the most advanced, modern and compelling sports car money could buy. Milan’s own Carrozzeria Touring patented the ‘Superleggera’ construction which coincided with the birth of Alfa Romeo’s masterpiece. Approximately 32 of the 2.9 chassis were made and it is believed only 12 are Touring Spiders, seven of which are the long chassis like this car.
This car’s known history starts in 1949. In February 1949 it was raced in Sao Paulo by amateur driver Mario Tavares Leite who had the car imported from Italy to Brazil. Mario won races with the car in 1949 and 1950 after which the car disappeared. Later it had a Corvette engine installed and the chassis was modified. It is possible this car traveled to Brazil from Argentina in the mid-to-late 1950s without the Touring body and with the Corvette V-8 only to be reunited with the original Touring coachwork some four decades later.
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