One-in-Seven 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia Is a Strange $1.5M Mechanical Crosbreed

The car slowly grew to collectible ranks through the years, and some of the best preserved and documented examples now hit well in the range of two to three million dollars. Or, in the case of a classic work of restoration art, the prices could be slightly less prohibitive – somewhere around $1.5 million, like this car in our story.

This Alfa hides a bit of a secret concerning its early history. Assembled in 1938, the 2300B can only be traced back to 1946. Anything before that is shrouded by the veils of murky war years.

Regardless, the car had a good life after the war – with accents of exclusivity and eccentricity for some three decades until 1990. Well stored and well cared for, chassis no. 815053 eventually received two restorations. The last rebuild began in 2003. Two years later, the Italian classic – now fitted with a new gearbox and clutch – was winning beauty contests at Pebble Beach and Amelia Island.

Several owners, all sharing the same value: the care for the car

This Berlinetta came out in April 1938, with the body crafted by the Milanese company Touring Superleggera. Its six-cylinder engine – hence the “6C” on the nameplate – was the ultimate expression of the 2300B variant. 2.3 liters in displacement, it produced – thanks to a trio of Solex carburetors – 105 hp (106 ps).

The triple carb setup was applied only to the “Mille Miglia” variants of the 6C 2300B, the top of the heap for the Italian model. As I’ve said, only one hundred and seven 2300B Mille Miglia were built, which is why they’re so valuable today. Just seven of those vehicles received a coachbuilt body from Carrozzeria Touring.

The car in this story – shady as it may be for its initial years – had three owners between 1946 and 1990. After that date, the list of proprietors expanded to include five more names – but the care for the vehicle was a shared value of all those gentlemen who enjoyed its company.

The Alfa 6C 2300B went from light blue to black

As a result, this 1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300B Mille Miglia is not afraid to ask the hefty price of $1.5 million for an exchange of hands. However, it could be considered a depreciation (or a bargain): this car sold for $2.5M fifteen years ago at the 2008 Pebble Beach auction.

The automobile is (obviously) black, but its original color was light blue – the livery was restyled during the 50s, and chromatics changed again during one of the restoration works after 1990. Also, the original four-speed gearbox was replaced, and a BMW clutch found a fitting place between the inline-six and the new five-speed manual.

In full disclosure, the new box is from an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce, a much younger model and definitely not period-correct or model-correct. Nonetheless, the mechanical additions were installed “to improve its touring capability,” if we are to believe the auction house’s website description.

The story started back in 1934

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 spanned from 1934 to 1938 in all its iterations, ranging from the modest 68 hp (69 ps) on the single-carbureted Turismo. It wasn’t nearly enough, and the Gran Turismo came out that same year with 76 hp (77 ps).

The Pescara variant – also launched in 1934 - was basically an engine upgrade with two carbs and 95 hp (96 ps). Much better than what the manufacturer started with, but there was still room for improvement.

All three versions of the 6C 2300, the Turismo, Gran Turismo, and Pescara, were fitted with independent suspension, so they became the 2300B. Front springs with hydraulic dampers and rear swing axles with torsion bars gave the Alfas better road behavior.

The “Superleggera” design ultimately put together aluminum panels over a thin-tube steel frame to keep the weight in check and the center of mass closer to the ground. The 6C 2300B Mille Miglia and its three carburetors, 1.4-ton body weight, independent suspension front and rear, and hydraulic drum brakes all-around proved its worth in endurance racing. One particular model - in the Spider form, not the hardtop - won the 1938 Mille Miglia rally, the last great race before WWII.

In conclusion, this 1-in-7-of-107, which will be auctioned in Paris on February the 1st, is a timeless classic from the pre-war European motor craze era. This is an everlasting reminder that automobiles are a cultural symbol, a metaphor for life and triumph, and an addiction that is impossible to resist. A status that modern-day cars are finding impossible to attain.