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Chassis:
Chassis 412004 was one of the three 8C 2900A Spiders entered in the 1936 Mille Miglia. The cars sported a cycle-fender competition body that received the nick-name 'Botticcella.' Entered by Scuderia Ferrari and piloted by Antonio Brivio and co-driven by Carlo Ongaro it headed an Alfa Romeo clean-sweep in the event. At the end of the season, it was converted to road car specification and fitted with a Spider body built in-house. At this time the chassis was renumbered 412006. A year later a 8C 2900A lined up for the Mille Miglia with chassis number 412004 but this was a brand new car. It duly won the great road race (again).
With its beautiful Spider body, the 1936 Mille Miglia winning 8C was shown at the Milanese show in October and sold to a private owner shortly after. He showed the car at various events, including the 1937 San Remo Concours. Immediately after the War, the car was sold to a Swiss privateer racer. He used the car during the first half 1947 before replacing it with a later 8C 2900B Mille Miglia car. During the 1950s, the car was fitted with new coachwork in Switzerland that with some imagination resembled the original Botticella Spider body.
During the 1990s the car was acquired by English restorer Paul Grist. With the help of Alfa Romeo historian Simon Moore, he pieced together the early competition history of the car. With all other Botticella Spiders either rebodied or scrapped, the decision to return chassis 412006/412004 to its original condition was very understandable. Paul and his son Matt raced the beautifully restored Botticella for many seasons with much success. Since 2003 the car has a German custodian. It is seen here during the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed and Le Mans Classic, and the 2003 European Concours d'Elegance.
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