Chassis 10511 AR 750036
Dubbed the “Baby GTO”, the Alfa Romeo TZ shared two major characteristics with its Maranello sibling; it was great looking and formidable on the race track. The TZ made its debut appearance at the 1963 FISA Monza Cup, and the cars took the first four places and for the next few years the 1300-1600 class at Le Mans, Nurburgring, Targa Florio and Tour de France was dominated by the model.
Alfa Romeo began development work on a successor to the successful SZ models as early as 1959. The TZ used the Giulia series mechanicals and was so named because the chassis was ‘Tubolare’ and the alloy bodywork hand made by Zagato. The engine was the well proven alloy block 1,570cc four cylinder DOHC unit and installed canted over from vertical to allow a lower frontal aspect with a distinctive Zagato bonnet bulge over one cam cover. Twin Webber carbs and a twin plug head meant that the unit was making between 150 and 160bhp. The specification included a light weight tubular space frame chassis, alloy panels, four wheel coil sprung independent suspension, a five speed gear box and disc brakes all round. The TZ was a fast car, and its performance was aided by not only by its diminutive 650kgs but also by its streamlined low drag Kamm tail body.
Ranking in rarity with the very best sports cars only 112 were built between 1963 and 1967. The early history of this car, chassis 750036 is well recorded in the definitive book on the marque by Martin Ubelher and Patrick Dasse. This shows that the car was ordered by Alfa Romeo Belgique and delivered in May 1965.
It was entered in the ‘500km de Spa Francorchamps’ on the 15th May, driven by Gustave Gosselin and finished 12th overall and 2nd in class. Lucien Bianchi drove the car in the Mont-Ventoux Hillclimb on the 6th June and finished 15th overall and 6th in class. Bianchi piloted the car three more times in rally events in 1965 and enjoyed three podium finishes.
In March 1966 the car was entered into the Coppa Fisa at Monza driven by Enrico Pinto who set a new lap record in class and finished 7th overall and first in class.
Gustave Gosselin was back in the car in 1967 and finished 4th overall in the ‘Coupes de Belgique’ at Zolder and 4th in Class in the 1000km de Spa Francorchamps.
The records show that the car continued to be campaigned through 1968 and 1969 and that by 1973 it has passed into the hands of Belgian enthusiast, Jacques Berger who competed with it into the early seventies.
By 1983 the car was in the USA and had two owners in California before it was bought by Bob Rubin who kept the car for three years. The car had three further owners before being acquired by Tom Mittler in 2000 an it remained with him until 2014. Between 2008 and 2009 the mechanicals benefitted from significant restoration by the very highly regarded engineer, Rick Bunkfeldt at Vintage Restoration Services. This included rebuilds to the engine and the spare engine that comes with the car. Since this work the car has clearly had only very light use and the spare engine has never been run since its dyno set up.
In 2014 chassis 750036 was bought by celebrity enthusiast Mark Knopfler after being checked out by his close friend and race car authority, Alain De Cadenet. The car was imported into the UK. It has never been used on the road or track and has been part of a collection displayed in a warm and dry environment. Prior to being offered for sale the engine oil and filter were changed and the car started and checked over. With only minor re-commissioning 750036 should once again be ready for road, race or rally.
