1965 Alfa Romeo 2600 SPRINT COUPE

This right-hand-drive Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint Coupé was first registered in May 1965. Purchased by its former owner as his first competition car, it was well-known to him after having been raced previously for three seasons in HRDC and HSCC events both at home and abroad. This (already considerable) appeal was enhanced by its eligibility for plenty of other historic meetings including the Goodwood Revival, Tour Auto, Top Hat, HRSR, VSCC Pomeroy Trophy and the FIA Historic Championship.

Restored in the mid-1990s to FIA specification, the engine and gearbox were rebuilt subsequently by historic Alfa expert Chris Whelan. Known at the time to be a very reliable car, it had racked up 2nd and 3rd in class at Donington Park in a HRDC race.

Bought by the vendor in April 2019, it would be ideal for the HRDC's new 'Classic Alfa Challenge' series. Offered in good running order and with both FIA and HSCC papers, it also comes with a spares package that includes four wheels and tyres.

Driven by proper racing drivers including Patrick Watts and even Will Hoy, the legendary BTCC racing driver in what is believed to have been his last full race before his tragic death, ‘HHU 768D’ has also competed at Spa, Mas du Clos, Silverstone GP and practically every other track in the UK.

It is, in case we’ve been a bit too subtle, a pukka racing car – and it’ll almost certainly be a cheap one, at that.

Look, this is a proper racing car rather than the sort of pastiche that some folk build just to pose in outside their favourite café, and while the latter might sport mm-perfect shutlines and perfect panel alignment, genuine racing cars are always a little more casual about such matters.

As is the case here. And yet, you shouldn’t be downhearted because racers value chassis stiffness above almost everything else, so they won’t tolerate a rotten bodyshell on either handling or safety grounds, so you need to look past the (easily removable) wonky front bumper and appreciate just how solid this 2600 Sprint is.

This is largely because the body was restored by Phil Elliot back in the day, and then completed by marque specialist Andrew Thorogood. Finished in Alfa Blu Olondaise, the flanks are tight and straight too, and the panels and paint are good. It’s just not going to win any concours prizes anytime soon.

But then it was never designed or built to win the admiration of Panama hat-wearing, pipe-smoking retired army majors wielding clipboards and pens kept safely attached via a bit of string.

No, it was engineered and built to win races, so you’ll find lightweight Perspex windows with sliding hatches, front and rear towing points, an electrical cut-off switch, bullet-shaped door mirrors, a rear rain light, and leather boot and bonnet retaining straps.

Oh, and a cute little offset front numberplate and taped-up front lights. Obviously.

And who wouldn’t love a car that has its front indicators set on top of a chrome bumper and a side exit exhaust?

Nor does it end there because it wears a set of the most glorious alloy wheels you’ve ever seen. TecnoMagnesio wheels of the correct pattern and weighing 3kgs per wheel less than the steel equivalent, they cost around 400 Euros each. They’re also shod with Dunlop cross-ply racing rubber for pitch-perfect looks and the sort of slidey handling we love in our period racing cars.

There is a spare set of wheels and tyres too. Please see the photos for details.

Faults? Well, if you can overlook stonechips and the odd mark (and you should…) there’s nothing here to worry about at all bar a few cracks in the dark blue paintwork.

Boasting a three-spoke wooden Mota-Lita steering wheel, extra instrumentation and switches and the sort of purposeful air that Steven Seagal used to be able to summon up before he got all bloated and weird (which makes him the BMW X6 of the acting world, surely?) the stripped-out interior is just as gorgeous as the exterior.

It’s got an SPA Fire Fighter fire suppression system in there too plus a Lumenition rev limiter, a brake bias valve, an Odessey Extreme battery with an Anderson plug for easy charging, a 2017 Corbeau Sprint race seat, Pro-Team alloy subframe and a Luke harness plus a bespoke six-point rollcage from RollCentre.

The boot is as sparse as everywhere else but then it does contain an alloy fuel tank and a pair of facet fuel pumps, so #swingsandroundabouts, eh?

Faults? Well, there is a little surface rust here and there that could do with catching but other than that there’s nothing that would bother us at all.

As we mentioned earlier historic Alfa expert Chris Whelan rebuilt the engine, which features factory-option triple Weber 45 carburettors, Arias pistons and Kent cams. Carefully balanced and lightened, the carbs were fettled and set up in 2016/17, resulting in the engine recording a maximum output of 194.6bhp in the hands of BD Engineering.

The engine was then rebuilt in August 2017 by Connaught Competition Engines at a cost of £6,500. It was then mated to a rebuilt gearbox via a new clutch.

Please take the time to peruse the paperwork as you’ll see bills for many thousands of pounds for ongoing maintenance and refurbishment.

Tractable and reliable, our test drive showed that it drives very well; these cars might have been a bit of a barge on the road but they respond to this kind of modification very well. Yes, the clutch is a bit sharp but it is otherwise very easy – and rewarding – to drive.

Also, as you can see from the video, it starts promptly, revs beautifully with no fluffing or hesitation, and shows good oil pressure. Oh, and the exhaust note is every bit as good as you might hope for. We have been impressed.

The engine bay is race-car fabulous being purposeful and stuffed full of the sort of kit we spend long winter evenings drooling over in the sort of catalogues we keep in the downstairs loo.

The underside is very solid, although the underseal is sparse in places so if it were ours we’d invest a few hours to get it touched up.

The Alfa’s MoT certificates, the last of which expired in August 2017, don’t show any significant historical issues.

It has two big box files stuffed full of old invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

It also has an owner’s handbook, an HSCC Vehicle Identity Form, and FIA Historic Technical Passport, and plenty of programmes from races it’s been entered in.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been built and maintained to a very good standard.

The Alfa doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MoT’d at the earliest opportunity if they intend to use it on the road.

The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

When we think of historic Italian racing and Goodwood-eligible cars we think of six- and seven-figure Ferraris, transported there in liveried vehicles, and supported by a dedicated pit crew wearing team overalls and wielding Snap-On tools.

Which puts our guide price of somewhere between £15,000 and £25,000 into perspective, doesn’t it? And, this is, you’ll remember, a well-proven, properly fettled example that known within the historic racing scene and with a proven record of success as well as an appearance at the legendary Goodwood Revival.

So, if the recent unpleasantness in the world has encouraged you to reassess your life then this wonderful Alfa Romeo 2600 is your passport to the gentle, sixties-vibe lifestyle you’re yearning for. Quirky and appearing to be in need of nothing other than continued regular fettling and servicing, it’s capable enough to give you podium finishes and smart enough to draw admiring glances wherever you go.

In fact, after buying it, all you need is a period-appropriate racing suit - and suitably rakish air…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and an array of regional providers for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Also, localised paint repairs are common with collectable and classic cars and if they have been professionally carried out then they may be impossible to detect, even if we see the car in person. So, unless we state otherwise, please assume that any vehicle could have had remedial bodywork at some point in its life.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.