Description
The Platé Spéciale is based on an Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Gran Turismo and was created by enthusiast and racing driver Luigi Platé. It is estimated that Platé has competed in around 400 races in his home country of Italy and has driven a large number of cars over the years. His wealth of experience led him to start his own racing team and modify cars with his own innovations. This Alfa Romeo was built by Luigi between 1948 and 1949 and retained the original engine from the 2300 Gran Turismo. He built his own tube chassis for the car and decided to use the tubes themselves to supply oil from the reservoir to various components. Hydraulic brakes of Platé's own design and semi-independent suspension were all intended to give this Alfa Romeo a competitive advantage. Granted, the certificate of origin shows September 16, 1948, documentation shows it was sold to Luigi Platé himself on March 28, 1949. Driven by Paolo Soprani in the Susa-Moncenisio race on July 22, 1951, the car would later be sold to Nicholas Piccione who lived in Brookline, USA in 1959. In October of that year the car was shipped from Italy to America with the shipping description “Alfa Romeo Platé 2500, chassis 002, engine 700174, weight 1170 kg (2579lb), value.” The paper trail continues in 1984 when it was purchased by Alfa Romeo enthusiast John Murphy.
Murphy completed an extensive history file of the car while a complete restoration of the vintage Alfa was underway. Unfortunately, the racer's aluminum body was too fragile to restore, so a replica was made which it now wears, although the original bodywork still exists. Laidlaw Restorations and Symbolic Motor Cars of California completed the restoration work. In 2011 it took part in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance where it won the 'Green Ribbon'. This award was in addition to winning its class at the Jolla Concours in 2004. The car is being auctioned together with the complete four-part history file.
