Solved: Allemano's № 495 - Alfa Romeo Conrero Sport designed by Michelotti and built by Ghibaudi of

[woodinsight]

Superb photos - haven't seen these before.

I believe the engine was an Alfa Romeo Giulietta of 1147cc.
Designed by Michelotti and built by Corna of Torino?

Why I have found it designated 2000 is a mystery to me.
I'm having to translate pieces from Italian and it is difficult to get the complete story.

Italian is not my strongest point but I'm learning!

[Allemano]

Superb photos - haven't seen these before.

I believe the engine was an Alfa Romeo Giulietta of 1147cc.
Designed by Michelotti and built by Corna of Torino?

Why I have found it designated 2000 is a mystery to me.
I'm having to translate pieces from Italian and it is difficult to get the complete story.

Italian is not my strongest point but I'm learning!

Not Corna of Torino and the puzzle car has a modified 1147cc Guilietta engine.
Locked for you as all other parameters you've given are correct!

[woodinsight]

Thanks - back to the Italian dictionary!

[Allemano]

BTW: modified Guilietta engine means it's bored out to higher capacity..

[woodinsight]

Allemano, I have to confess I'm somewhat confused by this car.
Let me say that I came across the photos you posted by Google but they stated in the caption that it dated from 1960 and was designed and built by Virgilio Conrero.
However I believe the body was designed by Michelotti but built in-house by Conrero.

Am I confusing the Conrero Alfa that was raced at the Targa Florio and Le Mans in 1960 with this car or is it the same one?
The body looks different to me - different rear wings, etc.
I presume the engine was bored out to 1470cc later.

Anyway, the photo below is of the car I believe that is featured in your puzzle.
It doesn't look like the Le Mans/Targa Florio car of 1960 but it may have been rebuilt with a modified engine and bodywork - that's as far as I've got. I haven't come across the photo you posted yet.........

[Allemano]

I got my infos only from one source which I believe is very reliable!
So, let's wait if someone else will have the missing facts...

All I can do for the moment is to show you a rear view of the mystery car:

[woodinsight]

Good idea!
Let's see if anyone can solve it.

[barrett]

I'm not sure what other information you are looking for here? The missing bit of text on the photo you posted on page one calls it a Conrero 1100, but doesn't say who built the body....

[Allemano]

If you take a closer look you'll see that it's not the puzzle car you've posted..

[Amsterdam]

I have these pictures wich looks the same

Conrero Alfa Barchetta

(probably not correct name)

[Amsterdam]

And another Italian site dedicated to Conrero only, is refering it to be a 1958 Sport 2000 as previous mentioned

[Allemano]

WOW! and WOW! (more later...)

[Amsterdam]

This is the story wich goes along with the last picture I posted.
(Google translated Italian to English)


Now the story of Virgil Conrero becomes relevant. The successes give strength and the Magician began his career as a manufacturer, even if he never had much luck and never became a true builder complete. Some cars are remembered for the brilliance and extraction. The first was the Conrero 2000. In 1953 a Swiss commission's car. The frame is made of mesh, the engine derived dall'Alfa 1900, the Ghia body, the change dell'Aurelia with the front end derived from the Fiat 1400. The usual bad luck and the Mille Miglia, the car left the track and is almost destroyed. It begins again by changing the body and technique. This time the pilot Munaron the door to success and then to the Sassi Superga Lessolo wins led by Alice Balzarini, (this path that climbs to the Valchiusella was inserted into the path of the 2nd Conrero memorial in honor of the victory of '53). Then again after winning a Grand Prix of Belgium, Car inexplicably falls silent.

[Paul Jaray]

Front views:

[Allemano]

For the moment I give one point to woodinsight and move this puzzle to the Pro's.
It's indeed a Michelotti design for a Conrero Alfa Romeo, but I have different infos about the engine. My source definetely reports that it is not a 2000cc.
Still another point for the building company from which I must admit never have heard before.

Maybe a Pro will prove me, resp. my source wrong?!

[Paul Jaray]

I don't think you mean 1150cc...

[Paul Jaray]

In Curami's book, 'La Sport e i suoi Artigiani', there are 4 pages about Conrer's sports.
There is a pic of the puzzle's car and Virgilio Conrero: 'Virgilio Conrero next to his Conrero 2000 of 1959. The car never raced at the time'
There is also a long story of the 2 versions of it:
few minutes for sum up...unless you are looking for 'Corna'...
I'll add the pics if possible

The 1st:
In 1953 Conrero made his 1st sport, with an Alfa 1900 Sprint engine, 130cv, chassis by Savonuzzi and body by Ghia.
In 1954 the same car was rebuilt according to a design by Koren and raced the Mille Miglia.
In 1954 was again rebuilt by Michelotti and raced the Sassi-Superga.
In 1955 it raced the Grand Prix des Frontieres as 'Alfa Romeo Speciale' (#36) with a 160cv, 1975cc AR1900SS engine.
In 1956 it entered the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo as 'Conrero 2000' and 173cv.

The 2nd:
In 1959, a similar engine with a desmodronic engine was fitted on the Conrero Sport presented in 1959, based on a Osca Mt4 chassis, designed by Michelotti and built by Canta, but it never race.

The car #2 should be the puzzle car.
There is a 3rd Sport, built in 1959, that is the one in your reply #24...here the story:

[Allemano]

No n

I don't think you mean 1150cc...

You wouldn't say that for nothing...

According to my source one engine was a to 1147cc scaled down Guilietta powerplant (as woodinsight already mentioned).
The other version was bigger.
The body was built by a very obsurce coachbuilder (if it was a "Carrozzeria" at all, I don't know!)

[Paul Jaray]

I'm editing my previous reply.
Your source was referring to the 1147cc, 110cv, Giulietta based Sports, designeb by Michelotti and built by Corna, but that's the one in your reply #24.

[Allemano]

My source reports a 1600cc engine with 150 HP for the puzzle car. And it has another name for the coach than Corna. The year is 1960.

[Paul Jaray]

That is strange.
Here are the names in the book:
Conrero 2000 #1: Robert Fehldmann (pilot, the car was for him)
                        Gianni Balzarini  (pilot, 1956)
                        Pfenniger (new owner after 1956)
Conrero 2000 #2: Guglielmo Carraroli (owner of the Osca Mt4 donor car)
                        Carlo Mario Abate (designed pilot and Conrero's partner)
Conrero 1150: De Leonibus & Consten (pilots at Le Mans)
Cooper-Alfa Romeo (this car had a Giulietta engine too, 1470, 143cv): Syd Van der Vyver (pilot)

The only coachbuilders or designers reported are: Savonuzzi, Michelotti, Ghia, Canta e Corna.

I hope the mystery will be soon revealed!
                       

[Allemano]

I don't know, but usually my source is the most relieble I could imagine.. Tried to contact them – unfortunately with no reply.

BUT: I know at least one person here who knows this source. We'll see if he picks up the scent...

[75america]

From the book Conrero Il mago Storia di un uomo innamorato dei Motori by Roberto Sgarzi and Emanuele Daniele

Perhaps PJ can translate:

1958 Duemila sport desmo.  Il purosangue di sogno

Nelle Mille Miglia storica le vetture splendide e prestigiose sono a dozzine, ma fra quelle che al passaggio sollevano la maggiore ammirazione ed il maggiore interesse c'è la 2000 sport desmo Conrero del 1958.
Il maligni potrebbero dire che l'equipaggio Renato Pozzetto, A. della Valle fatalmente lo determina, ma in verita la vettura stessa, bella, elegante, con un motore favoloso attanaglia l'occhio ed il cuore.  Perché nel 1958 Conrero ci riprova. E' questo il canto del cigno di Conrero costruttore er è di larga dirivazione Alfa 1900, ma dell'originale è rimasto poco.  La distribuzione è addirittura desmodromica Conrero, c'è il carter secco, doppia accensione, condotti ovviamente Conrero.  La potenza erogata è di 172 CV a 6000 giri/min.  Il telaio deriva da una Osca MT4, ma la parte posteriore è totalmente modificata al fine di poter alloggiare le rivoluzionarie sospensioni con puntoni di reazione (tipo monoposto).  La carrozzeria classica e filante è disegnata da Michelotti e construita da Canta di Torino.  Infine, fatto storico, è fra la prime volte che in Italia monta freni a disco.  La vettura è di sogno, i progetto tanti ed ambiziosi, ma in prova Munaron rompe un semiasse.  Potrebbe sembrare un banale inconveniente di messa a punto, ovviabile con una banale e rapida riparazione, ma non è cosi.  Come gia detto accadde l'inspiegabile ed il frutto di tanti sfozi e di tanti sogni è accantonato in un capannone.  Ma non è finita.  Riappararira piu di venti anni dopo.  Daniele Emanuele, l'antico collaboratore e grande ammiratore di Conrero torna alla natia Torino da Prodenone ove si è trasferito e trova in un angolo polveroso la cecchia 2000 di sogno, ancora la con il suo semiasse rotto.  Un vecchio amore si la, quando è veramente tale, non tramonta ùai, Daniele si riinfiamma ed il sogno finalmente divente realta.  Nelle capaci mani del lungo torinese emigrato tutto ritorna alle perfezione come venti anni prima e questa volta alle competizione l'antico bolide va deciso.  Terreno di gara è quello delle auto storiche, ma nulla è cambiato, il piloti e le vetture sono gli stessi di tanti anni prima.  Emanuele Daniele per Conrero e per Ferrari, Maserati, Osca, Alfa molti dei piloti di allora.  Curiosa la vita del Nostro, drammatica ed esaltante, zeppa di grandi gioie e grandi dolori, dura favola ancora una volta con un lieto fine.  Faniele vince, è campione italiano di auto stotiche: è il 1979.  La Conrero 2000 desmo, il purosangue di sogno è il trionfo.  Daniele nella commozione generale dona la coppa a Virgilio Conrero.  Grande è la gioia, ma duro anche il groppo in gola perché tutti sanno cosa sarebbe successo di Conrero e dei suoi, se la medesima vittoria si fosse verificata sui campi di gara venticinque anni prima, come avrebbe meritato.  Ma questa è un'altra storia.

(There might be some typos present)

[Allemano]

 

[Paul Jaray]

I'll let google do the dirty job, I'll try to fix it:

In storic Mille Miglia there are dozens of beautiful and prestigious cars, but among those the greatest admiration and major interest is for the 2000 sport desmo Conrero 1958.
The malignant might say that the crew Renato Pozzetto (italian comic, ndt), A. della Valle (italian businessman, ndt) determines that, but in truth the car itself, beautiful, elegant, with a fabulous engine catches the eye and the heart. In 1958 Conrero tried again. Is this the swan song of Conrero as constructor,  largely Alfa 1900 derived, but little has remained of the original.  The distribution is desmodronic Conrero, there is the dry carter, double ignition, obviously Conrero ducts.  Power output is 172 HP at 6,000 rpm.  The chassis comes from Osca MT4, but the back is totally changed in order to accommodate the revolutionary suspension (single seater type).  The classical and filante bodywork is designed by Michelotti and built by Sings ( Canta) of Turin.  Finally, historical fact, are among the first few times that in Italy are mounted disc brakes.  The car is the dream of many and an ambitious project, but during a test Munaron breaks an axle shaft.  It might seem a trivial set-up incident, to be fixed with a trivial and rapid repair, but is not so.  As already said it happened the unexplained and the fruit of many efforts and many dreams is shelved in a shed.  But not over.  It will show up again more than twenty years later.  Daniele Emanuele, old collaborator and great admirer of Conrero went back to Turin from Prodenone where he moved and found in a dusty corner the ( Czech Republic) old 2000, still with his broken axle shaft.  An old love, we all know, when it is really such, never ends, Daniele get excited and the dream finally becomes reality.  In his capable hands everything comes back to perfection as twenty years before and this time it go directly to race. The circuit is that of vintage cars now, but nothing has changed, the pilots and the cars are the same of many years before.  Emanuele Daniele for Conrero and for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Osca...  Curious life of our man, dramatic and exciting, full of great sorrows and joys, with a happy ending.  Daniele wins, is the Italian champion for historic cars: is the 1979.  The Conrero 2000 desmo, the thoroughbred of dream is a triumph.  Daniele in commotion donates to Virgilio Conrero his Cup.  Great is the joy, but also the commotion, because everyone knows what would have happened to Conrero and his men, if the same victory had happened on race 25 years before, as he would have deserved.  But that's another story.