motoprint news 12 August 2008
Alfa Zagato TZ 750017
Those of you with long memories AND are rabid Alfistas may recall this car as the only Zagato ever imported into South Africa. It was brought in by Emmott Barwell Auto in 1964, apparently had some track racing history and then came to the Transvaal (remember that?).
In the 70s Robin Ellis acquired the car and raced it at Kyalami in a number of Clubman’s Handicap events; and I was told clattered it a number of times. The 1982 SA GP programme has a page punting the Historic Racing Car Register and has a photo of Robin in the car during one of these events. It has decidedly non-standard, very flared rear wheel arches, which someone suggested may be jam tins.
Robin had plans to do a ‘concours restoration’ but never got very far. Nor did the next owner. The car then passed to Gary Dunkerley and Mervyn Middlewick, who restored the car after a huge effort, on the aluminium body in particular. It was later sold on to the UK. Bunny Wentzel, Laurie Steyn and Rob Hawcroft all gave me small cameos and confirmation of the car’s history and some leads and Gary Dunkerley very helpfully crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s.
The present owner lives in the UK but works most of his time in Russia. He had the car stripped down, extensively crack tested and prepped for racing. At this stage it was thoroughly examined and it was possible to verify the authenticity of components. Apart from the Autodelta engine now installed, it is confirmed to be in highly original order. To his delight, the tubular chassis was in fine nick and completely original.
I have put some February 2008 photos of the car in the ‘members’ area for free download. If anyone has any reliable information about this car during its sojourn in South Africa, or photographs, and is willing to share these with the present owner, please email me at david@motoprint.co.za or davidp@wol.co.za and I will pass them on.
There is no gain for me in any of this, just a chance I hope to be a good ambassador for SA historic car racing.
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