In August last year I posted a news item on the sole Alfa Zagato TZ imported into South Africa.
To refresh memories, the car went to Emmott Barwell and, much later, to Robin Ellis, who raced it in historic events in the Transvaal (yes, then). The car is now owned by Gordon McCullough in the UK and has once more been prepared for racing. He was very keen to trace some history of the car and this was one of the reasons for putting news and photos on my site.
None was forthcoming but I found Robin Ellis’s address in a magazine called Country Life that I was reading in a psychiatrist’s waiting room. Don’t ask! The global financial crunch is hell. Robin is hale and hearty and messing about with old boats among other things in Velddrif/Laaiplek. It sounded like financial heaven to me. He was very keen to share what he had on the car with Gordon and I left them to get in touch.
One of the perils of imperfect research has come up. One of the stories I heard was that the car came to South Africa in green primer! Not so.
Gordon had the car in bright Italian red but has done a lot more research and has returned it to the colour in which it left the factory in 1964 to come to SA, which is, well, a bit like green primer!
If only a few more people had taken colour pics in those days. If only folks publishing books these days that are to be reference tomes would include a few colour photos.
ONCE MORE, I ASK THAT IF ANYONE HAS INFO ON THIS CAR IN SA, PLEASE PASS IT ON TO ME AND I WILL MAKE SURE IT GETS TO GORDON.
In the members’ section of the website I have posted two photos of the car during a successful two day test at Goodwood. These may be downloaded for free by motoprint members. As the new owner remarks, the colour is unusual and turns a lot of heads. He intends to race the car at Phillip Island in Australia in 2010 and a very bright friend has already suggested he go via South Africa. And all God’s chillum said Aaahmen.
To join as a motoprint member, simply go to the appropriate heading on the home page, fill in your details and choose from all the free downloads from the last 12 months.
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