Latest revision as of 14:31, 14 February 2026

Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS chassis 0312.871

Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS chassis 0312.871 is a 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Super Sport originally supplied to the British importer F.W. Stiles. The car forms part of a group of consecutively numbered chassis delivered to the United Kingdom.

Factory specification

Year: 1929
Model: Alfa Romeo 6C 1500
Variant: 6C 1500 SS (Super Sport)
Chassis number: 0312.871
Original coachbuilder: Zagato
Exterior colour: Red
Registration: UV 818 (United Kingdom)

Delivery and early ownership

Chassis 0312.871 was registered to Alfa Romeo prior to delivery to the British importer F.W. Stiles.

The car was subsequently registered in the name of Mrs. Florence Stiles (wife of F.W. Stiles) on 29 April 1929 in England.

It was one of a group of four consecutively numbered 6C 1500 SS chassis delivered to the UK.

Coachwork changes

Although originally bodied by Zagato, it appears that the original two-seat body may have been removed shortly after arrival in the UK.

Contemporary accounts suggest that a four-seat body was fitted in order to comply with race regulations that required such configuration for certain events.

The car is later believed to have reverted to two-seat configuration.

Further documentation is required to establish the exact sequence of body changes.

Engine specification

There are indications that the car may have been equipped at some stage with a testa fissa (fixed-head) engine.

It has been suggested that ownership of some testa fissa engines remained with Alfa Romeo, although others may have passed through the hands of the UK importer Stiles.

The precise engine history of chassis 0312.871 remains subject to research and verification.

Possible Nuvolari association

Photographs exist depicting a car carrying registration UV 818 with Tazio Nuvolari at the wheel.

Whether these images definitively depict chassis 0312.871 has not been conclusively established and requires further archival confirmation.

Later history

Later records indicate the car resided in the United States by at least 2011.

Further ownership documentation is required to complete the historical chain.

Historical significance

Chassis 0312.871 is significant for several reasons:

One of a small UK-delivered group of 6C 1500 SS chassis
Originally Zagato-bodied
Possible early configuration changes for competition
Potential association with testa fissa engine specification
Possible photographic association with Nuvolari (unconfirmed)

The car represents an important subject for further archival and documentary research.

Registry classification

6C 1500 SS
UK importer chassis (F.W. Stiles)
Originally Zagato-bodied
Configuration history under investigation
Engine specification under research

Research notes

Further confirmation is sought regarding:

Testa fissa engine status
Period race entries
Authenticity of Nuvolari photographic association
Sequence of body modifications

Chassis registry reference

See: Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS/Chassis Registry