Alfa Romeo RL & RM/Chassis Registry/Chassis/RLTF/TF11
Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio (RLTF) chassis TF11
[edit]Alfa Romeo RL & RM chassis TF11 is a 1924 RL Targa Florio (RLTF) bodied by Alfa Romeo works competition chassis; 1925 body by A. E. Leadbetter; later reconstructed by Riva (Merate).
A 1924 Alfa Romeo RL Targa Florio (RLTF), chassis TF11, engine 110RS, regarded as the sole surviving works RLTF entered in the 1924 Targa Florio.
Factory specification
[edit]- Manufacturer: Alfa Romeo
- Model: Alfa Romeo RL & RM
- Variant / Type: RL Targa Florio (RLTF)
- Year: 1924
- Chassis number: TF11
- Engine number: 110RS
- Gearbox number: Originally close-ratio competition gearbox; later replaced; reproduction pinions fitted 1966
- Body number: Unknown (original); reconstructed body by Carrozzeria Riva (Merate)
- Coachbuilder: Alfa Romeo works competition chassis; 1925 body by A. E. Leadbetter; later reconstructed by Riva (Merate)
- Engine size (as built): 2,994 cc
- Engine size (current): 2,994 cc
- Body style / type (as built): 1924 Targa Florio competition two-seater
- Body style / type (current): 1924 Targa Florio configuration (reconstructed)
- Colour (as built): Alfa Romeo works competition livery (period)
- Colour (current): Red
- Interior colour (as built): Competition specification
- Interior colour (current): Competition specification
- First completed: 1924
- First delivered: Late 1924 (sold in chassis form to L.G. Styles)
- First dealer / destination: United Kingdom
- Original registration: XX 5060 (UK, March 1925)
- Notes: Works RLTF chassis TF11; engine 110RS; regarded by FIVA as sole surviving 1924 works RLTF; driver attribution in 1924 Targa Florio disputed (Campari / Masetti).
Registry: Alfa Romeo RL & RM/Chassis Registry
Ownership history
[edit]| No. | Owner | Location | Occupation / Notes | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L.G. Styles | United Kingdom | Appointed Alfa Romeo agent for Great Britain; purchased car in chassis form from Alfa Romeo | Late 1924 | c.1927 |
| 2 | Hon. Alexander Morton Weir | United Kingdom | Son of Lord Inverforth | July 1927 | April 1928 |
| 3 | British Alfa Romeo Sales | United Kingdom | Returned to distributor | April 1928 | 1928 |
| 4 | A. E. Linsley | Harrow, UK | Acquired in part exchange for Bugatti T23 | 1928 | 1932 |
| 5 | Mr Rawlings | Brighton, UK | c.1932 | 1936 | |
| 6 | Leo E. Flatt | United Kingdom | Repaired and modified car | 1936 | Winter 1938–39 |
| 7 | Mr Boreham | Crawley, UK | Winter 1938–39 | c.1943 | |
| 8 | Alfred “Twink” Whincop & Monica Whincop | United Kingdom | Vintage enthusiasts | 1943 | March 1945 |
| 9 | John Godrich | Birmingham, UK | March 1945 | December 1945 | |
| 10 | Walter Allan | Kirk Ella, UK | December 1945 | c.1950 | |
| 11 | Michael Crowley-Milling | Alderley Edge, UK | Vintage car enthusiast; commenced major restoration | c.1950 | 1969 |
| 12 | Count Giovanni “Johnny” Lurani Cernuschi | Italy | Racing driver, engineer, historian | 1969 | 1995 |
| 13 | Lurani family estate | Italy | Retained within family collection | 1995 | Present (at time of sale) |
Registration history
[edit]| Registration | Location | From | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XX 5060 | United Kingdom | March 1925 | — | First UK registration under L.G. Styles |
| UK V5C | United Kingdom | Modern registration | Present | Current UK registration document |
Competition history (period)
[edit]| Year | Event | Driver(s) | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Targa Florio | Giuseppe Campari (attributed by some sources) | 4th overall | 6h 46m 51s |
| 1924 | Targa Florio | Count Giulio Masetti (attributed by other sources) | 2nd overall | 6h 41m 4s |
| 1925 | Kop Hillclimb | Major Charles G. Coe | Class wins | Essex Motor Club |
| 1926 | Shelsley Walsh (Amateur Meeting) | Major Charles G. Coe | 2nd in class | 11 July 1926 |
| 1920s | Brooklands August Meeting | Vittorio Rosa | ~115 mph lap | Works driver appearance |
| 1920s | Shelsley Walsh | Vittorio Rosa | 57.4 seconds (unlimited class win) | Also 2nd in sports car class |
Appearances and non-competitive events
[edit]| Year | Event | Driver(s) / Exhibitor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 onward | VSCC events | Michael Crowley-Milling | Regular competitor |
| 1966 | International Alfa Romeo Rally, Milan | Crowley-Milling | Gearbox pinions reproduced from Luigi Fusi drawings |
| 1977 | Montreux Grand Prix Retrospective | Count Lurani | Presented in restored 1924 Targa Florio configuration |
| Various | Mille Miglia Storica | Lurani family | Historic participation |
| Recent | Film production (Ferrari biographical short) | — | Used for Targa Florio scenes |
Restoration and mechanical history
[edit]- 1925: Fitted with pointed-tail two-seater sports body by A. E. Leadbetter (London).
- 1930s: Close-ratio gearbox replaced with standard unit; triple-diffuser Zenith carburettors replaced by twin 52mm SU units.
- Late 1930s: Updraught Zenith carburettors refitted; engine detuned at request of owner.
- c.1950–1955: Five-year restoration by Michael Crowley-Milling.
- 1966: Replacement constant-mesh pinions manufactured from original Luigi Fusi drawings.
- 1967: Engine failure (connecting rod through crankcase) following gearing modification.
- 1969–1977: Restored by Count Lurani to 1924 Targa Florio specification; new body constructed by Carrozzeria Riva (Merate).
- Maintained for many years by British specialist Malcolm Gentry.
Attribution and identity discussion
[edit]Chassis TF11 is described by FIVA documentation as the sole surviving Alfa Romeo works RLTF from the 1924 Targa Florio.
Published accounts differ regarding its original driver in that race:
- Some sources identify the car as Giuseppe Campari’s entry (4th overall).
- Other sources attribute TF11 to Count Giulio Masetti (2nd overall).
Further archival research is required to conclusively establish driver-to-chassis correlation. The identity of TF11 as a 1924 works RLTF chassis is not in dispute.
Historical significance
[edit]Chassis TF11, engine 110RS, is regarded by FIVA as the sole surviving Alfa Romeo works RLTF from the 1924 Targa Florio.
The RLTF marked Alfa Romeo’s emergence as a dominant force in international road racing and contributed to the establishment of the marque’s enduring competition reputation. The car’s long association with Count Giovanni “Johnny” Lurani Cernuschi further enhances its standing within pre-war motoring history.
Notes
[edit]- One of four six-cylinder RLTF cars constructed for the 1924 Targa Florio.
- RL total production approximately 2,640 units; RL Sport approximately 537; RLTF competition cars eight (including 1923 team cars).
- Body has existed in multiple configurations; present form reflects careful historical reconstruction.
- Engine no. 110RS documented in auction material.
Sources
[edit]- Auction catalogue (Estate of Count Giovanni “Johnny” Lurani Cernuschi)
- FIVA Passport no. 027054
- ASI homologation no. 0670 (issued 5.11.73)
- VSCC records
- Period British hillclimb reports
- Secondary historical summary (RL / RLTF development overview)