Up until the 1960’s, Alfa Romeo was known for their inline six-cylinder dual overhead cam engine design. Alfa had been using this engine very successfully since the 1920’s in a variety of different cars, and it had served its purpose exceptionally well. However, with the changing times came the need to utilize a more economical engine layout. The Alfa DOHC inline 4-cylinder was introduced, and the venerable inline 6 was laid to rest. Before the death of the 6 however, Alfa gave their flagship engine one last hurrah in the 2600 series of cars.

The 2600 series was first Introduced in 1961 to replace the aging 2000 series, which was Alfa Romeos top of the line Grand Tourer. With its introduction of the 2600, Alfa brought along an all-new alloy 2.6-liter engine as well as 5 different body styles. These various bodies included a Sprint designed by Giugiaro at Bertone, a Touring-bodied spider, the odd and rare OSI designed Berlina Deluxe, and a limited run of Zagato bodied Sprint cars. Despite the acclaim the 2.6-liter engine received, the 2600 was not a hot seller, and just a little over 11,000 examples in total were sold throughout its 6-year production run. The Alfa 2600 would be replaced in 1968 by the now beloved 1750 series of 4 cylinder cars.

This particular Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint, Chassis #AR854011, displays 39,647 miles on the odometer. The light grey exterior color is believed to be the original color of the car although the vehicle has been re-sprayed at some point in its lifetime. The red interior is without a doubt original as can be as evidenced by the excellent patina readily present throughout the entirety of the cabin. This Alfa is one of 596 right-hand drive examples, believed to have been delivered new to Japan. Not much is know about this cars life until it was brought here to the states in 2005. Shortly after arriving by way of a port in California, it was sold to a collector in Wisconsin where it remained in a climate controlled collection until 2017. During its time in the previous owners care, it was driven sparingly, maintained appropriately and most importantly left alone from a cosmetic standpoint. The previous owner, over the past year, has upgraded the ignition system, recored the radiator and performed a fuel and brake system overhaul. New tires were also added at all four corners, but past that, the car remains largely untouched.

This Alfa would be categorized best as a well-preserved car. Due to the preservation nature of the vehicle, it is not perfect and should not be regarded as such. The paint is absolutely presentable for what we believe to be an older respray. There is some flaking and chipping at the corners of the hood from regular use, as well as a spot of paint that is bubbling on the top of the hood on the driver’s side. The front fascia of the car has normal stone chips and flecks that come with day to day use. The Carello headlights show some minor pitting from normal use on the road but are not cracked or fogged. The chrome trim on the car is serviceable, showing some wear, rub, and minor pitting but honest and original none the less. The rubber seals and trim on the car are cracked in some areas but appear to be still supple and are not dry rotted. All the glass still contains “Securit” stampings, again lending to the originality of the vehicle. There are Japanese specific window stickers on most of the car from its time spent on the Asian Island. The front windshield is free of any real scratching, cracking or pitting and remarkably still has the factory instructions sticker affixed to the inside of it. The rear glass is of similar shape with only a minor small bubble in the upper corner standing out upon inspection. It should be noted that the trim around the rear window appears to have been fixed by gluing in a portion of the top center, leaving for a slightly sloppy fix, but nothing that would require immediate attention. The rear trunk lid has some minor paint chipping on some of the corners from normal use, and there is a small portion of cracked paint behind the bumper on the driver’s side. The trunk-mounted emblem has become slightly hazy and difficult to read but is no doubt original. There is also some minor paint cracking around the holes used to affix the license plate to the rear of the car. The Carello tail lights are free of any cracking or discoloration.

The interior of this Alfa is where the originality truly shines. There is excellent patina everywhere you look inside this car. The pleated red leather of the seats is worn around the edges but in all the right ways. There are a few seems that have let go that could easily be repaired by a skilled upholstery specialist but besides that, the seats are in good useable condition and present a warm and inviting place from which to drive. The leather door cards mimic the seats in that they show excellent patina with some seems that could stand to be restitched if one chose to go that route. The door sills are covered in Bertone kick plates that show wear inline with the rest of the interior but are an excellent touch to the grand touring nature of the car. The door jams are relatively clean and are free of any rust. The carpets are heavily stained but are not torn or worn excessively and are absolutely original. The floors under the front carpets display some minor surface rusting/discoloration but nothing that would be considered structural. The dash of this car is very well intact with no significant splitting or pulls present in the leather portions. The gauges are clear and easily read. All the switches and knobs are in original and wonderfully well-preserved condition with no cracking or discoloration. The steering wheel is likewise free of cracking and in excellent shape including the center horn button. The power windows function well moving up and down with typical Italian electronic pace. There is a power antenna operating mechanism situated under the dash on the passenger side and the glove box is clean and free of any major scratching or discoloration. The headliner is in decent shape, with no pulls or tears but it does show some discoloration around the edges and some minor staining throughout. The rearview mirror is cracked and discolored but appears in an original state.

The engine bay of this car again presents as highly original. One could spend hours of time attempting to clean and remove the signs of years of usage, but we do not feel that is necessary in the least bit. Hoses all appear to be in serviceable condition with correct style clamps adorning the plumbing for the air intake system. The intake runners themselves cover most of the engine bay and are gloriously covered with patina but are in entirely functioning order. The three Solex Carburetors appear in good working order and show no visible signs of leaking  The firewall and inner fenders are all straight and present no signs that this car was ever in an accident etc. The heat protection on the underside of the hood is torn in a spot or two, and the insulation is coming out, but the factory data tag is still located on the upper corner. The only other real issue under the hood is that the blower motor for the interior heater is cracked.

The trunk area has an Alfa Romeo branded rubber mat covering it. Upon removal of the mat, one finds the spare wheel in place with the original hold down still keeping the spare secure. The spare wheel well is solid with no signs of structural issues. The battery box and jack stowage area, likewise, are relatively clean and original with real issues to note. The toolbox which sits to the right side of the trunk is remarkably original, finished in its bright blue color and with a mostly complete toolset inside. The underside of the car was undercoated at some point in its life but appears to be relatively clean and solid underneath. All the frame rails and floor pans are exceptionally structurally sound. Removing a small portion of the undercoating reveals clean and clear metal underneath. The underside of the engine and transmission display as original with road dirt and minor amounts of oil and fluids collecting on the bottom. There is some minor surface corrosion on parts where undercoating has stripped away but nothing serious. The exhaust system is slightly corroded and has some structural rust on one of the mufflers. All four wheel wells, however, are relatively clean and free of any issues.

Alfa Romeos represent an excellent buy in today’s classic car world. It is a brand with a superior competitive motorsports history that produces road cars with serious soul and drivability. Yet for the large part, they can still be bought at fair prices and have not yet fallen prey to large-scale inflation like many other cars of the same era. To find an Alfa Romeo in this kind of well-preserved condition is rare these days as many have been heavily restored. For it to be a right-hand drive example is even more rare given the scant 569 that were produced. This 2600 represents an excellent opportunity to own a special piece of Alfa history. Being the last of the inline six-cylinder cars, these cars will undoubtedly one day see their position of glory within the Alfa rankings. Until then, this car will undoubtedly be a hit at any show or cars and coffee that you take it to while providing plenty of grins on the roads there and home.

This car is offered with tools, jack, spare wheel, and factory manual.