Spanish engineer Wifredo Pelayo Ricart began working at Alfa Romeo as a consultant in 1936, but his name only appeared on the company's payroll in October 1937 - a month after Vittorio Jano left - and listed as his successor. The position had been expected to go to Gioachino Colombo, Jano's apprentice, who consequently went to work for Enzo Ferrari.
The present Tipo 163 was developed by the Ricart team in 1941 as a streamlined, mid-engined, closed-body race car with fully enclosed wheels for improved aerodynamics.
Using an engine developed in Britain by Sir Harry Ricardo, (who had a reputation for designing high-performance engines) it had originally been conceived by Ettore Pagani, chief designer of special projects, as the Tipo 162 as seen in drawing no. 260 of 17th. November 1938.
With 13 modifications made from this date until July 24, 1941, the engine was adapted to the new chassis with side members by positioning it in the central rear area. The front suspension had independent wheels with longitudinal torsion bars and rear suspension with De Dion axle. One of the new features was the use of the hydraulic gearbox control with the lever located on the dashboard.
The result was a square engine with 62 mm (2.4 in) bore and stroke, 2,995 cc (182.8 cu in) displacement with 2x 2-stage compressors and 2x triple inverted carburetors. The engine was tested on a test bench in the spring of 1940 and delivered 490 hp (370 kW) at 7,800 rpm. The car had three fuel tanks, one behind the driver and one on each side of the driver, with a total capacity of 260 L (69 US gal; 57 imp gal).
Components were manufactured for a total of six cars, but at the time Italy declared war on France and Britain, 10th. June 1940, only one engine had been completed and dispatched.
Construction drawings of the chassis and bodywork to be produced entirely of elektron sheet metal are by Gioachino Colombo raising questions as to his actual departure date.
Further questions remain as to whether the car ever ran or was indeed completed. A production report dated April 1943 lists only a few parts made in detail: 10 supports for front suspension and 5 for rear suspension, 1 oil tank, 40 parts for frame, 1 dashboard, 3 wheel support columns, 8 shelves for water radiator support, 8 front side members extensions, 4 oil drain pipes from the gearbox to the cylinders, 4 battery support frames, 10 shelves for rear cover connection, 10 water outlet pipes from the cylinders. A type 512 gearbox had also been modified and fitted.
Two months later, the 163 appeared in a list of experimental orders as a racing car to be built together with some type 512 cars.
In December 1945 it still appears in a separate list of existing experimental racing and sports cars and is described as follows: "type 163 car, internal drive, incomplete and waiting to be completed, in storage in Orta (one of the decentrals set up to escape the bombing of Milan). This is the last document available in the Archive on Type 163.
(The above is derived from various different sources that I have attempted to rationalise. If anyone can see errors in the history or has further information to add please feel free to comment).
1:43 scale model AUTOSTILE No. 10 ALFA ROMEO 163 1941
This is a very interesting and informative post Charles. While development began pre-war, I am amazed that such a development continued to take place during the early period of WWII. It certainly was not taking place in Britain or Germany in the same period. All domestic efforts had stopped, just military and war work. I have to think that this work was unofficial and kept secret from the Italian government at that time. I wonder. How they managed to get the supplies needed for construction. This Alfa Romeo Type 163 is certainly pretty. I don’t know anything about postwar success or completion. Thanks Charles for this.
@david-green This is an incredibly interesting point David. I have studied the war period: design and production for a while, and the truth is very different from the given narrative. In Germany, domestic car production continued into 1942 during which time Goebbels was pressing for what he called 'total war' by which he meant the civilian population. Whereas Hitler did not want the population to feel the effects of the war. He was pressing to have Paris couture moved to Vienna during the war, whilst Lucien Lelong head of La Chambre Syndical successfully fought against the move. Some of the most spectacular bespoke furniture was also produced in the early part of the war and certain very famous Delahaye 135 bodies were produced for German officers even towards the war's end - notably Franay's and Chapron's 135 Delahaye and I remain convinced that Figoni et Falaschi's La Glaoui began life during the war. There are some of Alfa Romeos 6C 2500 from 1943 by Bertone. According to Dalton's Rolls Royce - The Elegance Continues, the last Phantom III were delivered in 1941, (Britain needed U.S. hard currency.
Good Points Charles. I did know about fashions continuing and Vienna replacing Paris for at least a time after May 1940. Those Rolls Royce sales to the USA were I think, coach builder cars whose chassis were built by Rolls Royce prior to 1940. I know that they converted to exclusively war production late in 1939. Weren’t the Delahaye and Bertone Alfas custom shop models based on prewar chassis also?
What struck me with the Type 163 is that it is primarily a race car. Whatever, I certainly agree that a lot of none war activities continued in Europe for some time after war was declared.
Thanks for this discussion Charles and your excellent presentation here. It encourages me to do some more research.
@david-green David, this is indeed a rewarding topic of discussion and you give me pause to think. Lawrence Dalton's books which cover almost every Rolls Royce produced has a chapter on each chassis type and at the end of the Chapter a chart listing each Chassis and its delivery date. I am pretty sure those delivery dates are for the chassis But will have to look further into it (I do not have my books with me). Certainly official histories of WWII - British included - need to be taken with a huge grain of salt. I agree all the Delahaye I mentioned have come from coach builders so there were evidently quite a few stock 135 chassis still around in 1944! However I post below a 1942 Renault prototype 4CV along with an image of 1940 and 1941 Pininfarina 6C 2500 a 1940 Ferrari 815 (though of course Italy entered the war in June 1940, a 1941 BMW and 1941/42 ZILs and Mercedes. When we search through Alfa Romeo 6C 2500s we find lot dating from the war years and I cannot help but think Italy must have adopted the same view as Germany, in keeping the economy going - if you had the money, the cars were available. Lastly, the Simca 8 was in production throughout the war. As you say, there's much to research and answers are not easily found.
A superb background and history of these motorcars ! We certainly see a great variety of automobiles displayed. During WWII Packard in the U.S. built a fine licensed version of the Roll-Royce Merlin V-1650 aero-engine for the P-51 Mustang and other airplanes.
Thanks, Charles, for the detailed post and follow-up posts. Fascinating to read about the history of these Alfas. I doubt the 163 was ever built and if it was, it was certainly scrapped. I assume you read the various responses in the AlfaBB about it? https://www.alfabb.com/threads/tipo-163-16c.37180/
The Museo does have Ricart's mid-engine race car from 1940, the 512, with his 12-cylinder boxer engine!
I do have the Autocult of that one, but still miss the 163 lozenge!
@karl Hi Karl, many thanks for your kind remarks and also the AlfaBB link, which in fact is new to me. I shall follow the thread with interest.
Your 512 is a stunning looking vehicle - it really looks as if it means business - and the Autocult version looks similarly dynamic. Regarding the Autostile163, there is one available presently for what I regard as silly money (but in case you're interested I'll post the link on your personal page here. and there is another site which I'm having problems linking to, that may also have un un-built kit available, but this last is doubtful). Cheers!
@charles-rockett Thanks for the sales links. I saw the high $$$ one for sale in the US right after I read your post! I could hire a pro kit builder for cheaper, I think!
@charles-rockett Thanks for the sales links. I saw the high $$$ one for sale in the US right after I read your post! I could hire a pro kit builder for cheaper, I think!
They can't be that rare $$$ !!! One is bound to appear boxed or unboxed; built or kit form. Another place for this last, is scalemates.com but you'd know how they work better than I.
I remember Autostyle kits and had one of the kits once. I recall they were heavy on the lead content, much like the early FDS kits. The design of the car may owe a lot to this 1937 6C 2300 Aerodynamica Spider Jankovitz "Aerospider" (model by Matrix).
@mg-harv Hello Harv' I'm sure you're right that this likely inspired the 163 and I have wondered if this is the first mid-engined race car? I saw one of the Autostile versions of this, earlier this year, rendered in light blue metallic. And I seem to remember it had the three piece windshield - which I believe was a later addition to the car. In 1946 one of the Jankovitch brothers escaped from Yugoslavia at speed in this car, under fire from border guards.
