Alfa Romeo Tipo 33

33 Tipo was the name for a series of prototype sports car of Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo, which originated in the motor sports department Autodelta in the period 1967-1977 for racing. During these years, different variations of the Tipo 33 were produced. The mid-engine concept was all Tipo 33 together, but the motors, the body and the wheel bases could vary. The designation " 33 " took Alfa Romeo 1983 for the mass-produced compact sedan Alfa Romeo 33 again, which replaced the Alfasud.

Tipo 33/2

In the beginning was 1967, the Tipo 33/2 with 2,0 - as well as 2.5 - liter V8 engine, 16 spark plugs, four overhead camshafts and a maximum speed of approximately 10,000 rpm. The chassis has evolved from an H-shaped central structure that was riveted aluminum half-shells, and it also riveted electron - cast structures front and rear. The front structure that forms the footwell of the passenger and takes up the front suspension, was a highly complex cage- like component. In addition to the engine, two cone -like castings made ​​the connection to a rear bulkhead, which propped up the clutch bell - a standard in racing design. Cast Technically, these three components are a remarkable technical achievement, especially at that time. Subsequent 33 variants had a tubular space frame, hence the term "TT" for " Telaio (chassis ) Tubular ( tube- shaped) " derives. In the 2.0 - liter version of the car made ​​270 hp, weighed 580 kg and reached a peak of 298 km / h In the same year the car won the Fléron hillclimb race in Belgium. Among other things, the Tipo took 33/2 in the following year, the first three places in its class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A total of 30 specimens were prepared.

The 33/2 was used to in the 1970s, into the world in numerous sports car races. 1973 brought about the Portuguese racing driver Fernando Coelho a 33/2 in Angola to the 3- hour race in Luanda at the start.

Tipo 33 Stradale

The plant model

To make racing technology to open to the public, was also brought to the 1967 Turin Auto Show of the grade for the road Tipo 33 Stradale on the market. Franco Scaglione designed the 230 -horsepower vehicle, built it was at Marazzi. A special design feature are the otherwise rare butterfly doors.

The car was very powerful. With a total weight of 700 kg, the Stradale in 5.5 sec faster to 100 km / h The ad said about the car: "A superficial domesticated race car street legal " The sale price was extremely high, even for this reason, only a few were sold until 1969. .

The scale of production is unclear. In most cases, it is assumed that a total of 18 chassis for the Stradale project were provided. However, a maximum of 12 of them received the Scaglione body. Eight Scaglione coupes are known today. Whether four more cars were clothed by Marazzi, is doubtful.

Sonderkarosserien

In addition to the Scaglione body five more T 33/2-Chassis were coated with road-going individual bodies, which remained unique in each case:

Bertone

  • Marcello Gandini designed in 1968 for the Bertone Carabo, a wedge-shaped coupe with gullwing doors. The car was built on the chassis No. 750.33.109.

Pininfarina

Pininfarina designed 1969-1971 a total of three vehicles on two T 33/2-Chassis:

  • The P 33 Sport Roadster from 1968 was an open vehicle with low windscreen and a striking, painted in dark color rollbar. The car used the chassis No. 750.33.108. It was presented to the public at the Turin Motor Show in November 1968. His whereabouts are unclear. Partial is argued that the body of the P 33 was removed after the public exhibition; the chassis was two years later provided to the body of Cuneo.
  • The Prototipo Speciale Pininfarina from 1969 was a rotund coupe with gullwing doors, pop-up headlights and heavily glazed cockpit, which anticipated some design ideas later Ferrari models. The vehicle use the chassis No. 750.33.115. It bore a striking yellow paint job.
  • The Pininfarina Cuneo was an open, wedge- designed sports car that was presented at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1971 and probably also based on the chassis No. 750.33.108.

Ital Design

The company Italdesign Giugiaro, founded by Giorgio presented at the Turin Motor Show in November 1969 the Ital Design Iguana, a closed two -seater sports coupe with an unusually high rear based on the chassis No. 750.33.116. The draft showed some new elements at different designs for production vehicles took up Giugiaro again a few years later. So the body of the Iguana was made ​​of brushed steel; this concept realized Giugiaro later in the De Lorean DMC- 12th The front end of the Iguana quoted Giugiaro in his designs for Maserati Bora and Merak models, and the rear end with the high-set tail lights was implemented at the Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint in series. Supposedly a series production of the Iguana was planned; However, they did not materialize.

Tipo 33/3

In the spring of 1969 appeared as a supplement to the 33/2 of the Tipo 33/3 with 3.0 -liter engine. Numerous well-known racing drivers such as Nanni Galli, Rolf Stommelen, Andrea de Adamich etc. contributed in the following years, the Tipo 33/2 or 33/3 on the known circuits in Europe and North America. Despite the dominance of the former five-liter sports cars like Porsche 917, the three-liter Alfa experienced by many good rankings. Thus, even three overall victories retracted in 1971: Targa Florio, Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen. 1972 a Tipo 33/4 was developed with 4.0 -liter engine, which was used in Australia.

Tipo 33/3TT

The end of 1970 appeared with the 33/3TT the next level. The abbreviation TT stands for " Telaio Tubolare " because the frame of aluminum extrusions existed. The driver's seat traveled forward. However, the 33/3 TT was only an intermediate step to succeed with 12 - cylinder engine.

Tipo 33TT12

1973 appeared the Tipo 33TT12 12-cylinder boxer engine and 3.0 liter displacement. The engine delivered 370 kW (500 hp) at 11.000/min. With this car Alfa Romeo won, represented by the German Willi Kauhsen Racing Team, in 1975, the sports car world championship with seven wins in eight races. The successful drivers were Arturo Merzario, Vittorio Brambilla, Jacques Laffite, Henri Pescarolo, Derek Bell and Jochen Mass..

Tipo 33SC12

As the successor of 33TT12 appeared 1977 33SC12. The letters SC stand for " Scatolato " ( Italian: la = scatola the box) to denote the box-shaped chassis. The performance of the 3.0- liter 12 - cylinder boxer engine has increased to 520 hp. With this car Alfa Romeo won again in the same year the World Sportscar Championship, each with a first place in all eight races. At the Salzburg ring the car reached an average speed of 203.82 km / h It has also been tentatively a 33SC12 with two turbos built with 640 hp, which was used only once in Salzburg and won the same. Then goodbye to the Alfa Romeo sports car racing. However, the twelve-cylinder engine Brabham BT46 lived in by Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham racing team and the Alfa Romeo 177 of the Alfa Romeo factory team until 1979 on.

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