Parkside Publications is pleased to announce the publication of The Magnificent Monopostos Grand Prix Cars, 1923 to 1951

By Simon Moore

Edited and Designed by Malcolm S. Harris

The third book in Simon Moore’s Alfa Romeo trilogy As usual, Simon has used his phenomenal detective is finally here! Simon’s first book, The Immortal 2.9, cov- skills to trace the history of the individual cars, including ered the famous 8C2900 models of the late 1930s and won those that were sold to private owners by the factory and the coveted Cugnot Award from the Society of Automotive . Each car is given a chapter of its own. Historians as the best automotive book of 1986. His sec- The cars traveled all over the world, including the USA ond book, The Legendary 2.3, covered the 1931-1934 8C2300 (three ran at Indianapolis), Brazil, Argentina, Australia and model and was awarded the prestigious Prix Bellecour in New Zealand. Some retained their original engines, drive France in 2000. The 2.9 book has since been completely re- train and suspension, but many were given alternative mo- written and a Revised Edition was published in 2008. Both tive power – one even acquired a Ford V8 for drag racing books are still available. in California! Simon started this new book with the intention of Sadly, Michel Poberejsky (who raced as “Mike covering just the single seaters from 1931 to 1940. How- Sparken”) died before the book was finished. However, he ever, he discovered so many previously unpublished pho- recorded for Simon the complete story of how he managed tographs from the 1923 to 1930 era that he decided to cover to acquire, restore and run the only Tipo 158/9 that has those years as well. The publisher then persuaded him to ever left the factory. expand the book further to cover the exploits of the Tipo The extensive content of this book required 836 pages 158/9 up until Alfa’s retirement from Grand Prix racing in split into two volumes. The first essentially covers the cars 1951. The prewar racing history of the 158 cars in the voi- from the “cart sprung” era, beginning in 1923 and ending turette category is covered in detail. The postwar period with the Tipo B and that twin engine monster, the Bimo- is covered with a huge number of previously unpublished tore. The second volume concentrates on the independently- photographs and technical notes rather than covering each sprung cars of the later 1930s. race in detail which has already been covered in several The historic photos in the book are interesting on two books. Simon was, however, given access to the distinct levels. First, by tracing the history of the racing ef- records which give chassis and engine number details by forts of Alfa and its competitors, they graphically illustrate race and they are included in tables. the evolution of the racing automobile. However, they also A selection of photos from Volume I

Clockwise from top left: Campari in the pits during the 1925 Belgian GP, the first international race to be held on that famous circuit; Three P1s, running on trade plates, outside Nicola Romeo’s HQ in Milano, prior to departure for Monza in 1923. The greatest Alfa Romeo driver of all time, , at Berne in 1934; Doug Nye grinning broadly whilst driving the restored Bimotore; Both Bimotore cars in Scuderia Ferrari’s garage in Modena; at the in 1934, coming through Tabac corner in his Scuderia Ferrari Tipo B. A Selection of Photos from Volume II

Clockwise from top left: Pintacuda at the in 1936, driving the eight cylinder Tipo C that he handed over to Nuvolari for a sensational victory. A 1936 V12 Grand Prix engine on the dyno stand at the Alfa factory; The Ricart- designed Tipo 162; Galvez’s Tipo 308 leads Varzi’s Tipo 12C/316 and Bizio’s converted 8C2900A at Mar del Plata in 1948; Juan Manuel Fangio talking to team personnel at Berne for the 1951 Swiss GP, a race that he won. Above: On the grid for the 1938 Rio GP with two Brazilian owned Tipo Bs, both of which have disappeared. Below Left: A Tipo 158 in the pits at Monza in 1948 with bonnet removed. Below Right: One of the many successful racing boats powered by Grand Prix auto engines loaned or leased from Alfa Romeo.

serve a second purpose: they provide a very evocative paper and bonded leather binding. All of the 1140 photo- glimpse into the glamour, style, informality and ambiance graphs are spot-varnished. All black and white photos are of the early racing scene, especially reproduced in duotone and some period images are pre- during the 1930s. Those gatherings became the highlight of sented in their original sepia format. Some rare prewar co- the summer social season in many cities. The details in the lour photos are included, as well as contemporary colour background of many photos thus become as interesting as photos of all the cars surviving today. the automobiles in the foreground. The large crowds, the Simon’s first two books focussed upon both the rac- beautiful people, the stylish clothing, the art deco imagery ing history and the spectacular coachwork of the 2.3 and of the 1930s – all present an exciting backdrop for the exotic 2.9 cars. Consequently the audience for those books has machinery and daring drivers who achieved Alfa’s Grand proven to be substantial. However, The Magnificent Mono- Prix conquests. postos is NOT about coachwork, just racing. Consequent- Simon has also included a section on some cars that ly we have only printed 1000 copies, well under half the never raced, like the late-1930s Ricart designs and a fasci- number printed of the other two books in the trilogy. nating chapter on the racing boats powered by Grand Prix So, to avoid disappointment, you should make sure Alfa Romeo engines. Naturally there are sections on num- that you reserve a copy ahead of the publication date, bers and rumours of missing cars as well as technical notes, which is expected to be in late September 2014. The book which include dyno test sheets for the original Tipo 158 will be distributed from England with postpaid prices of and the complex sixteen cylinder car that finished 2nd and £300 in the EU, £325 for USA, Canada and other European 4th in the 1938 . countries and £350 elsewhere. Like all books from Parkside, The Magnificent Monop- To order a book or to get more information, e-mail ostos is produced to the highest standards, using fine matte Simon directly at: [email protected].