1921 Alfa Romeo Roadster on display at Auto Italia Canberra

[NigelC]

A 1921 Alfa Romeo G1 two-seat sports roadster -  the sole survivor of just 52 built  - will be the centrepiece for Auto Italia Canberra on Sunday, 18 April 2010 on the Patrick White Lawns near the National Library of Australia to be held between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm.

A 'timeline' of 40 post-war Alfa Romeo cars will line the shores of Lake Burley Griffin with the centrepiece being the 1921 G1 roadster.

Chassis 6018, the 18th produced, was one of just seven G1's imported to Australia. It arrived in 1921 and was sold for 850 pounds to the owner of Cressy Station, near Winton, in Queensland.

Not long after taking delivery the grazier was declared bankrupt. Rather than lose it to creditors he moved it to the "care" of a neighbouring grazier named McKenzie on Lorraine Downs.

Three years on the owner had the misfortune to die and the car remained virtually hidden and on blocks for the next twenty-five years until discovered by a couple of Jackaroos around 1947.

It then suffered the indignity of being used as a farm hack for rounding up cattle, finally incapacitated by a sheared rear axle pinion. Towed back to the farm it was then converted to power a stationary water pump until rescued by Alfa Romeo enthusiasts in 1964.

The incomplete chassis was sold on to Ipswich enthusiast Ross Flewell-Smith in 1965 who rebuilt it over a ten-year period with the help of remains of another G1 found in Wangaratta, Victoria.  The car is currently owned by Australian Alfa Romeo importer, Neville Crichton.

More information is available at www.autoitaliacanberra.com or from Nigel Catchlove on 0407 180 170.