A Love Story
It might not be a romantic novel by Danielle Steel, but that doesn't make it any less of a love story. And, like many true love stories, it started many decades ago, and continues through to today. But, it's not the traditional man meets girl, and they fall madly in love, rather this is a love that many of us share, and that of the love of a beautiful automobile. And, as Paul Wilson, the owner and builder of this marvelous example put it, "In the late 1930s the fastest, most advanced, most beautiful sports car in the world was the Alfa 8C2900B, or “2.9.” So, of course, I wanted one."
But, like so many of us, and for Paul who wants something that's out of reach we can either just keep lusting and dreaming of it, or do something crazy like Paul did. And Paul, with his untrained mechanic's and sheet metal forming hands did just that and built his dream car.
The process started in the seventies, and piece by piece, dream by dream, and over many decades the dream became a reality. It all started when he found a 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 in a salvage yard along with two others knowing that spare parts would be hard to come by, and better to own them than to not. The cars were very rough, but he only wanted the chassis and drive train, and that would be his starting point...the body would be his own, and it would be fashioned in the likeness of the Art Deco designed cars he loved. The project took years to completion, and to what you see here. Often times it would sit in his garage for months and years as he found parts to use that would suit his design. The rear fenders, for example, came off a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr, and the rear roof line was harvested off a 1947 Buick Sedanet. Much of the sheet metal was hand formed, and without the skills and knowledge of doing that it became a "learn as you go" process. But, in the end, mechanically and aesthetically, it all came together as a true one-off magnificent beauty! One would be hard pressed to think this beautifully crafted "work of art" did not come from the Figoni Et Falaschi, or Jean Bugatti studios! So, my friends, this is a true love story!
Vince M
A Love Story
It might not be a romantic novel by Danielle Steel, but that doesn't make it any less of a love story. And, like many true love stories, it started many decades ago, and continues through to today. But, it's not the traditional man meets girl, and they fall madly in love, rather this is a love that many of us share, and that of the love of a beautiful automobile. And, as Paul Wilson, the owner and builder of this marvelous example put it, "In the late 1930s the fastest, most advanced, most beautiful sports car in the world was the Alfa 8C2900B, or “2.9.” So, of course, I wanted one."
But, like so many of us, and for Paul who wants something that's out of reach we can either just keep lusting and dreaming of it, or do something crazy like Paul did. And Paul, with his untrained mechanic's and sheet metal forming hands did just that and built his dream car.
The process started in the seventies, and piece by piece, dream by dream, and over many decades the dream became a reality. It all started when he found a 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 in a salvage yard along with two others knowing that spare parts would be hard to come by, and better to own them than to not. The cars were very rough, but he only wanted the chassis and drive train, and that would be his starting point...the body would be his own, and it would be fashioned in the likeness of the Art Deco designed cars he loved. The project took years to completion, and to what you see here. Often times it would sit in his garage for months and years as he found parts to use that would suit his design. The rear fenders, for example, came off a 1937 Lincoln Zephyr, and the rear roof line was harvested off a 1947 Buick Sedanet. Much of the sheet metal was hand formed, and without the skills and knowledge of doing that it became a "learn as you go" process. But, in the end, mechanically and aesthetically, it all came together as a true one-off magnificent beauty! One would be hard pressed to think this beautifully crafted "work of art" did not come from the Figoni Et Falaschi, or Jean Bugatti studios! So, my friends, this is a true love story!
Vince M