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Alfa Romeo publicity shot of Prince Albert and Princess Paola, Belgian Royals at Balocco, Alfa’s test circuit…

The Prince is about to test the ultimately very successful Tipo 33, here in Mugello Spyder 2-litre 1967 form. Thanks to Claudy Schmitz for identifying the Royal Couple and Balocco as the correct venue, the power of Facebook! Whilst the Princess was born of Italian Royal blood it would be interesting to know the circumstances of this test drive, the car was definitely too small for their family of five!

Alfa’s first mid-engined racer made its competition debut at the Fleron Hillclimb in Belgium on 12 March 1967, factory test pilot Teodoro Zeccoli took a win from some stiff competition.

The 33 made its race debut at Sebring that summer on the weekend of 1 April.

Andrea De Adamich led the 12 Hour event’s first lap but both cars entered retired with suspension and overheating dramas.

Here are some shots of the cars in the Sebring paddock; #65 is DeAdamich/Zeccoli, #66 Roberto Businello/Nanni Galli. The race was won by the factory Ford Mk4 of Bruce McLaren and Mario Andretti. I covered the 1967 Endurance Season in some detail in an article i wrote a while back about Ferrari P4/CanAm350 ‘0858’ which may be of interest to some of you;

Ferrari P4/Can Am 350 #0858…

The more you look the more you see, Sebring, the DeAdamich/Zeccoli T33. Engine, two coils, behind the engine the circular vertical ducts which take cool air to the inboard discs when the body is lowered into position are clear. See the rear chassis diaphragm and coil spring/dampers, inboard Girling discs, oil tank to the left of the six-speed Alfa ‘box, battery to its right. Build quality clear.

Those beautiful Alfa mag alloy wheels, filler for centrally located fuel tanks, a spare had to be carried under the regs of the time.The front of the cast magnesium chassis extension houses the radiator, you can just see the nearside suspension ‘top hat’ and adjustable roll bar going forward and mounting at its outer end.

Four cars were entered at the Targa Florio in 1967

All failed to finish due to suspension problems (De Adamich/Jean Rolland/Bonnier/Baghetti) and a minor accident involving the Geki Russo/Nino Todaro. The race was won by the Porsche 910 of Paul Hawkins and Rolf Stommelen.

Nani Galli and Andrea De Adamich finally broke through for the team at the Nurburgring, they finished fifth in the 1000Km behind four Porsche 910’s.

The winning Porsche 910 was driven by the combination of Joe Buzzetta and Udo Schutz. The De Adamich/Galli T33 had another suspension failure on lap 18, but they shared the other car driven by Businello/Zeccoli, the four drivers getting the joy of the cars’ first race finish.

The Periscopica’s final start for 1967 was the Circuit of Mugello in July, eight laps of a tough 66km road circuit.

Udo Schutz and Gerhard Mitter won the race tailor made for the fast, light but tough Porsche 910. A privately entered GTA was the best place Alfa in seventh, the three Autodelta T33s of DeAdamich/Galli, Lucien Bianchi/Giunti and Colin Davis/Spartaco Dini all failed to finish.

It had been a patchy start but the Tipo 33 continually evolved over the following decade ultimately winning many races, sometimes not against the strongest of opposition, but ultimately winning the World Championship of Makes in 1975 and 1977.

Shown above is the 1977 Alfa 33 SC12 driven by Spartaco Dini at Enna-Pergusa in June. The car used a spaceframe chassis (Alfa used both spaceframes and monocoques during the model’s long life and evolution) and a 2.1-litre fuel injected, twin turbo, four-valve V12 producing circa 640bhp. Dini practiced the car but did not start, this car was driven by Francia/Merzario but was disqualified for a startline infringement, Arturo Merzario won in another SC12.

The T33 in its original guise had an unusual chassis design...

The main structure comprised two longitudinal aluminium spars to which was mounted a complex magnesium casting at the front, the front suspension mounted to it. At the rear the spars had a fabricated sheet metal saddle to which the suspension was attached.

The suspension itself was conventional for the period; upper and lower wishbones and coil spring/ damper units and single top link, inverted lower wishbone and twin radius rods, coil spring/ dampers at the rear. Adjustable sway bars fitted of course. Uprights were cast magnesium, steering rack and pinion with Girling disc brakes front and rear. Weight 580Kg.

Periscopica chassis albeit upside down. The cast magnesium front bulkhead referred to in the text is clear to the right, the spars at the back (top of picture) accept the tubular rear saddle.

The tall ram air intake gave the car it’s nickname, Periscopica…

The heart of the early T33s was of course it’s superb little all alloy DOHC V8. Initially 2-litres (1995cc) and two-valves per cylinder, the cams were chain driven, the Lucas fuel injected engines power output was a claimed 260bhp @ 9500rpm, the gearbox Alfa’s own six-speed transaxle.

Etcetera…

Also see this article on the Alfa T33/3 4-litre coupe: https://primotipo.com/2014/05/15/when-im-in-a-car-i/

Photo and Other Credits…

Cutaway drawing of car Vic Berris, engine cutaway G Cavara, Claudy Schmitz, Paolo Devodier, Accursio Cassarino, Rainer Schlegelmilch, Facebook ‘Alfa Romeo 33 Sport Car’ Group

Tailpiece…

Andrea De Adamich jumping the T33 he shared with Nanni Galli at the Nurburgring 1000Km in 1967, DNF.

Finito…