One of the best drivers in Trans-Am racing drives this Alfa Romeo. This GTV won its last race after it was repainted in the colors it had in 1971, but it was later disqualified. The auction for the Bring a Trailer ends on February 3. Rivalries in racing, like Ford vs. Ferrari, Hunt vs. Lauda, and Smokey Yunick vs. the NASCAR rulebook, make for great stories. Bring a Trailer, a magazine from Hearst Autos similar to Car and Driver, sells one side of a race between two compact cars that was a big deal in the early 1970s. The 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 lost to the Brock Racing Enterprises Datsun 510 because of a rule about how much fuel it could hold. The Alfa won the race for a short time. If you require a V-8-powered Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, or AMC Javelin, the 2.5 Challenge Series hosted by the Sports Car Club of America was a great alternative to consider. In the 2.5 Challenge, competitors drove compact, boxy vehicles such as the BMW 510, the Alfa Romeo, and the Alfa Romeo. Yet, the level of competition was just as severe as that for pony cars. If you enjoyed driving compact and lightweight road cars, the 2.5 Challenge was the event for you to participate in. When up against an Alfa Romeo team backed by the factory, Datsun could be seen as a tough underdog, but the BRE 510s had development money. With Mr. K, Nissan’s famous president, cheering from the sidelines and Peter Brock’s crew getting the engines and chassis ready, the BRE 510s were hard to beat. Horst Kwech raced an Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 in the year 1971. At the time, its 2.0-liter inline-four engine made 205 horsepower. Alfa’s crew balanced the ballast to bring it closer to the BRE 510 despite the series’ 200-pound penalty. This old Alfa looks excellent immediately, thanks to its 15-inch Minilite wheels and chunky Hoosier tires. The simple cockpit has three pedals, all the necessary gauges, a five-speed manual transmission, and a leather-covered steering wheel with rips and tears. This car may not have many features, but it has a lot of stories. Horst and John Morton fought in 1971. Horst was driving an Alfa, and Morton was going a BRE 510. They fought like featherweight boxers. The national championship was at stake in the last race, which took place at Laguna Seca. The 510 was only reliable if it was driven carelessly, while the Alfa with a live axle was sometimes understeered or oversteered. Even though the laws tried to make everything the same, the cars couldn’t have driven any differently. Horst’s Alfa was the best, so it won the championship. When the Alfa stayed outside while the Datsun went into the pits, people began to wonder what was happening. Inspectors found that the GTV’s fuel system had two gallons more fuel than was allowed. This gave the prize to the Datsun team. Even now, race fans have different opinions about the season, but what’s more important is that they remember it. A car that has been in so many races rarely comes along. This Alfa is an exciting and expensive racing car from the past that stands on its own. The background and competition only add to the appeal.
