An Alfa Romeo Query

Sir,

Donald Healey traced the true story of the development of his famous straight-eight Triumph Dolomites of 1934-1936 in his MOTOR SPORT article of August 1972. He also confirmed that the 8C 2300 Alfa needed for copying purposes had been bought from the Hon. Brian Lewis (now Lord Essendon) via Tommy Wisdom. However, he never cleared up the mystery of what happened to the car after Triumph had finished with it.

Earlier this year I had a long talk with Donald Healey in the course of researches towards my book on Triumph Sports Cars. Healey confirmed that the car had been stripped to the last nut and bolt, copied where appropriate, then reassembled. He himself had then used the Alfa for some time in and around the Midlands, before it was sold off. The gap in the story is that at some 38 years range Donald Healey cannot remember who bought the car from him.

Does anyone recall the registration number of the Alfa in question? What happened to the car when Triumph relinquished it? Who bought it from them, and where is it now? Does the registration book still exist with Triumph ownership spelt out?

Brampton, Cumberland. G. ROBSON. [This raises an interesting point. Does anyone know under what Reg. No. Donald Healey used this Alfa Romeo? This might assist in tracing its subsequent fate or survival—ED].