One to Buy: ex-Karl Foitek / Peter Schetty 1965 Alfa Tomeo Giulia Tubolare Zagato (TZ)
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Around 18 months after its inception, Carlo Chiti’s Autodelta concern became Alfa Romeo’s official competition department. Autodelta’s first new car for Alfa Romeo was the Giulia-based Tubolare Zagato (TZ) introduced in June 1962.
The TZ was built around a brand new lightweight tubular chassis draped in a slippery aluminium shell. Suspension was fully independent and disc brakes were fitted all round.
In the engine bay was the all-alloy 1570cc dual overhead camshaft inline ‘four’ from the Sprint Speciale. Early cars had around 115bhp, but over 150bhp could be achieved with slightly more radical tuning.
Having been conceived with GT racing in mind, around half of the c.112 TZs built between 1963 and 1965 were used in some type of competition.
During the car’s first full season, 1964, the TZ won the 1.6-litre GT class at eight rounds of the World Sportscar Championship to include the Sebring 12 Hours, Targa Florio, Nurburgring 1000km, Le Mans 24 Hours and Tour de France. Perhaps most impressively, Bussinello / Todaro’s class win on the ‘64 Targa Florio was achieved by virtue of a third place finish overall.
This particular TZ, which will be going under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale (February 1st at Les Salles du Carrousel), was owned early in its life by Karl Foitek and Peter Schetty. Schetty went on to drive for the Abarth and Ferrari works teams, but is not believed to have raced the Alfa.
The car was used in competition during 1968 (by a subsequent owner), by which time it was still remarkably competitive.
Today, this example represents with a wonderful patina.
