With fine warm and sunny weather, it was the perfect day  for owners of Spider models to stow hoods away and enjoy open top motoring at its best. Several pre-war cars made the journey down from Lincolnshire that included Carol Corliss’s 1929 1750  6C Super Sport, now fitted with a new Zagato specification body and Dennis Richardson’s 1931 1750 Zagato Grand Sport, that’s completed the Mille Miglia twice in 2000 and 2002.

Another car that’s being entered for the 2011 Mille Miglia was Rob Lawlor’s fairly rare 1957 657 1900 CSS. The car underwent much restorative work at Rusper Alfa in 2010, after which it was driven down to Italy, and according to Rob it ran like a dream. With full aluminium bodywork by Touring, the CSS was about to undergo final preparation for the Mille Miglia straight after the Spring Alfa Day, and Rob was relishing tackling the event in what he describes as probably one of the more comfortable cars to compete in!

Another of the day’s rarities included the stunning 1954 1900C Series III Super Sprint by Touring, owned by Robbie Webb for 25 years. Around 475 were built, and Robbie purchased his car as a non runner with a seized engine. It took a while to restore the car, after which its been used and enjoyed ever since. Richard and Jacky Wigley drove down from Warks in their 1962 Giulia Spider, the first of the 1600cc cars and featuring  a five-speed transmission. Their car was originally exported to the USA when new, believed restored over there before being imported into the UK in 2002.

Richard and Jacky believe in using their Alfa as often as possible, and regularly clock up around 4,000 miles a year that includes continental touring. “Providing these old Alfas are properly sorted and well maintained, they are pretty reliable,” says Richard. “The engine thrives on being worked hard all day!” Other attractions of the day included a celebration to mark the 40th Anniversary of the launch of the Alfasud.