[Book Review] The Immortal 2.9 Alfa Romeo 8C2900

The Immortal 2.9 Alfa Romeo 8C2900

By Simon Moore

In 1935, Alfa Romeo debuted a new car that featured a supercharged, 2.9-liter, straight-8 engine, and curvaceous bodywork. The model was known as the 8C2900, and though only a little over 50 examples would be built, it would go on to become one of the most coveted and iconic automobiles in the classic car world. Each 8C was unique, with some receiving luxurious custom bodies by coachworks like Touring, while others were prepared to compete in events like the Mille Miglia and Le Mans. As a result, each chassis led a unique and historic life, with its own fascinating tale to tell.

It was these many captivating 8C stories that drew owner and Alfa enthusiast Simon Moore into obsessively researching and chronicling each chassis. After years of painstaking research, Moore produced the first version of his book The Immortal 2.9, in 1986, documenting not only the overall history of the 8C but also that of each car, chassis-by-chassis. This first edition quickly sold out and became a treasured collectible fetching hundreds of dollars on the used book market. Despite the book’s success, over the ensuing 20 years, Moore continued to research the cars, unearthing new data, tracking new ownership histories, and unearthing certain errors that had come to light after the first printing. Armed with this bounty of new, updated information, the second version of Moore’s The Immortal 2.9 is an amazingly detailed and fascinating look into these wonderful machines.

While only a few authors ever attempt to tackle the daunting task of a chassis-by-chassis history, even fewer end up producing a work that is universally agreed to be “spot on.” Yet, through years of single-minded dedication, Moore has produced a beautiful, 480-page treatise that stands as the model for others to follow—it’s that good!

The Revised Edition is available for US$295 from Parkside Publications, www.parksidepublications.com or by calling (206) 839-1191.