My Dream - Alfa Romeo GTAm 1/43 Metro

Sunday 9 am, the bird's chirp and the smell of fresh bread wake me up. I get up, at the click of a switch, the radio turns on and I hear Beethoven - fur Elise. I have breakfast with cheese that I spread on bread. I get up from the table excited because I know this is my morning and my day. I put on a T-shirt, put on a watch and leather gloves. I go out into the yard I see mountains, I see the empty road, and I think how Sardinia is a beautiful place. In my head, the song still plays. I go to the garage, open it with a squeak, and then I see her, and immediately I get excited. I start the engine, that sound ...There is no ABS, not ESP but with his 745 kg and 170 hp has a soul. First gear, second gear, third I'm waking up .... quarantined.

Photo: @alfaromeogram

Exactly 55 years ago, the world saw the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA at the Amsterdam Motor Show. A car that later will become a legend, so big that the public will start calling every Alfa sports model a GTA. This Alfa had multiple versions, two Stradale versions (for the street), and 4 Corsa versions (for the races). The weakest version was 113hp and the strongest one I present you today is 237hp.

Photo: racing_scale_stories

I don't need to write to much about success that this Alfa has on the track. But to name a few, she won the ETCC title 6 times in 7 years, 24h Spa, and dozens of other races. The model I present to you today is Alfa Romeo GTAm 2000. When it's come to the name There are two schools of thought about the "Am" moniker. Neither one ever having been officially confirmed by Alfa Romeo: one expands Am to Alleggerita Maggiorata (Italian: lightened enlarged), the other America Maggiorata But in 2011 there was a documentary that confirms that it was America after all.

Photo: racing_scale_stories

This car was not made by Alfa Romeo itself but by their racing department, Autodelta. This model was based on a car that was for the US market. Besides Autodelta that assembled these cars, there were also private teams who bought parts and assembled themselves, so it is difficult to determine how many models were made in total. Some sources say that there are about 40 models in total. Because of increased minimum weight in 1971, up from 920 to 940 kg the GTAm's had less need for aluminum and or plastic parts that models GTA and GTA 1300 Junior had. And finally, we come to today's model.

Photo: racing_scale_stories

The model that I present to you today participated in the 24h Spa 1971 where he won 3rd place but was first in his division. Some of the cars that participated were Ford Capri RS 2600, Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL, Opel Commodore GS, and BMW 2002 TI. What is interesting is that 72 were reported 60 have started and 19 have completed. Of the 19 that finished, five were Alfa Romeo. In their division, 2 Alfa's finished in the top three. The drivers for my model are Carlo Facetti and Toine Hezemans. Carlo Facetti is particularly interesting to me because the man is considered a legend of touring cars and he also drove on one occasion in my country Serbia. Carlo Facetti drove everything including Ferrari Dino 206 S, Alfa Romeo T33 / 2, Brabham BT42, Ferrari 356b, Lancia Stratos HF, Porsche 935, BMW 3.0 CSL, Ferrari 308 GTB, and Lancia Beta Montecarlo. For nearly 40 years, he would work in his workshop during week, and on Sundays, he would put on a helmet and win races.  He learned to drive at the age of 11 with Albert Ascari. He explained his success with hard work. "We work from seven in the morning until eight at night with the sole desire to makes engines unrivaled".

Photo: racing_scale_stories

The model you can see in the photos I get it for 20e but unfortunately the carelessness of the courier the model was damaged. The seller saw what happened and give some of the money back to me, to which I am grateful. For this money, you get a model that delivers more than I expected. I honestly would have nothing to add. I have no objection and I think it's the right choice for any collector, of course when it comes to the 1:43 scale.

Photo: racing_scale_stories

 

Photo: @alfaromeoierioggi