Hero Racecars – 1967-1969 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale



Okay, the Tipo 33 Stradale is not quite a street-legal supercar: this is a racing prototype that competed in some of the fiercest LeMans racing battles ever seen.

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Among its six-plus variants in body style, length, and mechanical package: the Tipo 33 was considered to be among the top three contenders for the late-60’s golden age of endurance racing.

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Ultimately: the Tipo 33 proved slower than Ford and Porsche, but ahead of McLaren, Ferrari, and the numerous other LMP1 teams.

Was the Tipo 33 not a race-winner? Does being spanked by Ford every year it competed mean it is a ‘bad’ racecar?

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Absolutely not.

Ford outspent all the other LeMans teams from the 1960s by perhaps a 50:1 ratio. All the teams combined had nowhere near the Ford budget, racing support, extra parts, extra cars – the “works.”

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But the Tipo 33 Stradale, Mugello, Daytona and even the original prototypes – the Periscopo models with a huge air intake above the driver’s head – are lasting examples of Italian racing brilliance, styling purity, and graceful design.

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Even while the last 1969 GT40 Mark IV cars were becoming seriously functional with their slant-nose/long-tail appearance – the Tipo 33 manages to keep some of the rounded beauty to its panels.

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This creates a very unique and special link to the origins of racing in general – and deserves to be celebrated here.

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Enjoy this showcase, with some image credits to CochesClasicosDeHoy.com

Many of these images are vintage photos of the car, and are very “vintage” in their quality as well. The Tipo 33 Stradale currently resides in the Alfa Romeo Museo Storico – which was closed in 2010 by Fiat for “maintenance” and has yet to re-open.

There is an online petition going to re-open the museum, which is located in Arese, near Milan.

1967 – 1969 – Alfa Romeo Tipo 33

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1970 – 1972  – Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Spyder

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