1964 Alfa Romeo TZ-1

Jul 17

Written By Katelyn McSherry

This Alfa Romeo TZ-1 was raced in Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events early in its life, notably in 1966 by Nadeene Brengle, during a time when few women found success in competitive racing. Period newspaper articles dubbed Brengle the ‘San Diego Housewife’ though she was far more than that, winning the SCCA South Pacific Class Championship in this race car.

There is one story that perfectly encapsulates Nadeene’s determination on the track in this TZ. She qualified on the pole with a new track record in C Production. Dick Smith in a Porsche 356 got a great jump at the start and took the lead with Nadeene in pursuit.

Going into turn 5, Dick tapped his brakes and Nadeene had to take evasive action, spinning off and scraping the outside wall. She came back on the track in last place.

Over the course of the next 16 laps, Nadeene put on a masterful display, picking off cars one-by-one. The checkered fell with Nadeene right on Smith's tail. In her pursuit, Nadeene beat her previous lap record by a full second.

Known today as the “Baby GTO” - in reference to the illustrious Ferrari 250 GTO – the Alfa Romeo Tubolare Zagato has stood the test of time as one of the most radical yet purpose-built Alfas ever created, with its tube frame chassis, aluminum body and potent inline-four. Typical of the approach the Milanese coachbuilder had with racing cars since the 1920s- lightweight and elemental in nature. Just 120 examples were built making them tremendously rare and highly collectible. This particular TZ was delivered new to California and has spent its entire life there.

The TZ1 is a very special competition car built in extremely limited numbers. Introduced at the Turin Auto Salon in 1962, it is built on a sophisticated tubular chassis. The chassis is a dedicated tubular unit that weighs just 125 pounds, and as a result, ensuring that the TZ1 is a Giulia only in the loosest sense of the term.

The specification is impressive, with independent suspension and disc brakes all around (inboard at the rear), powered by Alfa Romeo’s venerable twin cam engine. Automobile engineer Dr. Wunibald Kamm led the development of the TZ’s codatronca, or ‘short tail’ which greatly improved the car’s aerodynamics. Otherwise known as the Kamm Tail, Zagato incorporated this design to the rear of the TZ after proving the design successful on their Sprint Zagato racing cars.

With a weight of just 1459 pounds, the car was capable of 140mph. In the hands of privateers, the cars were incredibly successful, sweeping their class at Le Mans, Sebring, the Nurburgring, the Targa Florio, and the Coupe des Alpes. With supreme aerodynamics, 112 horsepower and light weight, the TZ is still known as one of the ultimate amalgamations in design and engineering.

Generously loaned by the Eichenbaum family