Alfa Romeo P3 Tipo B, Comminges GP 1933 #40

In August 1933 Alfa Romeo, worried that it was losing its grip on Grand Prix racing, released the Tipo B to Scuderia Ferrari, and Luigi Fagioli made the most of it at once. He won the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara on 15 August, and five days later he took the Grand Prix du Comminges on the road circuit near Saint-Gaudens in the foothills of the Pyrenees, leading from the first lap to the last and finishing well clear of Jean-Pierre Wimille, with Guy Moll third. Within a month he had added the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

CMC's #40 is the Comminges winner: deep red, the number painted large and white across the louvred bonnet side rather than on the cowl, and Dunlop Racing tyres on black wire wheels. The bonnet opens on both sides on spring fasteners to the straight-eight and its twin Roots superchargers, the cockpit holds a leather seat and wood-rimmed wheel, and the stainless ladder frame, leaf springs and friction dampers are all there to be studied. The wheels come off by their central locking nuts and the floor pan unscrews. A limited edition of 1,000. CMC builds it at 1:18, from 1,805 parts.