Online Auto Museum

Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Speedster, Eagle Coach Works, #2311237, Unrestored, 1934

Location:
Elegance at Hershey, 2014

Owner: Roger Willbanks | Denver, Colorado

Prologue:

Image Source: Nikon D200 (10.2 MP)

Chassis #2311237 has been photographed by other sources on a few noteworthy occasions, as in the course of taking top honors at the Concours d'Elegance of America. A nicely patina'd motorcar, the problem I face is that hard sunlight on an old sensor washes out detail.

To talk gear a moment, the D200 never handled high contrast very well; it over-exposes too easily and only displays adequate sensitivity in neutral light. In the interest of replacing the D200 I used four different cameras over the 2013 and 2014 seasons—the D200, D700, D600, and D800. Not having any of the better options at Hershey in 2014 means uncontrollable contrast and heavy granularity. So in many cases I simply pushed in that direction. Not what I'd want today, and the result is less than good, but a necessary concession for a car hailing from Colorado that I won't likely see again.

Continually revising the main image, we're now using the fourth published version, an attempt to retain some of the patina while working within a fictional environment. At least the motor images always worked a bit better, so brightly lit by the sun. But on the surface, all the patina becomes washed over by reflection and glare. And so it is ironic that preserving originality is just as difficult in illustration as it is in life.

References:

  • RM Sotheby's: The 2024 Monterey auction listing for chassis #2311237, offering good information and a wealth of images.
  • Hemmings: "Duesenberg, Alfa Romeo take top honors at the Concours d'Elegance of America" by Kurt Ernst, April 1, 2013.
  • FCA Heritage: "Angela Cherrett, an Alfa Romeo Lady." The stewards of the Museo Storico collection and purveyors of all things Alfa Romeo provide this article on Angela Cherrett, interviewed alongside her 6C 1500.

 

Last Updated: Sep 20, 2024