The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 programme launched in 1967 as Autodelta's most ambitious factory project to date. The open Spider variant — entered at Sebring on 1 April 1967 as a round of the International Championship of Makes — represents the very beginning of a racing lineage that would run through the mid-1970s. This Spark Model reproduction in 1:43 fixes that opening chapter in miniature.
Carlo Chiti's 2.0-Litre V8 and the Tipo 33 Prototype
Designed under the direction of Carlo Chiti — the engineer who ran Autodelta, Alfa Romeo's competition subsidiary — the Tipo 33 was built around a 90-degree 2.0-litre V8 displacing 1,995 cc and producing approximately 270 hp at around 9,000 rpm. That power-to-weight ratio placed it squarely in contention within the 2-litre prototype class, competing against machinery from Porsche and Ferrari. The open Spider body distinguished it from the closed Coupé variants run concurrently in the same campaign.
Autodelta at Sebring: Italy Takes on American Endurance Racing
The 1967 12 Hours of Sebring, held at Sebring International Raceway in Florida on 1 April 1967, was among the first major international events in which the Tipo 33 appeared. Autodelta entered multiple cars; car No. 66 was assigned to Roberto Bussinello and Nanni Galli, both members of the Autodelta driver roster. Bussinello was an experienced Italian sports-car competitor, while Galli — born Giovanni Gilberto Galli — would later graduate to Formula 1. The entry carried the factory's characteristic red livery with the Alfa Romeo quadrifoglio verde emblem. The car did not finish the race.
Spark Model: Resin Precision at 1:43
Spark Model is a French specialist whose 1:43 resin range covers prototype and single-seater racing history with consistent attention to livery accuracy and photo-etched detailing. The US-series references within the Spark catalogue are specifically dedicated to American endurance events, and this Sebring 1967 entry sits squarely within that series. The resin construction allows fine surface detail that diecast tooling at this scale cannot easily achieve, particularly on a low-volume historic prototype body like the open Tipo 33 Spider.
In the Display Cabinet
The No. 66 Spark Model Tipo 33 Spider sits naturally alongside other 1:43 Autodelta and Italian prototype entries from the late 1960s — Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Coupé variants, or contemporary rivals such as the Porsche 910 and Ferrari Dino 206 S that shared the Sebring 1967 grid. It also pairs well with later Tipo 33 developments: the TT12 that won the 1975 World Championship offers a compelling arc of the same programme across a single shelf. For collectors focused on Nanni Galli's career, this model marks an early stepping stone before his Formula 1 seasons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Spider?
The Tipo 33 was a prototype racing car developed by Autodelta, Alfa Romeo's factory competition department, first raced in 1967. The Spider was the open-top variant, powered by a 2.0-litre 90-degree V8 producing around 270 hp, designed by Carlo Chiti.
Who drove car No. 66 at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring?
Roberto Bussinello and Nanni Galli shared the No. 66 Autodelta entry. Both were Italian drivers on the Autodelta roster; Nanni Galli subsequently competed in Formula 1.
What material is the Spark Model used for this model?
Spark Model's 1:43 range is produced in resin, typically with photo-etched detail parts, which allows fine surface and livery reproduction suited to historic prototype subjects.
What livery does the model carry?
The car is finished in Autodelta's characteristic red with race number 66 and the Alfa Romeo quadrifoglio verde emblem, consistent with the Italian factory prototype entries of the 1967 season.
