The Legendary 2.3

The legendary 2.3 By Simon Moore ISBN: 0-961-7266-0-3 Published by Parkside (Chaters), £290.00

We used to use the word ‘thorough’ for learned books, but it’s completely inadequate for these three volumes on one model, Alfa Romeo’s delectable 8C2300, with every one of the 200-odd chassis given its own detailed life story. There are 1300 fascinating photos (and I know how much it pained Simon to restrict it to that!), summaries of the racing, extensive technical data, even Mille Miglia stage times for every 2.3 entered… Moore, braced by his previous masterwork on the 2.9, has inspected many of the cars himself and interviewed owners past and present, which adds life to a relentlessly detailed project, and cheerfully devotes whole pages to helpful advice on numberplate research, chassis number stampings, and diagrams from the works parts manuals. You could virtually build one from scratch from this book. Julian Majzub contributes a chapter on the Triumph Dolomite, that amazing British clone of the 2.3, to round out a book of magnificent scholarship and immense quality. Worth the cost? Yes — as long you adore Alfas… GC