Croydon buff's need for speed never wavers
Julia Kennard
08Apr08
Plumber Ian Anderson is looking after a 1932 Alfa Romeo co-built by Enzo Ferrari, which won numerous European Grands Prix.
Plumber Ian Anderson is looking after a 1932 Alfa Romeo co-built by Enzo Ferrari, which won numerous European Grands Prix.
CROYDON'S Ian Anderson has been fascinated with cars since getting behind the wheel of his first pedal-powered beast as a four-year-old,
But Mr Anderson's latest job to safe-guard a legendary set of wheels once driven by a young Enzo Ferrari himself has the 56-year-old car buff in a spin.
This month Mr Anderson, a plumber by trade, was asked to look after a 1932 Alfa Romeo, a car which once dominated racing, winning 28 Grand Prix races including the 1932 Italian, French and German Grands Prix.
The slim-line eight-cylinder car, which carries a price tag of $4 million, was once road tested by a young Enzo Ferrari before he went on to form the company which bore his name.
Mr Anderson has been keeping the vintage car, owned by British millionaire Peter Giddings, finetuned for demonstrations at this year's Grand Prix and Phillip Island races, with a last appearance scheduled at next month's Historic Winton race in Benalla.
The father of two said his guardianship over the Alfa Romeo was the "ultimate privilege".
"It's a beautiful thing, I class it as art and more interesting than something you would hang on a wall, because you can see it and smell it," Mr Anderson said.
"It's unique and a lot of people from all over the world admire it."
Mr Anderson met Mr Giddings six years ago through Victorian Historic Racing Register president Ian Tate who Mr Anderson once worked with on touring cars.
Since then he has helped provide a temporary home for many of Mr Giddings' exotic machines, including a 1934 Maserati and a 1949 Lago-Talbot.
Mr Anderson said for 30 years the Alfa Romeo sat in a Florida museum just "gathering dust".
But two years ago Mr Giddings took it to New Zealand to be lovingly restored to share it with fellow vintage car enthusiasts.
"He has brought it back to its original glory, it's just magnificent," Mr Anderson said.
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