Ant Anstead is a popular motoring television personality. He has hosted or co-hosted multiple on-air shows in the United States and abroad. But, he is not just a talking head. He also has some serious mechanical and fabrication skills and business acumen. That’s why when he was given the opportunity to build an Alfa Romeo from scratch, he went a little further. He decided to film the making of the car and turn it into a marketable and reproducible kit car. 

The Alfa Romeo tribute kit car

Let us be clear. The end product is not a true Alfa Romeo. It does not have the blessing of that Italian manufacturer. Instead, it is a replicar with some Mazda Miata mechanicals and a lot of newly crafted parts by Mr. Anstead. But, it is fashioned to look like an Alfa Romeo of yesteryear. So, it is a tribute car of sorts, like most kit cars are.

In this case, the finished kit will look like an Alfa Romeo 158, a 1930’s open-cockpit Formula 1 Grand Prix racecar. That car would go on to race into the 1950s. In fact, in the year 1950, it won every race into which it was entered. This is a remarkable accomplishment.

About the kit’s development

The kit is called the Tipo 184. To complete the kit, which draws from the looks of the legendary racecar, one will need a Mazda Miata donor car. The rest of the parts for the replica Alfa Romeo are part of the ready-to-build package. 

Mr. Anstead completed the first car, from scratch, in an 11-week time frame. He started with an MG platform and began building from there. Eventually, though, he fine-tuned the car into a kit form using the more plentiful Mazda Miata platform as a donor car. Although it took him 11-weeks for the original Alfa Romeo replicar build, that time included engineering and development, not just assembly. So, it is anticipated that a purchaser of the new kit can complete the car in a much shorter time, perhaps a weekend. Then the car can be used for racing fun.

The Alfa Romeo replica Tipo 184 kit

As far as the specifics of the vehicle… The car is available as a turn-key offering. This means that the little racecar can be purchased as a completed, driveable vehicle. But, for those that prefer to build it themselves, the Tipo 184 Alfa Romeo replicar can be purchased in kit form with its own step-by-step Haynes manual. The only color available is red. Pricing for the kit is 8,499 pounds, which is approximately $11,000 in today’s exchange rate. Deliveries of the kits are expected in the third quarter of 2021. The kit comes with a new chassis for the center seat car, as well as hand-built body panels, the grille, dash panel, and steering column. For the mechanicals, the exhaust, driveshaft, and gear linkage are all included. 

Kit cars can be fun projects for those that are handy with wrenches. But, they can also be challenging. So, if one decides that building the Tipo 184 is the way to go, build in extra time to the project’s timeline. Trying to accomplish mass amounts each day can lead to becoming disheartened. However, accomplishing small stepping-stones every day can be rewarding. With that said. This Alfa Romeo tribute kit, or any kit for that matter, can be a tremendous achievement for anyone with build aspirations or classic car racing hopes.