Since there seems to have been quite a lot of interest in DDKers' various classic Alfas recently, I thought I'd start a thread on mine …
I've owned a number of classic Alfas over the years, including a LHD '67 Giulia Sprint GTV (my first Alfa) & a '72 Giulia Super (with a tuned 2.0 engine) - both of which were used as my everyday/commuting cars in London.
However, I'd always fancied owning something from the '50's ...
I can't remember the exact circumstances leading up to it but one cold November morning a few years ago saw me flying over to France to look at a competition-prepared Giulietta Sprint located on the outskirts of Paris.
Several hours later (& after much negotiating) the deal was done !
The car is a 1959 Alfa Giulietta Sprint – originally delivered to its first owner in the South of France on Dec 23rd 1959 & kept by him until he passed away in 2002.
The car was then purchased by a well-known italian Alfa racer living in France who set about restoring/converting it to competition spec.
The bodywork was stripped to bare metal - whereupon, having spent its entire life in the S of France, it proved to be totally rust-free - & a number of modifications carried out to bring it up to LWT Veloce spec prior to spraying it 'Azzurro Spazio' (a pale bluish green).
Everything mechanical on the car was either rebuilt or replaced & the car was submitted for FIA approval (granted).
However, after only competing in 2 events (one circuit race & a hillclimb), the owner managed to finally strike a deal on a Giulietta SZ that he'd been trying to buy for ~ 10 years so the Sprint had to go to release funds for the SZ's restoration.
This is how the car looked at that stage:
In brief the spec was:
Freshly-built 1290cc high compression (11.2:1) engine based on stronger 1300 105 Giulia block & head with bigger valves, forged pistons, Veloce con-rods, hardened steel crank, Conrero billet race cams, twin 40 DCOE Webers, Veloce tubular headers, etc – all fully balanced & capable of revving safely to 8000rpm.
Fully rebuilt close ratio 5-speed gearbox & choice of 2 alternative rear axles (8/41 & 9/41 - both with LSD)
Fully rebuilt braking system with SZ 3-shoe fronts & new front/rear RMR race suspension. Original steel wheels with new Michelin XAS FF tyres.
Interior featured full FIA-spec rollcage, Ridgard seats & 4-point harnesses.
Extensive lightening included omission of any/all sound deadening & carpets; removal of rear seats; all windows except windscreen replaced with plastic (including deletion of window winding mechanisms); removal of F&R bumpers; deletion of heater & associated plumbing; etc.
Plus the car came with all of the original parts – engine/gearbox, seats, bumpers, windows, etc
A few shots taken when I bought it:
