In the postwar period, it became apparent to Alfa Romeo that to survive the company needed a mass-produced car. But it was essential for that car to maintain the traditional values and characteristics that had made the company great. That car was the Giulietta Sprint.
Nuccio Bertone was commissioned to design this small coupe just weeks before its debut at the Turin Show in 1954. The resultant shape pleased the eye from any angle, but Bertone's styling for the convertible model was less appealing. The design was subsequently passed to Pininfarina; using a chassis seven inches shorter than the Bertone coupe, the resulting Spyder was equally graceful.
The initial 750 Series Giulietta chassis featured independent front suspension with a coil-spring live rear axle and drum brakes all around. The engine, like the suspension, owed much to Alfa's racing experience, hence the ability of the twin-cam four-cylinder to produce 65bhp from just 1,290cc.
Major changes appeared in 1959 with the 101 Series. Though outwardly similar, the 1,290cc engine was strengthened while the bodies received minor detail alterations. The final change came in 1962, when the renamed Giulia models appeared with five-speed gearboxes and a 92bhp, 1,570cc version of the twin-cam engine.
The Giulia Spyder offered here has had a complete restoration, with a bare metal repaint and mechanical rebuild, including engine, gearbox, brakes, instruments, suspension and fuel system. The carpets are new, the interior has been retrimmed in leather, the door seals and rubbers are new, as is the exhaust. The hood is a mohair item, the suspension has been powder coated, all chrome has been replated and the hood frame has been replaced. In short, nothing has been neglected. Finished in dark red with black leather to the interior, a current MoT certificate is supplied with the car.
{analysis} This restored Giulia Spider brought $23,100 when it was sold at the Coys auction on May 11, 1998, in London, England.
Alfas are quirky cars when it comes to selling. Private sellers may struggle to get $18,000 for restored Spiders, yet on-the-block sale prices in the low $20,000-range aren't unusual. Christie's just got $21,850 for a similar car at their Petersen Automotive Museum auction covered in this issue.
Also, it doesn't seem to matter to auction-block buyers whether an Alfa is a Solex-carburetor-equipped Normale or a far-better-performing Veloce model, with their standard dual Weber carburetors, tubular exhaust system, high-lift camshafts and more. Clearly, the auction-block buyers are looking for shiny paint, gleaming chrome and fresh upholstery.
Alfas are not cheap to restore - you could easily spend $20,000 having a ground-up, full-bore job done at a shop. So, this car, at this price, should be considered a good value considering what it would cost to bring a project car to the same level.
However, private sellers shouldn't envision an army of collectors lining up with bushels of cash, waiting to buy their cars. If perfectly restored, $20,000 is probably the end of the world in the private market. If in slightly disheveled, or daily-driver condition, anything over $15,000 should be considered a gift. As with any prospective purchase, take any expert along with you who can verify that the engine is the correct type for the car (later 1750cc engines are easy to fit, and while they enhance the performance, they detract from the value), that the interior is correctly done and that all the important little bits like the air-cleaner housing are correct. If an Alfa has been rusty and poorly repaired, run, don't walk, away from it. If it smokes, plan on $1,500 to rebuild the head, or $3,500 for an engine. Second-gear synchros are traditionally weak, so plan on $1,500 for a gearbox overhaul if you can't get yourself to double de-clutch like Stirling Moss.
Alfas will always have a devoted, but small, following, and only the beautifully done examples will command top dollar.-Keith Martin
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