Fantasy Junction

Description

1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
s/n 149321131 engine no. AR00536*01239*
Red with Black Interior and Red Accents

The Giulietta is the car that took Alfa Romeo from being a relatively small production company to being an economically viable and successful firm. Prior to that, they had produced large and expensive cars, and never in very large numbers. With the Giulietta, however, Alfa Romeo produced significant numbers of these charming and capable cars. Its success was due in part to its unique placement in the market. It was neither a large hugely expensive car, nor was it very small utility car (such as the Fiat 500). Instead, the Giulietta was affordable enough so that many could buy it, yet permitted a more glamorous and useful approach to motoring that really struck a chord with buyers on both sides of the Atlantic.

This car is a nicely upgraded and restored example that has a 1700cc engine kit converted to dual 40mm Weber carburetors, hotter camshafts, and a 5-speed transmission. The car also has front disc brakes, and lowered suspension with adjustable Koni shock absorbers. It has been properly cared for and maintained, and has been in the hands of enthusiastic California owners in recent years. The restorative work and upgrades were performed by Conrad Stevenson and Dino Motors, and the car is an exceptionally nice driving example.

The car is in excellent driver condition and is ready for events or casual showing. The paintjob was done to very good standards and is in nice shape, with minimal wear or damage, just a few small chips and scratches, and a very small amount of shrinkage. The panels are straight and solid, and display good fit. The chrome is in nice shape as well, other than some pitting on the passenger’s door handle. The lights and glass are in good shape, though there are a few marks on the windscreen. The car is fitted with Talbot racing mirrors, and all badges and trim are in good shape. However there is a small trim screw missing from passenger front grille, may need thread repair, but grill is still safely secure.

The interior is in very good shape, with nice upholstery with smart red piping. The door and seat upholstery are in very good shape. Racing type lap belts have been fitted, and the car has nice early style gauges, which are a bit faded, but less than is typical for these cars. The car has a Nardi wood steering wheel which is excellent, as well as an auxiliary water temperature gauge. The carpets are excellent, as are the switches and controls, and even the interior dome lights work.

The engine compartment is absolutely stunning. The valve cover has been polished to a mirror finish, and numerous other components have been highly polished or chrome plated. Included among these are the brake reservoir, voltage regulator cover, radiator valve cap, throttle linkage, carburetor hardware, and even the backing plate for the hood latch. The car also has a coated tubular exhaust header. The car also has a remote spin on oil filter housing with stainless steel lines. The inner fender wells are clean and solid, and the trunk is structurally excellent as well. The spare is present and in good shape, and the car has a very neat polished battery cover.

An inspection performed less than 1k miles ago revealed great compression 1)185 2)185 3)170 3)185. At this time there were also several maintenance items that were sorted out including new heater valve, rear engine mount, drive shaft balancing service, and oil change which included checking and topping off of all fluids. The car also received a cosmetic upgrade with the addition of new Lucas 573 fog lamps professionally installed to the front bumper, and brilliantly polished to a mirror finish.

Period correct style tires have been installed, using Vredestien Sprint Classics sized in 155/sr/15 with brand new Michelin tubes. The cabin heater was also sorted during service when it was found that the heater hose needed replacing. Above services were performed by the Laurence Anderson Company of Berkeley, California.
The car is an absolute delight to drive. The engine is powerful, well-tuned, and sounds great. The chassis is tight and solid, and the lowered ride height permits immediate turn-in that will wow anyone who has driven a stock Giulietta, or any other sports car of the period. The brakes are effective, and the transmission is excellent, with well-spaced ratios and excellent synchromesh, warm or cold. The car handles beautifully and is an absolute joy to use, reinforcing why these cars are such frequent appearances in events around the world.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a wonderful driving example of a car that is rapidly emerging as a very desirable and usable classic. These cars were mechanically sophisticated in their day, and are attractively styled and very enjoyable driver’s cars, which is why they are so popular on events. Indeed, oftentimes, these cars are share garage space with top tier classics like Ferrari 275’s or Mercedes Gullwings as a lower-stakes but still very enjoyable car to use and enjoy. This particular example is structurally excellent has been thoughtfully upgraded to make it a more aggressive drive, while still remaining quite streetable and tractable.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608