Fantasy Junction

Description

1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
s/n AR170650, engine no. AR0102*26521*
Red with Tan Interior

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.

Essentially the Italian take on the classic sports car formula, the cars coupled lovely bodywork by Pininfarina (on open cars) or Bertone (on closed cars) with Alfa Romeo's sophisticated twin cam engine and a wonderfully lively and entertaining chassis.

This particular example is a superb driving and very complete car that is structurally excellent. The car is believed to have been sold new in California, and certainly spent many years there, having been registered on black plates (issued from 1963 to 1969) for many years before making its way to Colorado by 1985. Its next owner was in Georgia, and took the car with him when he moved to Florida. The car was restored in approximately 2007, and has been in California for the last two years, where it has been enthusiastically maintained and enjoyed, including on the California Mille in 2014.

The car has been well-maintained since the restoration, including the rebuilding of the cylinder head in January-February of 2014, which included machine work, new valves, new cams, valve springs, plug wires, and various other work including fuel tank sender and the installation of a Weber carburetor. In November of 2015 the car received a freshly rebuilt 5-speed transmission, corrected clutch nose and driveline vibration to a cost of over $3,000. The car is sitting on new old stock Pirelli Cinturato tires, which were unearthed in someone’s front room and fitted to this car for a period-correct appearance.

The car makes a strong cosmetic impression, with an excellent body and high quality paint. The car is extremely straight and has excellent panel fit, particularly the doors. The trunk lid sits a bit proud, which is common on these cars. The paintwork is very nice, with a handful of small marks but nothing significant. The chrome is very good to excellent, with very light pitting in certain areas (door handles and headlight rings), but very nice presentation overall. The lights and glass are in similar condition and the car is fitted with Marchal headlamps. The wheels are in excellent condition, as are the hubcaps asides from some crazing on the emblems.

The interior is in excellent condition as well with very nice upholstery, albeit in an incorrect material. The carpets are excellent, as are the rubber Alfa Romeo floor mats. The dashboard is excellent as well, including upholstery, paintwork, controls, and switches. The gauges are in very good condition with a small amount of the yellowing that commonly affects Giulietta gauges. The steering wheel has a few small cracks and some pitting to the horn ring, while the remaining chrome shows no significant wear or aging.

The engine compartment is tidy and generally quite clean, other than some light soiling from regular use. It is clear that the inner fenders and firewall were restored to high standards and have the crispness and cleanliness of a car that was thoroughly dismantled for restoration. The details such as the windscreen washer fluid bag, decals on the brake fluid reservoir, and the original air cleaner housing are very nice. Other areas have been upgraded, such as the spark plug wires. The trunk was thoroughly restored with new paint and correct near rubber floor mat. The battery has Magnetti Marelli markings and the sticker of the original paint supplier in Milan has been reproduced and affixed as well.

The car is a pleasure to drive. The engine is well-tuned, the 5-speed gearbox shifts well, and the clutch grabs positively. The chassis and suspension are tight and the car has the wonderfully entertaining, nimble, and balanced feel of a properly sorted Giulietta. The brakes work as they should, and there is a pleasing coherence to the entire driving experience that reminds the driver why these cars are so sought after.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a great-driving Giulietta with strong fundamentals. The structure of the car is exemplary, both above and below, and it is exceptionally complete with both tool roll and books set in original holder, both items that rarely survive with any Giulietta. The car has invoices several thousand dollars of recent work, including the cylinder head rebuilt, as well as sporadic documents back to the mid 1980s. The car’s mechanical condition and event eligibility are demonstrated by its participation in the 2014 California Mille, making this in many ways the ideal classic sports car.

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