Leave It Alone: 1957 Alfa Giulletta Sprint

1957 Alfa Romeo Giulletta Sprint

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Is it diabolic and wrong that I think this Alfa Romeo should be left exactly as it is? Well at least cosmetically, I would want to fix any rust or mechanical issues so it can be driven. Otherwise, I would leave it as is. While it would look amazing with shiny new paint, there is just something incredibly eye catching about its current rough condition. You can have a closer look at this Giulletta Sprint here on eBay in Longwood, Florida.

1957 Alfa Romeo Giulletta Sprint Interior

I’m sure there are plenty of Alfaholics that would yell at me endless that it needs, no deserves to be painted, and the truth is they aren’t wrong. I just would want to focus on making it a good driver over making it look pretty. I’ve seen countless classics that either barely run or aren’t really safe to drive, yet have nice shiny paint jobs. Plus, it took nearly 60 years for it to look this way, so why rush to paint it?

1957 Alfa Romeo Giulletta Sprint Engine

Given how nice the interior is and how clean the engine looks, you might be able to get this one running and cleaned up without much work. Obviously it will need all the usual work to be safe to drive, think brakes, tires and any other consumables that are no long good. I would also want to take a close look at the floors for decay. These cars are notorious for their tendency to rust, so I’d want to address any rust before doing anything else. After you get it safe and fun to drive, then you can worry about making it pretty or you can leave it as is and make some amazing entrances at any car event you attend!

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Comments

  1. wagon master

    Hose it off, give it that surface rust patina, drive it like you stole it!

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  2. OJM

    Sometimes the right patina can be appealing….
    This one doesn’t have it.

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  3. DolphinMember

    This car deserves to look good at the least, which would be uniform looking at a minimum—and real paint, not gray primer. These little Giulietta Sprints punch way above their weight, and they deserve to look good doing it. I remember watching these and Alfa Spiders beating the pants off other sportscars in races back in the ’60s, and any Italian will tell you that when you are good, you also have to look good.

    Good try Josh, but these Alfas are too special not to look good.

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  4. BrianR

    I’m not a fan of patina. I prefer a complete restoration… mechanical and cosmetic. There is an appreciation of bringing something back to the way it once was rather than just leaving it. Anyone can do that. It takes skills to make something look and perform like new.

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  5. Ron500E

    OK, shoot me but I’d make it look like it was in 1964. That is get it running well, new tires, battery and rubber and put the best $300 paint job Earl Sheib could do.

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    • Trickie DickieMember

      Is Earl Sheib still around? Haven’t heard of him for years, at least in my part of California. Used to do complete paint jobs for $39.95.

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  6. Mr. Bond

    And they’d look just like this a few months later!

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  7. Howard A. Howard AMember

    Certain vehicles can get away with looking ratty ( aka, patina), this is not one of them. This should, nay, must be restored to like new. Restored, these bring 6 figures all day long, and for good reason, they are awesome cars. My brother had a convertible like this, so I know. BTW, Earl Scheib ceased nationwide operations on July 16, 2010. ( after 73 years in business) Some shops kept the name, as it is synonymous with auto paint. While long gone is $39.95 paint job ( I remember when it was $29.95) you could pay more and get a good paint job. I used to deliver paint supplies to one in Milwaukee, Wis. years ago, and saw some nice work.

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    • Dave Wright

      I always used to say that you could get a good job at Scheib. You had to do your own prep work but no one had more experienced painters. Those guys sometimes did 6 or 8 cars a day. It didn’t take long for them to learn what they were doing.

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    • Ed Willaims

      I believe that Maco Auto Painting jumped in and filled the void left by Earl Shieb’s closing of operations. Maco is still in business and there is one here in Reno, Nevada who has evolved into a first class body shop and auto painting concern.

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  8. Somer

    That is the 3rd time that car with THOSE pictures has been listed. Key item was Model A’s in background. Two people I know said they wanted to come see it; no reply.
    It is an old advert that was hijacked.

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  9. Van

    You know what’s going to happen.
    Paint it like you stole it.
    Sell it like it’s worth millions.

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  10. Joe Nose

    If the body looks that toasted, I cannot imagine what the frame looks like. Fromage Grille, anyone?

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    • Van

      I think you meant formaggio svizzero.

      Like 0
  11. doug

    Does anyone else see some VW Karmann Ghia lines in this car? I think the windshield, front hood, and roof are spot on. Did Ghia of Italy style this?

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  12. Matt Tritt

    Even IF this is a phony advert, Alfas were designed to look good. This one doesn’t. It doesn’t have to be a ten thousand dollar paint job to look right, but even a mediocre one these days runs $2,500. Seems well worth it for a car like this to me.

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    • Mark-A

      Seems like it could be a phony advert as its now showing as been REMOVED!

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  13. wagon master

    The only problem with restoring the paint to it’s deserved condition is, no one wants to drive it for fear of damaging it. I’ve sold all my “perfect” cars and been buying presentable driving classics. My enjoyment level is over the top because I now drive them most days, which is what I believe they were made for.

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  14. rangeroger

    Back in the early ’70s’ the Southwestern Junior College autoshop in Chula Vista,CA was given a late ’50s Guillietta exactly like this one. It was missing quite a few parts and what was left got robbed for other projects. It was forlorn and just an empty shell. It was finally decided that nothing could be done with it so it was used at an autocross event for a fund raiser for the college.
    Yeap, that’s right. $.50 cents a blow with a sledgehammer, glass and all.

    Like 0

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