Here on craigslist is a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta spider project car that hasn’t found an owner willing to finish it up. The seller indicates that the car has been sold several times as a “basketcase”, shedding parts along the way. The asking price is $12,500 and the rolling chassis is located in Silver Spring, Maryland. The Giulietta series began with a coupe designed by Franco Scaglione at Bertone. Scaglione penned many one-off prototypes famous with enthusiasts, from the sublime Alfa Romeo BAT concept cars to the more mundane NSU Prinz. Production of the coupe began in 1954 with a few hundred hand-built examples bodied at Bertone with interiors by Ghia. Needing a convertible to round out its offerings, Alfa turned again to Bertone but the result did not fit Alfa’s vision. Bertone is well known for avant-garde solutions – striking but not always marketable. (Here is the story of Bertone’s prototype, for readers as obsessed as me about auto history.) Anyway, back to our story: with the Bertone concept dead, Alfa turned to Pininfarina and welcomed a gorgeous result. Production began in 1955, by Pininfarina itself in a new plant built for the purpose. Barn Finder Kyle K. submitted this tip – thanks!
The seller of this unfortunate car checked its VIN with Alfa Storico to discover it was delivered to Max Hoffman’s dealership in New York, color Rosso, production date of July 22, 1960. In 1960 the spider was built on a Tipo 101 chassis, which was about 2″ longer than the previous 750. Two four-cylinder motor configurations were available, both displacing 1290 cc’s: the normale with a single Solex carburetor at about 80 bhp and the veloce with a higher compression ratio and dual Webers putting out 91 bhp. Motor swaps to the later 1600 are incredibly common. This motor’s number is here. Research shows that Pininfarina may have stamped the trunk of some models with a number that designates it a veloce. Most likely this is a normale. Both versions received a four-speed gearbox with weak second-gear synchros!
The floors have been repaired though a few rust holes still need remediation. Most of this Alfa’s parts are still packed in the wooden boxes shown above except one seat frame, both door cards, some interior trim, intake and carbs, and the pedal box. Sounds like there’s an intake for dual Weber sidedraught carbs with the car. Some parts have been rechromed. The seller has over 250 photos that he’ll send if you want to take a look.
Here’s the house for that lovely twin-cam motor, looking straight but neglected. Restored, these cars have become very expensive. While normale cars sell for less, veloce cars can sell for six figures. If we assume this is a normale, the finished product can sell in the $50k to $60k area. A crack DIY-er could probably build this car in a year or two, but what’s the right price as it sits?
The are neat machines but this one is worth at least 50% less in this condition. Rebuilding costs could very easily get pretty close to the retail value when finished. Good example is the ’60 AH Sprite race car we are building, which including refurbishing the chassis and buying or rebuilding drive train pieces is already past 26K with us doing the work. Since I work pretty cheap (just feed me) that still puts the final tally above it’s sale value and we haven’t even put paint on it yet.
Hey bobhess. Thought you might like to see the Bugeye project I did 20+ years ago. Sold it on Ebay in 2010. Take a look closely. Built on a Midget rubber bumper tub (more steel reinforcement). Folding top. Grafted the tail onto the tub. 5 speed Rivergate Datsun trans. I call it a MarkIV Bugeye. A fun build, glad I did it but didn’t need to keep it. Same as you, I work cheap for myself.. total build back then $8000.
Nice work Joey! Have built and modified several cars so can appreciate your efforts. Transmissions were the weak part of the cars if you did much more with them than drive them on the street. The blue race car upper left by my name has a Ford T-4 with Quaife racing gears in it. Don’t think it’s going to get damaged much even racing it, which it’s been doing for 30 years. It’s rated for up to 350 hp.
I could go without paint! I should look you up!
Blue car will be for sale shortly. Will let it go for less than what’s in the Vintage car build… and it’s got paint!
Two words…. Junk Yard
Junk Yard? Nah. There is at least a half-dozen more ‘part-it-out’ owners worth of parts left.
I wouldn’t even want this on my property, and my neighbors would complain at this eyesore.
Had a red ’60 like this.
Lucas electrical system and Girling brakes
but,
everything ELSE worked.
Definitely worth looking at, as it appears to be relatively rust-free compared to most Alfa projects. These days it’s much easier to find used and new Alfa parts, so the cars are simpler to restore than they were years ago. All of these are great drivers, and you have the option of putting in a 1600cc engine and a five-speed to make it even more fun. Compared to contemporary Porsches, these cars are cheap, and they are increasing in value. If I didn’t already have one, I’d consider restoring this, enjoying it for ten years or so, then selling at a profit.
@bobhess. Hey Bob, The blue car… nice build also…in regards to transmissions, the old smooth cases as you know were unrepairable and the ribcases did fine for the street. Didn’t do any racing. That Datsun 210 5 speed trans from 80-81 did the trick but you just can’t find them anymore at least here in the northeast. Picked up my last one 20+ years ago for $35. Now they are worth their weight in gold for the Spridget projects. Interesting blog here…. it was for an Alfa project and there are more comments regarding the Sprites…….
Great minds are easily diverted.
Joey Mec, bobhess,
NICE WORK !!
Always liked the Sprites
I had a bug-eye I never finished and sold it.