Before Mussolini obligated Alfa Romeo to make aircraft engines for the sake of WWII, the company was at the apex of the performance roster at tracks around the world. On the road, its road cars were less accepted by a public overwhelmingly concerned with economics. But none of this mattered in the aftermath of the war: in 1943 and 1944, its factories were bombed to near-oblivion, and in 1945, its chief – Ugo Gobbato – was shot and killed. Meditating on this series of events, we can wonder at the grit and talent it required to resurrect the Alfa name in time to make cars once again by late 1945 and retake racing’s crown shortly after. That said, financial success required a car for everyman, and that did not arrive until 1950. Sales of the 1900 were substantial, effectively rescuing the company. Fast forward through the wonderfully popular and sporting Giulietta, to the Giulia – introduced in 1962 – and Alfa was firmly in the swing of things. Here on eBay is a rare 1964 Giulia Spider Veloce – one of only 289 – requiring full restoration. The bidding has reached $9600, reserve not met. This car can be retrieved from Costa Mesa, California.
The heart of the Veloce is this motor, a 1570 cc twin-cam four-cylinder, differentiated from the “normale” by its twin Webers, an upgraded cam, a higher compression ratio – and a commensurately higher 110 bhp. Unfortunately, this engine is stuck, despite a cylinder-oiling treatment. The car has been equipped with air trumpets; the original air cleaner assembly is missing. The transmission is a five-speed manual, condition unknown though the seller notes the shifter does move “freely”.
The interior is in better condition than the exterior. The seats aren’t perfect but give the impression that a buyer could clean them up and call it good if the goal is a driver. The instrument panel paint remains bright, and the fiddly bits – gauges, trim, knobs, handles – all seem to be present. The car even has color-matched seat belts.
Other than the engine and whatever other mechanical items present challenges, there’s the body, and it’s not a pretty sight. Dents are the least of our worries – it’s the ubiquitous rust that has affected just about every vintage Alfa ever made. The seller reports that the floors have a few pinholes, but rust has invaded the upper reaches of the panels, too. The grille is missing, and of course the remaining chrome will need wallet-busting attention. The underside is not all bad, appearing reasonably straight and dry. With values for nicely-finished Giulia Veloces reaching into the low six figures, a reasonable reserve could increase this rare car’s appeal. but a thorough in-person inspection is warranted before valuing it in its present state.
I always like the history lead up to background on the vehicle featured. It makes the car more intriguing. Thanks, Michelle…
My pleasure!
Shifter moves freely because it’s unattached from any linkage?
Bella Bella! (to quote).
These are some of the best driving cars ever built. The rust problems are legendary but if you can solve them it’s all up hill from there.
Did they leave the front end sticking out of the barn, for a couple three four decades? That’s an odd rust pattern.
That is a sad sad sight and will take a truckload of money, but I hope it makes it back on the road!
Yes, but it is pick of the litter spec so restoration should be feasible if correctly bought.
Either Michelle is English, or she might have seen a couple of episodes of Wheeler Dealers like I have. Love that show! Seems this would be a gem restored! Just needs the right person to fall in love with it.
This is the car, folks, that my brother bought in ’72(?)ish, for what I thought was $500, and the seller “threw in” a very tired, but running TR4, that we sold for $250. In the 70s, most of the few we saw, we beaters by the 70s, and nobody wanted them. They adorned many a “back row”, reluctantly taken in on trade on the shiny new Pinto, they probably couldn’t sell, and either junked them or the dealers kid got them. The Alfa was a sweetheart, unlike anything we had driven before. Our introduction to an Italian car that wasn’t a Fiat. The car was solid, so not from the midwest, ran,,okay, but what an experience. That high winding motor( correction to the author, upgraded camS,,plural), the 5 speed, the tremendous braking power, for a non-power, non-disc brake, it literally stopped on a dime. It’s unique 3 shoe/ drum again, like nothing we saw before. Nicest roadster ever? Not so fast. While it was a neat car, it had several of the Italian bugaboos, such as inoperative gauges, sometimes, window cranks broken, ground a little gong into 3rd, you know, AMC stuff. The #3 spark plug hole was previously cross threaded, unknown to us, when the plug blew out,( with a BANG, I might add) we took it apart, but must have had the cam timing off upon reassembly, as it never ran the same and he sold it CHEAP to make way for his last car before he was drafted, the ’58 A-H. THAT, was the coolest roadster ever made, for us reg’lar folks, anyway. He already knows how the demand has skyrocketed for these, but he was unaware and shocked to see a restored Volvo 544 for $22,000, when he sold his for $50!
Great find, and this is one of the cars that folks will sink a ton of money into, because it is such a neat car, never to be made again.
I was horrified when I saw the first photo and thought “IS THAT THE CAR I HAD?”
I bought it in Riverside in 1970. I only kept it a few years , not knowing how much it would appreciate.
Could be a good starting place.
this is one of the ones that were never seen in used form in my town when I was a new driver at 16 and beyond. I would have loved to run across one of these to try and save back then. sigh, always a bridesmaid lol