Some cars are equally at home sitting on display in one’s living room or yawing through an off-camber curve out on some deserted backroad, and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is one of them. First, it has to be the best-looking car on Barn Finds today, and second, few have complained about the driving dynamics of the roadsters from Milan. Even the name is seductive: Giulietta. Juliet. Has there ever been a more romantic name? This Spider has recently been unearthed from ten years of storage, and it’s been rehabilitated to burn up the twisties or simply to sit in your garage where you can stare at it for a half-hour at a time. Our man in the field T.J. found this one on craigslist in Shelburne, Vermont, for the price of $45,000, which is fairly inexpensive for a work of art.
First off, let’s address everyone’s first comment: Have you ever seen a rust-free Alfa? Well, the seller makes that claim, and while no car is completely rust-free, I have to believe that if the trunk is any indication, this is as good as it gets. Amazing.
It wouldn’t be an Alfa if the engine weren’t as gorgeous as the rest of the car, and here we have their famous double-overhead-cam 1300cc four, producing 79 horsepower in standard trim (some sources say 80). The seller has installed a new Weber two-barrel carburetor, and a previous owner had installed new wheel cylinders and stainless brake lines (yes, the Giulietta has four-wheel aluminum drum brakes). It also has a new radiator, water pump, and Abarth exhaust system.
The interior has been updated with new carpets (and I’d say new upholstery by the look of it). There is a picture of the interior with the carpet pulled up, and the floors look almost new. The Giulietta enjoyed some mid-model year changes for 1959, including a wheelbase that was stretched two inches to 88.6. Apparently, one way to tell that you’re looking at a Giulietta with the newer “Tipo 101” chassis is to check out the glove box; if it has a door on it, it’s a 101. Of course, I’m sure there are vagaries as there are with most old cars; please narrow things down in the comments if you are so inclined.
The paint job is older but presentable, and I think it looks fantastic in white (and I don’t usually like white cars that much). The Giulietta Spider is a simple machine, with a solid rear axle and four-wheel-drum brakes, but everyone who’s driven one says that this is a car that transcends its specifications. Hagerty values a #3 Spider at $57,100, and if that’s true, don’t expect this car to be around for long. If you’re the lucky buyer, please tell us all about it.
Beautiful cars, great drivers. Certainly earns a spot on the “grab a beer and a chair and just look at it” list.
Was a single downdraft the original setup on the 1300?
In the Normale version, it was a single SOLEX downdraft, In the Veloce version, there were two WEBER 40DCOE side-draft carbs.(or were they 45DCOE – I forget), To accomodate the WEBER carbs, Alfa had to cant the engine several degrees toward the driver’s side, which did not leave enough room for the standard LUCAS generator, so they instead fitted a smaller MARELLI generator, which was made of unobtanium. I had a twin of this car and a 1960 Veloce Coupe. and a few others. All bought used and none in anywhere near as nice condition.
Having owned a 1957 1300 Giulietta Sprint Veloce with dual webers , a 1967 1600 Spyder with dual webers and a 1974 2000 Spyder with Spica mechanical fuel injection …all i can say is that there is a reason Alfa quit selling cars in the USA for nearly 20 years—when it came to appearance they were great but engine reliability with wet cylinder liners o-ring sandwiched under an aluminum cylinder head– there was no such thing as reliability –i was always prepared to walk home –and i do know my way when i comes to cars–Savannah Motors , the Alfa dealer had a factory rep travel to Augusta to work on the 1974 car under warranty to know avail–this car looks like a good one -but good luck to the buyer of any Alfa you will need it !
If this car really isn’t rusty, you should haggle but buy it. When I found my ’65 Giulia 30 years ago, everything else was pretty much worn out, but the car wasn’t rusty. Here the seats are non-original, taller. The spare tire has been moved from behind the seats to the trunk, no big deal. The vinyl cover over the area behind the seats seems to be missing but is easily replaced. What’s the top like? The 1300 engine and four-speed offer “adequate” power, but when the engine gets tired, you can think about replacing it with a 1600 and a five-speed. These simple cars offer great bang for the buck and are relatively easy and inexpensive to maintain. Meanwhile, you’ll never lose money on this car.
Looks like the car Mr. Duggan drove in “The Day Of The Jackal” before taking the spray gun and painting it dark blue.
Great movie (and book)!
nice