As a long time Alfa Romeo fan, I’ve long pinned after a Giulia Sprint GT, but not just any GT. Alfa offered the GT in several trim levels, with the Veloce being the sportier option (there was also an all-out race version known as the GTA but that’s in a whole different category). From the car’s introduction until 1968, the GTs all featured the step nose frontend treatment. These early cars are quite sought after, with prices seeing a significant increase over the past decade. If you are going to restore an Alfa GTV, a step nose example like this is the one you want. You can find this one here on Facebook in Oakdale, California with an asking price of $26k.
As much as I love Italian sports cars, they tend to have one Achilles heel that requires special consideration and that’s rust. There are lots of supposed explanations for their propensity to rust away, but the cause really doesn’t matter. What does matter is if the car has rust (most likely does) and how severe an issue it is. It’s hard to tell in the seller’s photos, but this one doesn’t appear to have rust around the front or rear windows, which is a common trouble area for these cars. I don’t see any big holes though, so that’s a good start. You will definitely want to inspect it in person, or have an inspection performed, to be sure that the structure is sound. Most of the sheet metal is being reproduced, so fixing one isn’t impossible.
Given the value of pre-facelift GTVs these days, this one might actually sense to restore. The asking price is a tad high given all the unknowns, the seller states that they are firm at $26k unless your willing to pay them to restore it, then they will go down to $20k. Personally, I’d try to negotiate a lower price and not have them restore it, unless they can guarantee the finished product will cost you less than an already restored example will. These are surprisingly simple cars to work on, but parts can get pricey. As long as it’s complete and not a rust bucket, this could be a fun project to take on. So, are you a step nose fan or would you rather save some money and buy a later example?
A Facebook link would be nice.Looks like the right 1/4 window is taped in.And the right door looks like it was opened with a prybar.
Step nose still available, I’m interested.
David
415-999-0987
The pictures don’t give you much and entice you to drop 26 large. I think this is one of the prettiest Alfa’s during this era. The owner of the dealer had a 73 GTV 2.0 that was fully restored with a Garrett turbo and intercooler. He had a second fuel tank installed in the spare tire well that he would switch over to run higher boost levels. I drooled over that car.
Several years later I saw it listed on eBay by dealer. I was on the west coast working at the time. I called the dealer and asked about the car. The sales person did not know the history or what had been done. I filled him in but was sick that I didn’t have the funds to purchase. I’m sure a lot of you can relate when a car of sentimental value goes away.
Way too many bucks. Iffy post. And I love GTV’s.
like most cars, the old alfa market is a bubble waiting to burst. add to that the lack of availability of parts and the sheer cost when one can locate them, this car would cost a fortune to bring back to even driver quality. one the bubble bursts and prices come back down, I might treat myself to another duetto or a step nose like I had in the early 70s. till then, best to view from afar.
Good description, Joshua. 1967 car should be GT Veloce which is the most sought after Bertone short of GTA/GTC, A really good one would be $50-60000, but there´s no way this car can be restored for that, except by a skilled Alfa freak who can do the work alone. Better to buy one someone else has lost money on.
There are a few special parts which apply to the model and could be hard to find, but in general everything is available. Unfortunately, the (missing?) front grille and shield is one of.said special parts. I certainly don´t think I´d take the restoration offer if the photos were taken on the seller´s premises.
Too much money for a car with this many needs
I call this a big old Step “NOPE”.
Everyone’s a critic (and an expert!) it would seem. Who says there’s a lack of availability of parts? I’ve restored a few Alfa’s and there’s more parts now being reproduced for restoration than just a couple years ago. And original parts for these cars are not that hard find either if you know where to look or are plugged in to the right networks and sites. A couple shops I know of even specialize in the restoration of these GTV’s. I guess anyone can predict the market for these cars if they feel like it so I’ll go ahead too. This will be an 80-100K car someday down the road if fully restored.
I wholeheartedly agree on the parts availability. Obviously, you can’t go to your nearest auto parts store and find reproduction parts, but there are quite a few sites both here and Europe that have almost everything you’d need, and the UK suppliers will even get them to your door in about three days.
The quality of most of the reproduction parts is pretty good, with some exceptions (for example – repro door cards are still crap, with plastic chrome trim instead of the original stainless steel), and there are some things that aren’t being reproduced at all (like the interior courtesy lamp/grab handles), but the volume of good reproduction parts has been increasing steadily over the past decade or so as the values of the cars have gone up.
As far as values go, there have been a few stepnoses that have sold in the past few years for $80k+, but the market seems to have cooled down a bit over the past year. I suspect they’ll go back up again.
Got to love how some sell a car. the pictures! and BRAG-book, many are not willing to waste time to be on that.
While I know a lot about many various cars, Alfa-Romeo cars from the 1960s & up are not one of my strong points. For a long time I have asked various people what the difference between the Step Nose and the “not step nose” Alfa Giulia is. No one seems to know. Anyone able to describe the differences, or point me to a couple of photos that can tell me?
Bill, The reference to “step nose” on the earlier of the Bertone coupes of this era refers to the front edge of the hood being an exposed edge, rather than (on the later cars) being flush to the top surface like any other “normal” car. So, when you are looking at the front of the car you see the edge or “step up” to the surface of the hood. Just google a photo of a 67 Spring GT from the front, then a 73 gtv. You will see the difference.
*Most* of the later GTV’s (with the exception of some late model GT Juniors) also have quad headlights, whereas the stepnoses only have two, with the turn signals incorporated into the sheet metal on either side of each headlight. The cool integrated turn signals went away with the four headlight cars because the outer headlights were pushed all the way out to the edge of the bodywork.
So most of the time, the headlight count will tell you which version you are looking at.
Geoff,
Thanks for that simple but understandable explanation. How I missed that I’ll never know! I’ve had one “expert” tell me it had to do with the placement of the center Alfa grill nose piece, either recessed or flushed with the front edge.
Let’s call it for what it is … and not a “step nose” but … known as scalino (step) or “step front”