01-04-2007, 11:06 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Posts: 6,155
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by AR58SprintV
Dear Alfazagato Stuart (not dretceterini Stuart, who got me confused with someone who knew him),
I used to believe that there were only about 100 lightweights which were made, this being the oft-repeated claim of Kieth Martin's Market (investment) Letter, which followed that number with 4 stars. I worked then on some lightweights and began to look deeper: among my literature I found succinctly:
Anselmi , edition NADA, in the Italian, and repeated in the 2004 English version, on page 76 says:
The 600 lightened Giulietta Sprint Veloce sports coupes built by April 1958 also had different body interiors in a further attempt to shed weight. During the same period, 200 Sprint Veloces with normal bodies and interiors were produced from the first batch of 6,000 Sprints. Most of them had wind-up side windows and were called Sprint Veloce "confortevoles". Another 2,095 Sprint Veloces were built after April 1958 and before the engine's cubic capacity was increased to 1600 cc.
I am led by further probing to the conclusion that of the 06611 or so 1st series bodies, there were perhaps only about 500 'lightweights' and 100 'confortevoles'. Again, after 06611, the main body changed and added weight. A 'confortevole' is not a 750/101 hybrid nor a 101; that is a transition car , using the chassis numbers up to 1493E-12,000, yet caring the later shell and phased in 101 mechanicals, such as the split-case transmission in September 1958. In his book "Giulietta", Evan Wilson calls up to 1493E-12,000a 'true' 750, but I don't agree.
All published press material prior to 1958 only refers to any production Sprint Veloce by what we now call 'lightweight'.
I loved your two-part 'ice racer' series in the 'letta about your SZ.
The point again for Lionel is that his car (SV 06611) needs and is worth doing and enjoying, just as the "barn find Spider Veloce 00666" SWB in the parallel thread is worth it!
Laurence
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Although not addressed to me, I disagree.
I have seen at least 20 times as more 750 series all steel eyebrows veloce sprints than 750 lightweight veloce sprints. I have had 4 all steel eyebrows 750 veloce sprints in my 35+ years of Alfa involvement, but no lightweight sprints....in fact I don't think I have seen more than a dozen or so lightweight 750 sprints in my entire life! As far as I am aware, there were no lightweight normales.
I believe that there were just 6011 750 sprint body and chassis units built. About 5500 had eyebrows grilles and 500 had eggcrate grilles. The vast majority of them were normales.
Out the the 500 with eggcrate grilles, as many as 300 had 101 drivetrains, and these are the so called transition cars, built from late 1958 through as late as 1960.
Of the 6611, about 5200 were normales and 800 were veloces.
Of the 800 veloces, about 225 to 250 were lightweights, and around 100 were confortovoles.
There are cars built with 750 all steel bodies, roll up windows, full back seets, eggcrate grilles and 101 veloce drivetrains. I include these in my total of 100 Confortovoles. I have personally had 2 cars like this; both about 25 years ago.
dretceterini
Last edited by dretceterini; 01-04-2007 at 11:39 AM.
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