Pininfarina number in trunk

[user459]

My 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce had repairs done to the trunk floor which removed the six digit number usually found on the trunk floor just in front of the tower that holds the trunk latch mechanism. I am trying to find out what my number should be. Correlating my AR390381 number with others close to mine, I think the Pininfarina number should be 106850 or 106851.

Does anyone else out there in Alfa Land have either of these numbers stamped into their trunk floor? The reason I say 106850 or 106851 is that my trunk and hood lids are stamped 850 and 851, even though they should be the same number, that is, the last three of the Pininfarina number in the trunk. (I have a theory that Luigi and Giovanni switched trunk lids on the assembly line for a better fit.)

Here's what my research has found so far:

AR390144 has Pininfarina number 105480
AR390277 has Pininfarina number 105814
AR390328 has Pininfarina number 106821
AR390381 has Pininfarina number 106851?
AR390778 has Pininfarina number 107263

Can you add to this list? Run right out to the garage and flip those rubber mats back and take pictures, please.

I realize that numbers and Alfas usually have no rhyme or reason, but I'm just trying to get close. I don't want to usurp anyone elses legitimate number.

Examples below.

Thanks.
Terry

[Gordon Raymond]

You didn't like my pictures Terry? I give you permission to use my number if you wish. Mine is pretty well documented by now!

[user459]

Gordon,

I didn't mean to leave you out; your pictures and documentation have always been very helpful. I just want to hear from more guys and try to determine whether 106850 or 106851 is in use in any other cars.

Here's a picture of Gordon's Pininfarina number to help others locate it in their trunk floors.

[Gordon Raymond]

Hey Terry, use 107263! We both know about that one! Any other 107263's out there?

[JohnS]

Terry, further to my thread on the restoration of my Spider Veloce 390816, I checked the trunk floor and it is numbered 107285. The car was finished on 6.4.65 so that ties in with the data on the 107 series bodies

Here is a photo

IMG]http://i44.tinypic.com/w2k7eh.jpg[/IMG]

Regards
John

[user459]

Thanks John, I'll put it on my chart. I've been watching your progress on your other thread. You're doing great!

[Jlesnowski]

Terry,
My Veloce is AR390148 with a trunk number 105503.
Joe

[Gordon Raymond]

Welcome to the BB Joe! Terry's list is interesting, isn't it?

[user459]

Thanks, Joe. Do you know your build date?

[Jlesnowski]

No Terry, I do not know the build date. I assume from the serial number that it is a 1964. The car has been a racecar most or maybe all of its life starting with SCCA and then converted to vintage. I have owned it as a vintage racecar since 1999. The body is about 95% original with very little rust. The trunk floor is cut out for a fuel cell but was not cut back as far as the trunk number.
Joe

[user459]

Joe,
I added your number also to a list I have send to Marco Fazio of Alfa Romeo Storico. He'll get back to me with the build date for your car and the others.

Gordon, there are only a few of us hard core nuts that would actuallt find this chart interesting.... I knew I could count on you.

[Gordon Raymond]

My guess is Chris B, and Papajam are watching too.

[JohnS]

Terry,

Am I right in assuming that with the advent of the Spider Veloces in 1964 there were no more Normales? In which case did the Normales have similar sequence Pininfarina numbers?

I guess where I'm heading is - is there a logical sequence of Pininfarina body numbers beginning with the 750s and rolling through to the final Spider Veloces? Or did other jobs such as the B24 Aurelia Spiders and Convertibles, for example, share in the overall numbering system?

John

[user459]

John,

The Veloces were produced along with the "Normales" in 1964 and 1965. There is, of course, no official "Normale" designation, only the tipo 101.23 designation. In 1964, there were about 3700 101.23's built (AR 375024 - 378730) and 300 Tipo 101.18 Veloces (AR 390001 - 390300). In 1965 there were over 1800 Normales made (AR378731 - 379999 and 392001 - 392608) and about 800 Veloces (AR 390267, 390283, 390287, 390290, and 390294 - 391092). These numbers were sourced from Maurizio Tabbucchi's "Guide to the Identification of Alfa Romeo Cars". I can't vouch for anything Alfa Romeo being absolutely accurate, since he shows over 1200 Veloces made when common thought puts the number at 1091. I'm sure the Fusi books would not agree, either.

As for "logical sequence"? Let me stifle a laugh... Just when you think there is some logic in the Alfa world, the exception comes up to bite you in the butt. There does seem to be some general relative sequence in the Pininfarina numbers, but the sequence does not strictly correspond with the AR numbers. Note that there is also a Normale on the chart, 379687, that falls in the P number sequence. So, I would assume they were being worked on in the same factory floor at the same time, but not neccessarily on an assembly line like we picture Henry Ford had in mind.

I imagine a scene at the Pininfarina factory where Guido, Luigi, Pio, Giovanni, and Mario are all working on their respective builds at the same time. In my case, the trunk and hood P numbers are off by one. "Hey, Luigi, let me see if that hood fits better on this car; you can try mine." Mario, whose P number is lower, actually finishes up his body after Giovanni because he had too much wine at lunch, so his doesn't ship out until the next day. When they arrive at Alfa Romeo, who knows what order they are taken in from the lot and assigned AR numbers?

That's what makes these cars so interesting. They are hand made, for the most part, and full of surprises. I don't know anyone who can say they have them all figured out!

I don't have any of the Pininfarina numbers on any of the other models, so I can't answer your last question. Maybe someone reading this post will respond with the information.

[Gordon Raymond]

My thoughts exactly Terry.