Giulietta Sprint Veloce 1st series

**Lionel Velez** · #1 (**permalink**) 12-28-2006, 05:48 PM

After having my Giulietta Sprint Veloce 1st series sitting around for many years I am ready to embark into my long awaiting restoration project. I purchased the car as a rolling shell and after years of collecting the correct parts I have decided to move forward. Albeit, some correct parts are still missing, but nonetheless, most of the important parts I have acquired. I am including some pictures of the car after I stripped the primer off the car. I would like the collective wisdom from our most experienced members on paint systems. I am only familiar with PPG urethane catalyst enamel, as well as the German paint systems such as Glazurits and Sickens I have had cars painted with PPG urethane products and I have been happy with the results. Now, my new challenge is that since I have not been involved in painting cars for years I am not well informed with the new systems out there. When I placed a call to one of the referred painters I told him that I wanted to know among other thinks what kind of paint system he uses and he replied that he prefers the Matrix paint system. I have never heard of Matrix paint system and try to do a google on Matrix - well not the kind of information I was seeking. Is there is anyone who would like to share their wisdom I would appreciate. I will be posting pictures on the ongoing project. Please stay tunned.

Lionel

Joseph · #2 (**permalink**) 12-28-2006, 07:19 PM

Caro Alfista.
You never told me you have a serie1 SV. I knew of the other .
please can you tell me the numbers of the car and motor.
since I love the Sprint especialy the SV. does this have the small headlight like mine and Richard? wish I could help with the paint .
Please post picture of the restoration. when ever you can.

**Lionel Velez** · #3 (**permalink**) 12-28-2006, 07:53 PM

Mine is among the very last 58's made as 1st series before they went to the 2nd series with the egg crate grills. Please send me an email with your number at lionel.velez@gmail.com Since you, Ricardo and I are going thru 1st series restoration we then shall drink talk and drawn our restoration sorrows with wine. Of course, my sorrows now how to swim and always come afloat

Boun capodanno per voi e la famiglia.

Saluti,

Lionel

alfazagato · #4 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 12:26 PM

Lionel,
I am at the same point with my SVA and the advice I have received is to proceed to top coat in a modern two-pack paint, then in the good old fashioned cellulose. The benefits appear to be that the undercoatings are totally impermeable but the top coat will fade as old paints used to do. I am researching the validity of this but I would be interested in your findings

**Lionel Velez** · #5 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 02:01 PM

Hello Stuart,

Is good knowing that I am not alone restoring a Sprint. I have been told that Sprints are harder to restore than Giulietta spider. I have been working on my 67 GTV for years and it sure has been slower than expected. I feel that I should go ahead and retire so that I can play with cars, but my wife would not let me

I am including a shot of my Sprint serial number. I located years ago a correct engine with matching serial numbers and later I purchased a 750 Veloce block NOS without serial numbers. Still have not decided which one to use, I have even contemplated selling the new block. At the pace I am moving looks like it will be another 10 years before I get to my 63 SS.

Happy new year,

Lionel

alfazagato · #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 10:37 AM

Don't stop now!

Andrew Schank · #7 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 05:17 PM

Hello:

I do painting of classic cars for a living and thought I could offer some options for the paint for your Sprint. First, what color are you going to paint it? Red by chance? Where do you live? They have different rules here in California on VOC limits of the paints, so some brands and types of paint are not avialable.

The Matrix system is used by many collision shops and its claim to fame is it is less expensive than the big brands, and is supposed to have a good color matching system (for repairing that mettalic blue fender on a Honda Accord) I doubt they have a database of classic Alfa colors, so they would try to match some sample. If I am not mistaken, it is mostly all basecoat clearcoat style of paints. I happen to prefer the look of the reds when done without a final clear on classic cars. Its subtle, but clearcoated reds have a different, almost high tech shine that looks great on a new corvette, but maybe over the top on a car from the 50's. On dark colors like black, navy blue, forrest green, using a clear works fine, and doesn't seem to affect the overall look that much.

I like the PPG system and have used it along with a German paint made by Spies Heckor. Spies Heckor has really nice reds, and also have almost every classic color available. Whether its available where you live, or whether the shop you want to use is familair with it could be an issue.

The type of paint used is important, but the prep and application will affect the final results probably more than anything. Find out if the "Matrix shooting" shop has any referrals of classic car jobs they have done you could take a look at. Many collision shops don't do such great work on restoration type bodywork, and/or they take forever to finish them.

**Lionel Velez** · #8 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 06:56 PM

Andrew,
Thank you for your input. I have checked a few articles about Matrix and you are correct in that it is favorable among repair shop and I understand Honda and Toyota may be going to that system. I was told that Matrix is an off shoot of PPG and their Urethane catalyst acrylic enamel is suppose to be just like the PPG product. I did used it to paint the top on my Land Rover and it does look good. However, I believe that I will stick with the PPG system. The shop that will be doing my work is here in Texas near Dallas, and a very good friend have used them for their metal work and said that they are very good. They gentleman who owns the shop is a purely restoration work shop and he said that he uses Matrix on all his high end cars such as Porsche, Ferrari, and other classics. Here is a link to his site: http://www.mcautocreations.com. My Sprint will be painted in the original color - that is the baby blue like a the one that was posted sometime ago on the Alfa BB. Thank you for your valuable feedback.

Lionel
Dallas, Texas

Andrew Schank · #9 (**permalink**) 12-30-2006, 07:12 PM

Like I said, most all of the current paints available today are good enough that it shouldn't be a cause for any concern as far as durability, gloss, etc. From what I know, Matrix has nothing to do with PPG though.

I like that color blue on the Sprints. Good luck with your project.

Andy

alfazagato · #10 (**permalink**) 12-31-2006, 12:02 PM

Lionel,
Beware, some of these newer paints give a too bright, plasticky finish which looks incongruous on an older car. I assume you will be using AR501, I would check with your favoured painter whether he can get 501. It is readily available in Europe and I will check which manufacturers make it for you if you like.

**AR58SprintV** · #11 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 12:59 AM

Dear Lionel,
Mine is Red 501, with red/black interior. I drive it every day. If I had a choice it would have been Celeste (your color). But I'm satisfied!
Heed the advise of Will and keep it original!
I note yours is probably the LAST true 750 Sprint Veloce ever made, the parts book cuts off at chassis 06600 (according to the Tabucci batch list, the last batch is listed as running to 06611). Congratulations!
The confortovole is about 100 lbs lighter than the 101-body (large tail lamp, closed sills, groove top of firewall, eggcrate grilles stamped bodyshell '750 interim' car) and only about 100 lbs heavier than a lightweight! The run was so short that the press specs of 'non-lightweight' cars are all of the interim Sprint veloce '750' cars. There were some 450-500 or so lightweights made and some 100-150 confortovoles. Compare body weights of early body normals with later normals for the differences.

Get it together and Enjoy!
-Laurence of Berkeley

alfazagato · #12 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 01:57 PM

Laurence,
Are you the Berkeley Laurence next to Eric's place? If so hello! Your car from memory is a very, very nice example and I would endorse your comments about keeping the original colour. Where do I get the impression that Lionel was favouring red as a colour. Am I dreaming?
Anyway Laurence, where you get your production figures for Lightweights from? I have been given many totals but your 450-500 is a new one to me. See you in April!

**Lionel Velez** · #13 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 07:07 PM

Laurence,

The information you have provided is informative on the weight differences. As I take a quick mental recall on my non authoritative knowledge on the differences of the light weight Sprint vs the non light weight Sprint I find that the bulk of the weight is concentrated in the following areas: Doors glass and all hardware - all that excess parts could easily weight about 30 plus pounds; seats are lighted, by how much? no knowledge. Aluminum hood, bumpers, airplane, magnesium air plenum, trunk lit, headlight rims provably not much more, if so, not really that significant when compared to what already mentioned. All that put together can be as much as 100 lbs if not a few lbs over. But the truth is that when you put a 350 lbs guy on a light weight and a 170 lb guy on the non light weigh Sprint it would not make a whole lot of difference anymore. I am planing to keep this car as original as I can when considering all the options available. At the beginning, I was not particularly crazy going with the original Celeste blue, but it sure grew on me and I am very comfortable with the color choice. Laurence I appreciate your valuable input Thank you very much. Happy new year.

Regards,

Lionel

dretceterini · #14 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfazagato

Laurence,
Are you the Berkeley Laurence next to Eric's place? If so hello! Your car from memory is a very, very nice example and I would endorse your comments about keeping the original colour. Where do I get the impression that Lionel was favouring red as a colour. Am I dreaming?
Anyway Laurence, where you get your production figures for Lightweights from? I have been given many totals but your 450-500 is a new one to me. See you in April!

**AR58SprintV** · #15 (**permalink**) 01-01-2007, 11:58 PM

Dear Stuart,
Yes, I'm he. I'm looking forward to seeing Jan and yourself in April again!
The production numbers are a combining of Fusi, Tabucci and the parts book major body shell change split at 1493-06600(06611 in Tabucci) for Sprint and Sprint Veloce, as well as Autoclassiche, "Giulietta" by Anselmo NADA, and the 50th Anna. Sprint book, the Veloce Race History and period literature. Most were single-carb Sprints and included about 600 Sprint Veloces in total, all divided between 'lightweights' and 'confortovoles' neither being an official factory designation. 'Confortovoles' were really only offered at the end of 1957 and the beginning of 1958 as the SVZ, SS, and SZ became the racers choice, and the new production heavier bodyshell of the Sprint and Sprint Veloce precluded a continued 'lightweight'. There were no 'lightweights' nor 'confortovoles' after this. I have also heard that there may have been fewer than 100 'Confortovoles'.

I ran Steam Trains Burning Coal today to ring in the Anno Nuova
Keep up the revs,
Laurence