Sprinting About

[BlpltGTV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pathung We now have a total of 39 Sprints listed, out of thousands produced. We're well on our way!

[pathung]

Sounds good, Will.

[bcavileer]

Here is another fine Giulia to add! AR357309 built 09/16/1963 sold to Hoffman Motor Cars in NY on 10/08/1963. Titled as a 1964. Alfa Red. All badging correct as a Giulia 1600 Sprint. Under Restoration. Thanks! Ben Cavileer

[pathung]

Ben, I've added your car; thanks for your info.!

[iicarJohn]

I cannot yet say which was the first Giulietta Sprint to the USA. Hoffman was not the only importer of Alfa Romeo cars ... even if Hoffman seemed to be perhaps the most "official" at the time. There was Rezzaghi on the West Coast and there were private individuals as well, such as Henry Wessells who imported AR1493-00668 from Paris in August of 1955, apparently before Hoffman Motors received their "first car"? But, I would also not place a lot of trust in all the named "first customers" or dealers in any listing. This was a time when records do not always tell the whole truth even when part of the truth is being told. A car might be sold nominally to a dealer in one location to satisfy an allotment when it was implied or mandated that the car was actually supposed to be delivered elsewhere. This is not to say that every car should be considered an exception, but I would say that almost every car could have been an exception.

A few years ago, I saw a very early Giulietta Sprint with a well-known vendor/dealer in Italy. It appeared to be a conserved car rather than restored. It bore chassis AR1493*00002 and yet had a "lightweight" body number "77201". Taken at face value, the implication would be that it was a very early prototype that was bodied/rebodied in 1957 with a then-current Bertone body. Although there is a possibility that the car was using a previously unused number, the paperwork with the car stated that it was essentially a "used" car in 1958, but had a new certificate of origin. It was owned by SpA Edoardo Weber (the carburetor company) and was registered at that time in Bologna. The Weber company did not sell it until 1961. Who knows how long they had it before the "convenient" Cd'O date of 15 July 1958 was applied? If this paperwork is correct, as I believe it very likely is, and based on what I've seen of other early cars, the implications are that we should consider the entire early production of Alfa Romeo Giulietta "production" as being occasionally "corrupted" by special events and that general assumptions might be completely invalid if we pretend that they should be taken literally for each and every car.

The Giulietta was certainly the "next step" (after the Alfa 1900) in Alfa Romeo's path to becoming a true volume producer, but the transition was not as cut-and-dried as we might like to think. The Giuletta came at a time when volume production began/continued to change considerably from what had come before. Bertone and Pinin Farina were also revising their production methods at the time and the Giulietta very likely made this revamp not only possible but necessary. This means that a good portion of early Giulietta production should probably be considered "artigianale" even if we tend to think "cookie cutter" based on our generally greater experience with the later cars.

[AlfistiSA]

John is 100% correct, 750 Sprints were not built / shipped or delivered in any sort of sequence.

Car #24 was built in January '55 and delivered to Jo Bonnier in Sweden - now owned by list member "Twin Cam"

Car #71,(Engine 00039), was built in December '54 and belongs to a friend in Argentina.

According to "Centro di Documentazione Storica", 00071 was originally white, with a black leather interior. The Sprint came to Argentina with other 2 important Alfas, destined for the former president Juan Perón. The other two Alfas were a 1900 CSS, just painted in navy blue, and a 3000CM, that was raced by Fangio, and it came painted with the Argentine racing colors of navy blue with yellow bonnet. An interesting aside here, is that traces of navy blue paint were found on 00071 during a restoration..... perhaps there was a closer connection between the cars than is documented.....

Ciao
Greig
Sunny South Africa

[Ian Evans]

Things have been a little too quiet here lately. Anyone have a rear seat like this in their Sprint? This car is for sale in L.A. for $10,000. Looks pretty solid.

No affiliation with the seller

Ian
'63 Sprint arriving in 2 weeks from Kansas

[BlpltGTV]

I have another Sprint for the list. Its the barn find that I mentioned above, however its not white but red with what looks to be a correct interior. Its not mine yet, but I hope it will be in the near future.

Dear Mister Campbell,



with reference to your request we are informing you as follows.



According to our documentation files, the chassis number AR 1493.20198 originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, manufactured on the 6th October 1959 and sold on the 12th October 1959 to N.S.U. Werke, Germany.

The body colour is Alfa red.

The number you provided me doesn’t correspond to the engine originally fitted on this car.


Will

[pathung]

Will, I've posted your Sprint. I've been reading your other thread; it's not a Veloce, but was endowed at some time with a Veloce block? Interesting.

Folks, I'd appreciate having your cars' build-dates if you haven't provided those; thanks. You can obtain this information from Marco Fazio at Alfa's Archivio Historico - e-mail address can be found in Post #1 - just provide him with your car's chassis number.

I've also gone ahead to reformat the register a bit, so it's easier to read (a la Spider Register).

There sure is an awful lot of '59 cars; does anyone know if this was the most productive year of all Giulietta Sprints? If someone has production numbers by year, it'd be great to post those here.

[alfa soon]

You can add 1493E06917 to the register. Born September 1st, 1958, sold to the USA September 16th 1958. Original color Amber White, Blue/gray interior. Bertone body number is 656301. Body is 101 style, but retains lightened rocker panels etc. Hood is 750 style with sharp edge. Currently has the fastest 1750 I've ever driven -It's probably the fastest Alfa I've ever driven, original 750 Veloce engine will find its way into it at some point. 1750 in it has a 750 Veloce oil pan and euro 1750 timing cover so it's a very well done conversion. Pictures show where all-metal filler was applied over minor rust repairs. I think the paint that is left and the interior are original. Wiring harness looks like someone decided to play a sick joke on me (see picture two), all it lacks are big orange wire nuts. Like I really needed this car, especially a project. Yes, I'm still doing an hour a day on the SS. This car gives me another excuse to put the 1300 back in my 59 Sprint...

Anyone have any history on this car?

[Marco750B56]

Pathung:

The list of all Giulietta´s it´s a great idea. Thanks for that.

But, if added PICTURES of each Giulietta on the list?

no? yes?

Regards

Marco

[alfazagato]

Matt, Great car, delighted that you are considering the Veloce engine....well done. BTW the speedo should be a 140 unit.

[chrisgpj1c]

Hi Ian,

I have a UK from new Lightweight in my shop with the same rear seat fitted.

Chris

PS Twincam's car is no. 24.

[AlfistiSA]

Thanks Chris

I've amended the chassis number - was typed from memory at the time.

Regards
Greig

[alfa soon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfazagato Matt, Great car, delighted that you are considering the Veloce engine....well done. BTW the speedo should be a 140 unit.