1750 GTV Series 1 Door Trims & Steering Wheel

[papajam]

I will hazard a guess that many 69s were later fitted with the one piece armrests because A) the two piece armrests are quite fragile and B) lack of (at that time) two piece replacements. To a much lesser degree, I would believe that the one piece armrests just happened to be within reach when the car came down the assembly line but I would think that this would apply only to cars late in the 1969 MY production run; not an early car such #078 as mentioned above. My #856 example was fitted with the two piece.
Again, it would matter to me only if I were a judge at a concours. If to 69s were tied on points, the car with the two piece would get the nod because that's what the parts book says it should have.
There are no early/late window cranks but rather Euro and US versions. US cars have wide, flat window cranks and round vent window winders. Euro cars have narrow, tapered window cranks and wing type vent winders.

[sprintgtc]

Hi Jim,
Are you saying some cars came with wide flat window cranks and two piece arm rests? I've not seen that combination. BTW, page 46 of my '69 US owner's manual shows the flat winders and the one piece arm rest. So I'd be inclined to judge the other way.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to argue the point, just would like to know the real story. My theory is the US cars were equiped with the flat winders and the mono-rest to meet some arcane US safety regulation.

[papajam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprintgtc Hi Jim, Are you saying some cars came with wide flat window cranks and two piece arm rests?

[papajam]

Can't shed too much more light on this. My copy of the 69 owners manual, publication #1386-R2 dated 3/70, does in fact show a one piece armrest on page 46. However, page 44 of the same manual clearly shows a two piece. One possibility for the discrepancy could be that my manual is the third edition (R2 in the publication number means Revision #2). The original edition owners manual could have possibly been published as early as mid-late 1968, at least two years before the one piece armrests showed up in the 4/71 revision of the parts book. And without a first revision owners manual to look at and it's publication date, one can only guess what's pictured in it.
Discrepancies in continuity in Alfa manuals is not uncommon and they usually go unnoticed unless one is looking for them and has a different reference or knowledge with which to compare. A perfect example of this is in owners manual #1572 dated 11/70 for the 1971 model year Berlina (Spider & GTV). The interior pic of a 71 GTV on page 36 shows a two piece armrest.

How Alfa!

[sprintgtc]

Ahh the mysteries of the Alfa way. I only have a photocopy my manual here in the office and the date is obscured. I'll check the original tonight. One more thought...perhaps the tan interiors got the two piece (with tan top) and the black interiors got the one piece?

[papajam]

This is from memory so don't quote me on it.

The Series 1 cars were available with the following interior colors (depending on the exterior color);

Black
Tan (wild boar)
Amaranth/Maroon/Red (deep purple)
Brown leather
Red leather

The color and the material for the top of the two piece armrests matched the color and material of the rest of the interior.

For US version Series 2 cars, although available in the same interior colors and materials, the one piece armrests came in black only.

[Pegjr]

I have a series 1 car # 1530344 which I bought in November which has the flat window crank and later octaganal type side vent window winder as well as the monolithic arm rest. My owners manual is # 1386-10/68-3000 and shows the same picture combination in page 44 and 46 as mentioned in other replys. I have every record from day one on this car and I am the 3rd owner. It is a very original car save for a repaint 17 years ago and some interior work from just normal where after 20 plus years when it was done. All of the parts on both doors look period with their own pantina as you'd might expect after 37 years.
Just my two cents