[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta "a goccia" by Michelotti: A little known prototype

The 1961 Michelotti-Conrero prototype Giulietta "a goccia” (“drop”) (see Figs 1 through 4) weighed about kg 750 and its frame was not the last type produced by the Portello Alfa Romeo plants, but the 1957 version, since – in order to build the new body – a Giulietta Sprint Veloce had been undressed. After an appropriate mechanical preparation by Conrero, the engine developed 125 hp at 7400 revs/min, with a maximum torque of 13.2 kgm at 5000 revs/min. The maximum speed reached by this Giulietta was in the order of 222 km/h (recorded at Monza autodrome), despite the fact that the car was only a four speed version.
Giovanni Michelotti and Virgilio Conrero are two legendary names in the automotive landscape and not just within the Italian one. The name of Conrero is related to the preparation of many sports cars set up for important races. On the other hand, Michelotti was a designer of great talent. Disciple of Pietro Frua (an outstanding car stylist too), he designed in Italy cars for Abarth, Lancia (e.g. 1964 Lancia Flavia Convertible), Maserati (see 1961 Maserati Sebring, Fig. 5), for a panel of coachbuilders such as Allemano, Ghia, Moretti, Vignale (e.g. 1964 Fiat 1500 Coupe Vignale), Viotti and - abroad - for Auto Union, BMW (e.g. 1961 BMW 1500 Neue Klasse), Daf, Ford, Triumph (e.g. 1963 Triumph 2000 Saloon) and other car companies.

 

[tubut]

This car is also discussed in this thread and off and on in posts #177-216 in this thread, but none of these posts had period pictures. Thank you for posting them.

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

In 1961 another Giulietta was presented: the SZ version by Zagato

This car is also discussed in this thread and off and on in posts #177-216 in this thread, but none of these posts had period pictures. Thank you for posting them.

Pisa - July 3rd, 2011

Fortunately, last month in a flea market I found a stall offering old issues of the Italian sports car magazine AUTO SPORT ITALIANA for sale, at an unbelievable cheap price. So, following the yesterday publication of the pictures dealing with the Giulietta "a goccia" by Michelotti, today it is the time of another Giulietta presented in 1961 by Carrozzeria Zagato in agreement with Alfa Romeo: the Giulietta SZ (Sprint Zagato). In the photos (all dating back to 1961), the car is pictured during a presentation in the resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomites (photo 1), during the uphill car race Trieste-Opicina (photo 2) and while participating in the Rally of Chianciano (photo 3).

 

[zak]

Pisa - July 3rd, 2011

Fortunately, last month in a flea market I found a stall offering old issues of the Italian sports car magazine AUTO SPORT ITALIANA for sale, at an unbelievable cheap price.

Nice find! Would it be too much to ask to have some more scans of interesting rarities from them please? Especially anything with specifications ;-)

Out of interest, how many issues did you manage to buy?

Ciao

Zak

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

Nice find! Would it be too much to ask to have some more scans of interesting rarities from them please? Especially anything with specifications ;-)

Out of interest, how many issues did you manage to buy?

Ciao

Zak

Here you are!

A beautiful cover picture of the magazine TUTTOMOTORI n. 6 - December 1963. The Italian actress Marina Malfatti posing next an Alfa Romeo 2600 sedan, in production since 1962. This Alfa Romeo model was unfortunately not very successful, because quite expensive as well as aesthetically failed. The Sprint version, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone, was instead more fortunate.

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

One more historic Alfa Romeo car: the Giulia Super sedan (berlina)

Some original pictures of the Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Super from the magazine "AUTO Italiana" (11 March 1965).

Nice find! Would it be too much to ask to have some more scans of interesting rarities from them please? Especially anything with specifications ;-)

Out of interest, how many issues did you manage to buy?

Ciao

Zak

 

[oz3litre]

Those magazines are quite a find. Thanks for posting. Out of curiosity, what is the article on the secret Ferguson car about? I have just been reading about him in Octane magazine. He was a very clever man.

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

Ferguson's 1956 Giulietta Spider

The article you mentioned is titled "1956 Alfa Romeo used as a touring car" and appeared on Star-News 19 March 2006. You can read the whole article at Star-News - Google News Archive Search.

Those magazines are quite a find. Thanks for posting. Out of curiosity, what is the article on the secret Ferguson car about? I have just been reading about him in Octane magazine. He was a very clever man.

 

[oz3litre]

Thanks for the link, but I made the incorrect assumption that it was Harry Fergusson, the inventor of the famous four wheel drive system that they were talking about.

 

[iicarJohn]

Auto Sport Italiana 1961

... speaking of a Giulietta spider purchased more than 30 years later by someone named "Ferguson"? I rather doubt it.

Now I'll have to see if I have a copy of that magazine to see what it says abut the Ferguson.

I think that calling the Michelotti "Goccia" a "prototype" is a bit misleading. It was a custom GT-category racing re-body of a Zagato-bodied car that was already a re-body of an early-style Sprint Veloce that some people like to call "lightweight". The Goccia was being used partly to promote Conrero and others and the promotion was seemingly quite successful. We're still talking about it today!

John

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

A rare picture of the Alfa Romeo 2000 Sedan

Here you are!

A beautiful cover picture of the magazine TUTTOMOTORI n. 6 - December 1963. The Italian actress Marina Malfatti posing next an Alfa Romeo 2600 sedan, in production since 1962. This Alfa Romeo model was unfortunately not very successful, because quite expensive as well as aesthetically failed. The Sprint version, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Bertone, was instead more fortunate.

In this rare issue of the Italian magazine TEMPO, dating back to November 1957, where a young and beautiful Virna Lisi appears on the cover, the new cars shown at the 39th Turin Motor Show are presented. Among the new models, the Alfa Romeo 2000 sedan at a price of 2,600,000 Italian liras.

 

[Alfa-Red-GTC-66]

In this rare issue of the Italian magazine TEMPO, dating back to November 1957, where a young and beautiful Virna Lisi appears on the cover, the new cars shown at the 39th Turin Motor Show are presented. Among the new models, the Alfa Romeo 2000 sedan at a price of 2,600,000 Italian liras.

Some more extra curiosities ...

A very young Margaret Lee is the godmother of the 44th Turin Motor Show. In the inside pages of the 4 NOV 1962 special issue of the weekly magazine "l'Automobile" there is the description of some new proposals at the Motor Show, such as the ASA 1000 said "Ferrarina" and two other models bodied by Bertone: the Iso Rivolta GT and the Simca 1000 Coupé. Moreover the issue contained an insert with the range of all Fiat models in production in 1962: 1 = 2300 sedan, 2 = 1800 sedan, 3 = 1200 spyder, 4 = 2300 station wagon, 5 = 1800 station, 6 = 500 D open roof, 7 = 1600 spyder, 8 = 600 D, 9 = 2300 coupé, 10 = 1300/1500 sedan and 11 =.1100 D.

 

[tregana]

Those magazines are quite a find. Thanks for posting. Out of curiosity, what is the article on the secret Ferguson car about? I have just been reading about him in Octane magazine. He was a very clever man.

Is this vehicule Ferguson wich you speak (design Michelotti)?

 

[oz3litre]

Is this vehicule Ferguson wich you speak (design Michelotti)?

That vehicle uses the four wheel drive system invented by the Ferguson, who I mentioned and got confused with someone else in the original article. The system was also used in the Jensen FF and a Formula One racing car. The Jensen FF had an early form of ABS, developed from the Dunlop Maxarat system used on aircraft at the time. Ferguson designed the famous Ferguson tractor which is a collector's item these days. He was a very clever man.

 

[105 junior]

Speaking or rarities these are currently for sale here.TWO Very Rare Alfa Romeo Berlina 2600 Sedans '65 '66 FOR Restoration | eBay

Jorge.

 

[oz3litre]

Speaking or rarities these are currently for sale here.TWO Very Rare Alfa Romeo Berlina 2600 Sedans '65 '66 FOR Restoration | eBay

Jorge.

You would have your work cut out to get even one of those in decent shape, not to mention the sizeable dent in your bank balance.

 

[105 junior]

You would have your work cut out to get even one of those in decent shape, not to mention the sizeable dent in your bank balance.

Yes I agree,
Looks like someone is willing to have a go at saving one or both

 

[oz3litre]

How is your new GT going? Mine is in the workshop having a Quaife diff and new clutch fitted. I can't wait to get it back.

 

[105 junior]

Hi oz.
Sorry for not replying as I haven't been getting any email notifications from ABB
for a while now.
The GT is going great apart from a bit of noise from the front suspension, needs new control arms, i have purchased some from tha Alfa Workshop UK.
Been doing a bit of tinkering, I've raised the front suspension a wee bit not too much as I like the stance of the GT's when they are lowered, now I can drive out of my driveway without scrapping.
I guess by now you'll have yours back,
What's it like now with the new diff?
Mine still has the original.

 

[oz3litre]

Would you believe I still don't have my GT back? We discovered that some monkey had taken the gearbox apart, (probably before Theo got the car), and broken the seal retainer flange on the driver's side, which at some point has led to loss of gearbox oil and destruction of the bearings. We discovered it after it started leaking onto the driveway and Luigi took the box out. Theo says it didn't leak while he had it. The guy who broke the thing had gummed it up with silicon. I thought it sounded a bit noisy. Whoever it was had way over tightened caliper bolts and left the gearshift linkage plastic base loose. It has taken all this time to track down a set of bearings, but eventually my good friends at the Spare Place managed to order some from their supplier in Italy and they should arrive any day now. The flange has been an unbelievable hassle. The dealer doesn't stock them and has no idea how long it would take to order one and cant't tell the left one from the right. I tracked down a second hand one from Alfamotive but it got lost in transit somehow and the courier has wiped their hands of it, claiming never to have seen it after initially saying it was sent to the wrong address and returned to base. Alfamotive has found another one and, fingers crossed, it will get here tomorrow via Aust Post this time. I bloody well hope so. Everything else like the clutch, slave cylinder, lower control arms and diff is ready to go back in. We think that whoever did the damage is in Sydney where the car came from originally. I would love to know who it was so I could send them a strong email. They should never be allowed near a spanner.

Hopefully my lovely car will start going back together next week. I only got to drive it for a week. Luigi has had it longer than I have.