[green 69 gtv]

Hi,
According to the Milano Archives, my 69 gtv was originally delivered to "Alfa Romeo Rexdale" in Ontario. Because my car is a series 1 USA 1750, supposedly built in 1970, I'm trying to verify the Archives info. Does anyone know whether the dealership in Rexdale still exists (without the Alfa designation) so I might track down ancient records of my car?

I did a google for rexdale without much luck and most alfa links were to our BB!

Thanks,
John

 

[ossodiseppia]

That's the name of the distributor:

Alfa Romeo Ltd.
26, Greensboro Drive
Rexdale, Ont
P.O. Box 487
tele: 247.86.05.86.06 seems to be too many numbers

 

[GTV4EVR]

You're right about the telephone number. Toronto (Rexdale) would be area code 416 -xxx-xxxx

 

[nero]

As far as i can tell all canadian alfas were shipped to and distributed from rexdale,similar to u.s cars being shipped to newark n.j or long beach california and distributed from there to the dealers.I will speculate that if an american alfa dealer had a need for a 69 gtv,even if that series was produced in 1970 they would access the distribution network and get the customer the car they wanted and thru creative tecniques the customer would get a brand new 70 model registered as a 69 even though there is no difference between them other than the date of production.Would be nice to have some factual info from someone who was involved in the north american distribution and sales back in the day.

 

[green 69 gtv]

That's the name of the distributor:

Alfa Romeo Ltd.
26, Greensboro Drive
Rexdale, Ont
P.O. Box 487
tele: 247.86.05.86.06 seems to be too many numbers

Thanks Ossodiseppia. I guess I'll try writing to the PO Box #. Can't find anything on the internet about an actual business with this name anywhere in Ontario. I may also call some of the existing foreign car places in Rexdale for clues. At least I'm learning more about Ontario. I guess Rexdale is a suburb of Toronto that also goes by the name Etobicoke?

Nero,
You're probably right. I'd also be interested in knowing more about the Canadian history of alfa imports. For example, were they all "USA spec" or a mix of USA and Euro?
John

 

[ossodiseppia]

Thanks Ossodiseppia. I guess I'll try writing to the PO Box #. Can't find anything on the internet about an actual business with this name anywhere in Ontario. I may also call some of the existing foreign car places in Rexdale for clues. At least I'm learning more about Ontario. I guess Rexdale is a suburb of Toronto that also goes by the name Etobicoke?

Nero,
You're probably right. I'd also be interested in knowing more about the Canadian history of alfa imports. For example, were they all "USA spec" or a mix of USA and Euro?
John

I wouldn't waste the time writing to them. They are long gone. At some time te distributoship was handled by"

Alfacars, Inc.
34 Doncaster Ave.
Unit 3Thorn Hill, Ont.
tele: 416.889.4000

I am not sure if they are still around or if anybody else has those types of records.

 

[nero]

I dont know when alfa officially started importing to canada,can someone confirm this for me.But i do know that by 69 we were getting 105.44 euro spec gtvs,which makes the import of your 69 u.s spec 105.51 an interesting anomaly,was it destined for the u,s and got loaded on the wrong shipment or more likely its 70 production date made it ineligible for direct import to the u.s and it was brought in the back door so to speak.Generally canadian alfas were carbed euro models until the 2 litre gtv,which seems to be identical to u.s spec.I am going to reference joe bensons alfa buyers guide in which he states in one small paragraph"at the time an automotive trade pact with canada provided a loophole that allowed legal importation of weber carbed 1750s.A good number entered the u.s in this manner,and can often be found titled for the missing years of 68-70".I dont know if this is factual or not but there was certainly some importation of cars from canada to the states thru legal ,or dubious flim flamery i dont know.Anyone who can add to this discussion please jump in.

 

[kengta]

Hi,
According to the Milano Archives, my 69 gtv was originally delivered to "Alfa Romeo Rexdale" in Ontario. Because my car is a series 1 USA 1750, supposedly built in 1970, I'm trying to verify the Archives info. Does anyone know whether the dealership in Rexdale still exists (without the Alfa designation) so I might track down ancient records of my car?

I did a google for rexdale without much luck and most alfa links were to our BB!

Thanks,
John

Hi John,

Alfa Romeo Rexdale was, I repeat was, the location of the distributor for AR in Canada and was known as Alfa Romeo Canada Ltd. Alas they are long gone. I think gone by 1978 when the principals, mostly Italian Canadian, then set up private business concerns to cater to Alfas in need. Some of the principals are still around here in Toronto but it would take digging to get to them.

AR CAnada was established prior to the introduction of the 1969 model year Alfas to Canada. Previous importations, which were few, were done by individuals or through the odd local dealer.

Typically the Canadian Spec 1969s GTVs and spiders were carbed, LHD, Euro style flying butress seats, with imperial gauges in English. Although I have seen, over the years, the odd FI 69 that had possibly been here for years as it displayed the same amount of rust as its CDN spec sisters.

In 1970 I have never been clear if they imported but there are cars here. My CDN spec Super is registered as a 1970.

In 1971 we had a choise of CDN Spec Carbed 1750s or USA Spec.

For 1972 only USA Spec.

At some point we were also offered GTAj's and Tipo 33 Stradale's, but no takers to my knowledge.

FWIW

Ken

 

[GTV4EVR]

As a follow up to Ken's info, Alfa Canada must have existed by the fall of 1968. I bought my first GTV in Febuary of 1969 in Montreal. It was sold as a 69 model as Ken described. I received the following reply to my query:
Dear Mister Lee,

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

According to our documentation files, the chassis number AR 1357569 originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce (105.44), manufactured on the 19th July 1968 and sold on the 5th September 1968 to Alfa Romeo from Toronto, Canada.
The body colour is "ocra" yellow (AR 109), with black skai interiors.

Elvira Ruocco

 

[green 69 gtv]

As a follow up to Ken's info, Alfa Canada must have existed by the fall of 1968. I bought my first GTV in Febuary of 1969 in Montreal. It was sold as a 69 model as Ken described. I received the following reply to my query:
Dear Mister Lee,

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

According to our documentation files, the chassis number AR 1357569 originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce (105.44), manufactured on the 19th July 1968 and sold on the 5th September 1968 to Alfa Romeo from Toronto, Canada.
The body colour is "ocra" yellow (AR 109), with black skai interiors.

Elvira Ruocco

Wow. I'm not sure how the VIN numbering scheme worked but is it possible that although our 2 cars were registered as 69 models, mine was actually built 173,202 cars after yours!

According to our documentation files, the chassis number AR 1530772 originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce USA (105.51), manufactured on the 15th January 1970 and sold on the 20th January 1970 to Alfa Romeo Rexdale from Ontario, Canada.
The body colour is musk green, with wild boar leather skai interiors.

Thanks for all the info, everyone.
John

 

[Peter]

Wow. I'm not sure how the VIN numbering scheme worked but is it possible that although our 2 cars were registered as 69 models, mine was actually built 173,202 cars after yours!

It does not work like that.....the sequence for 105.51 cars is different from the one for 105.44's.... for example, in 69 the 105.44 series chassis numbers ranged from 1361339 to 1360044 (hmmmm, must be a typo in Fusi) Mine is 1371282, (105.44) and was built in September 1969

 

[kengta]

It does not work like that.....the sequence for 105.51 cars is different from the one for 105.44's.... for example, in 69 the 105.44 series chassis numbers ranged from 1361339 to 1360044 (hmmmm, must be a typo in Fusi) Mine is 1371282, (105.44) and was built in September 1969

Peter is your 69 a Euro or Canadian Spec GTV. Euro -Gauges in KPH and foreign language, CDN -gauges in MPH and English?? Or???

Ciao

Ken

 

[GTV4EVR]

It does not work like that.....the sequence for 105.51 cars is different from the one for 105.44's.... for example, in 69 the 105.44 series chassis numbers ranged from 1361339 to 1360044 (hmmmm, must be a typo in Fusi) Mine is 1371282, (105.44) and was built in September 1969

Peter,
The Euro 69 GTV I wish I'd never sold was pretty close to yours

"According to our documentation files, the chassis number AR 1371113 originally corresponds to an Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce (105.44), manufactured on the 11th September 1969 and sold on the 12th September 1969 to Alfa Romeo from Amsterdam, Holland."

 

[yvesmontreal]

Alfa Canada

As a follow up to Ken's info, Alfa Canada must have existed by the fall of 1968. I bought my first GTV in Febuary of 1969 in Montreal.

From what I was able to find out, Alfas were first imported in Canada in the late 50's by Budd and Dyer, a mostly British car distributor based in Westmount (Montreal). They handled Rover, AC, Aston and Jaguar as well as being a Rootes dealer. They imported a number of Giuliettas, a couple of 1900SS series 4 (one of which was long owned by Robert Paige in Victoria BC), some 2000 Touring roadsters and a couple 2600's. They had a branch store in Ottawa which sold a few Alfas too.

Another Montreal business, Anglo American, took over around 1963. They were a Fiat distributor and imported Maseratis for a little while. They imported Alfas up to 1967. Canadian Motor Industries (the original Toyota distributor in Canada) may have briefly handled Alfas at that point (note that the only TZ imported originally was sponsored by CMI).

I have a period article from Track and Traffic which clearly marks 1968 as the starting point of Alfa Canada; with big plans to invade the canadian market . They indeed shut down in 1978 after the Alfetta fiasco and the problems they had on the home market.

A series of private importers followed thorughout the 80's, there were periods with no importers, and finally the canadian market became a branch of Alfa USA. This made new Alfas overpriced and sales stayed marginal until the end.

 

[GTV4EVR]

Thanks for the history lesson Yves. I remember the name Budd and Dyer, but nothing about them. I bought my GTV in Febuary of 69 from Sports Car Specialists who were located on Victoria Ave. in Westmount at that time. They later moved to St. Catherine Street (I think)

 

[yvesmontreal]

Thanks for the history lesson Yves. I remember the name Budd and Dyer, but nothing about them. I bought my GTV in Febuary of 69 from Sports Car Specialists who were located on Victoria Ave. in Westmount at that time. They later moved to St. Catherine Street (I think)

When I started sighseeing Montreal as a car-crazy teenager in the 70's, I remember seeing SCS on the facade of their former building on Victoria (it's now a medical clinic). By then they had moved to the street level of a two storey garage at 4430 Ste-Catherine in Westmount, nearly across the street from Budd & Dyer's former location (long gone by then). 4430 was a landmark for sports car freaks: Luigi (Ferrari) occupied a nook on the second floor, and some other sports car shops existed in the building.

SCS was not an Alfa dealer very long (like many other dealers, it seems Alfa gave them a hard time on warranty claims), by then they were called Heritage Motors and sold Mazdas and Saabs. They went bankrupt shortly after. 4430 Ste-Catherine was torn down a few years ago to make room for condos.

 

[GTV4EVR]

I think the Victoria location was also a restaurant for a while too. I worked at the Zellers building on de Maisoneuve in the 80s and early 90s. I seem to remember John Spencer-Nairn as the owner of SCS??? You could still get Alfa parts from Heritage Motors. I needed new pistons and liners by 71. You have to love those 6 months warranties.

 

[J. Deo]

Alfa Rexdale info

My first post here.
John;
Nero and Ken have got it right. I was a car crazy teen at the time,(my mechanic father helped me buy a '71 GTV1750 from Lenny's Garage in '75 for $1500.)
Rexdale is an area in Toronto where the distributorship had a warehouse...long gone and I don't know of anyone having records. Lenny,who always had fabulous Lambos and Ferraris in his St. Clair location, may have known significant details, but alas, Lenny passed away several years ago. There is no point in asking around in the local Rexdale used dealers; very few have any older sports cars of interest.
I do recall buying many parts for my GTV at Esposito Motors, an Alfa Dealer in Weston, also in Toronto/Etobicoke, but long since gone. I can vividly recall seeing a slightly used ochre '69 Junior in the showroom - but $3500 was way too much!!! (Yup, and $600 was way too much for that used Daytona Chronograph...besides way too thick on the wrist... go for the thinner quartz! - argh...) Who could know back then.
Is Mr. Esposito still around?

BTW were 1970 Alfas imported at all to N America - I was told they were not. My scouring of the Toronto Star Classified rarely showed ANY '70 Alfas!

After the Rexdale location closed, I sourced some parts at a warehouse in Toronto on Wyngold AVe - lots of OEM rear quarter body panels for roundtails, grill parts etc. and on the floor behind the parts counter, i was shown an oldie. In hushed tones, I believe I was told it was, "a 2800 (C as I recall) - a rare car..."

Sold my GTV due to a rusting bulkhead in an otherwise pristine engine bay - seems my car was missing its front windshield rubber gasket. Was this a common malady among '71 coupes??
I currently own a Burgundy '89 Veloce - a nicely unmolested, original and correct car in a poopy colour - has anyone seen another '70s or 80's Alfa in Burgundy??? The car originally was ordered by Al Paladini (Leasing) - perhaps a special request???

At any rate John - the search will have to go somewhere other than Rexdale - good luck.

Joe

 

[J. Deo]

Alfa Rexdale info

My first post here.
John;
Nero and Ken have got it right. I was a car crazy teen at the time,(my mechanic father helped me buy a '71 GTV1750 from Lenny's Garage in '75 for $1500.)
Rexdale is an area in Toronto where the distributorship had a warehouse...long gone and I don't know of anyone having records. Lenny Rabito, who always had fabulous Lambos and Ferraris in his St. Clair location, may have known significant details, but alas, Lenny passed away 1 or 2 years ago. There is no point in asking around in the local Rexdale used dealers; very few have any older sports cars of interest.
I do recall buying many parts for my GTV at Esposito Motors, an Alfa Dealer in Weston, also in Toronto/Etobicoke, but long since gone. I can vividly recall seeing a slightly used ochre '69 Junior in the showroom - but $3500 was way too much!!! (Yup, and $600 was way too much for that used Daytona Chronograph...Fiance:besides way too thick on the wrist... go for the thinner quartz! - argh...) Who could know back then.
Is Mr. Esposito still around?

BTW were 1970 Alfas imported at all to N America?? - I was told they were not. My scouring of the Toronto Star Classified rarely showed ANY '70 Alfas!-always a jump from '69 to '71s.

After the Rexdale location closed, I sourced some parts at a warehouse in Toronto on Wyngold AVe - lots of OEM rear quarter body panels for roundtails, grill parts etc. and on the floor behind the parts counter, i was shown an oldie. In hushed tones, I believe I was told it was, "a 2800 (C as I recall) - a rare car..." I recall it looked kinda tatty, and pretty big for an Alfa...

Sold my GTV due to a rusting bulkhead in an otherwise pristine engine bay - seems my car was missing its front windshield rubber gasket. Was this a common malady among '71 coupes??
I currently own a Burgundy '89 Veloce - a nicely unmolested, original and correct car in a poopy colour - has anyone seen another '70s or 80's Alfa in Burgundy??? The car originally was ordered by Al Paladini (Leasing) - perhaps a special request???

At any rate John - the search will have to go somewhere other than Rexdale - good luck.

Joe

 

[J. Deo]

Rexdale post

Ooops - didn't mean to double post. Newbie you know...