ash tray

There is an interesting chapter in "Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider" (Giorgio Nada, editor) entitled "The Third Series", and this describes the changes made in the last version of the Giulietta Spider. The book is in Italian, but I have an English translation of this chapter. Pasted below is the text of the initial portion of the chapter, and if anyone would like a copy of the entire chapter as a pdf file, send me a PM with your email address. I also have a scan, as a pdf file, of the original Italian version. This includes pictures, one of which indicates that the radio block-off plate for the Series 3 Spiders was that later used for the Giulia Spiders.

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THE THIRD SERIES
In the second half of 1961, the Giulietta Spider underwent a small esthetic face-lift, both for industrial standardization problems and to make it even more attractive to its admirers. The third and last series of the convertibles of the Giuletta s family was therefore born, and it would be built officially until the beginning of the summer 1962. The most important modification applied on the exterior body concerns the rear lights.The optical unit, built both by Carello and by Altissimo, was of larger dimensions and included the reflector too. In order to assemble it, it had been necessary to enlarge the
lower part of the rear fin, without modifying the always-pleasant line of the Spider of the Milanese House. Next to the windshield, two water sprayers, necessary accessories, were installed. They were activated by a little rubberpump located next to the windshieldwiper switch. The small soft-plastic container for the liquid detergent was placed in the engine- compartment. The soft-top disappeared completely behind the seats. The
chromium-plated hinges used to open the trunk were now one-piece with two hooks where the top is hooked up. The badge of the House of Pinin Farina was entirely in plastic. In the interior, one particular modification helps the aficionados today to recognize this third generation of the Spider: the dashboard s fake-leather cover, held near the windshield by an aluminum strip screwed to the body. Also on the dashboard, the rear mirror has a support of new design and can be adjusted to an anti-dazzle position.
In between the two seats an accessory useful for those who smoke appears: an ashtray of chromium-plated metal. The inevitable cigarette lighter was first planned to be placed on the far right of the dashboard, but instead was placed in the middle of the push-button
board.

Let me add some further confusion concerning the ash tray(s). Below are photos of the ash tray currently in my '62 Giulietta Spider. This clearly is a different ash tray than in Alphil's photos, and there is no "BOM" stamp. When I acquired the '62 Spider, it had the same type ash tray as in the photos but was in quite sad shape. I then found and bought the same type ash tray on ebay that was in better shape, and later a third ash tray (shown in the photos below) that was in even better shape. Both ebay purchases were listed as Giulietta items, but who knows.

I don't think it is possible to sort out what really was going on. Plausibly Alfa used one supplier over a certain period of time and then switched to another supplier. Or, equally plausible, they were simultaneously obtaining ash trays from two different suppliers and installing whatever they felt like in whatever car. Not unlike Fergat versus Borrani wheels.

I think Bob's correct. They might have sourced them form more than one vendor. Or made a running change as one style ran out. I attached a few photos of mine. This car was built on Sept 29, 1962.

Larry McKeough