Alfa Romeo Giulietta

1958 Alfa Romeo Giulia Description

Built in early October '58 and imported to the US via Hoffman shortly thereafter, this Sprint Veloce spent its early years with an Air Force officer . The last documented title is dated January of '66, after that the car ended up in dry storage out West for many years. Discovered by its current owner as a very solid and complete example, a multi-year restoration effort began soon after with the final assembly completed at former AROC president Bill Gillham's shop Hooligan Racing. Hundreds of photos and invoices document the entire process, painstakingly detailing the immense effort and attention to detail it takes to correctly restore a rare "transitional" Veloce.
With information sourced from Alfa's archives the car's owner elected to repaint the car in its original hue of AR321 Blu Notte. This shade of blue appears as a Veloce-only option in the '58 brochure and is exceptionally desirable and rare. True to its original exterior, the paint is a single-stage application and finished to an extremely high standard. Complementing it are a full set of correct aluminum trim pieces (numbered on these cars) and wonderfully patina'd original badging. Perfect chrome and glass complete the exterior, along with rare Marchal headlights and a restored set of Borrani wheels shod in new Vredestein tires.
Underneath, the attention to detail and quality of the build is apparent everywhere, as is the unmistakable look of a car that was never a victim of rust. As documented in the restoration, there were only a few small areas needing metail repair, most notably the leading edge of the hood by the drain, some small areas in the trunk (though the original floor remains), and the passenger floor pan. The suspension and brakes were fully rebuilt and work well, with the car's signature ride quality and effective finned aluminum drum brakes spot-on for an Alfa of this era. Out back, the original Veloce fuel tank has been replaced with an upgraded stainless steel unit, along with an electric fuel pump, while the correct rear end and diff are intact and beautifully rebuilt.
Fortunately, the car's matching 1300cc twin cam engine remained in place all these years, as did its four-speed "tunnel case" transmission and Weber DCO3 carbs. All original data plates have been retained, though fresh, re-stamped ones are mounted in the engine bay. Following an extensive service and tuning at Dominick's European Car Repair this summer, the car drives as new--a perfect way to experience Alfa's legendary Giulietta drivetrain in its full, correct Veloce spec. Looking closely in the engine bay it is also apparent that a lot of effort went in to fitting the correct clamps, hoses, and decals, should a concours judge ever get picky! Upon start-up the engine roars to life quickly, while a solid clutch and flawless synchros make driving this Sprint a true pleasure.
The two-tone gray interior is another excellent example of the care and detail inherent in this build. The seats are stunning in their new upholstery and include protective slip-on covers as well, while fresh headliner and carpets look perfectly factory. Behind the elegant Giulietta wheel correct Veloce instruments are present, as is the correct choke blanking button and hard-to-find "beavertail" switchgear. A full wiring harness by Lionel Velez keeps everything connected behind the scenes, matched with NOS relays and voltage regulator. To top it all off, beautiful, custom rear luggage belts rest on the diamond-stitched rear panels, an option every Sprint really ought to have. In the trunk, a correct jack, tool roll, and spare are present, while an original owner's manual can be found in the glovebox...