The car is an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1955, chassis no. 1493 00 349, engine no. 1315 00 364
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I bought the car as a 30th year birthday gift for my wife in 1969, after having tried for years to get one for myself. I have loved and longed for that all the time since its introduction 1955. I think it is one of the most beautiful and interesting small sports car ever built.
We used it as an everyday car for a couple of years until it refused to start when it rained and the horn went on at sharp left turns. So in 1973 we bought another car and the Alfa was put to rest but instead of trying to sell it I decided to keep the car to restore it later on. The big problem was to find a place where I could put it so it was moved around in different garages, barns and shelters until I could build an own big garage at our summer house1992. I also had a MG TF from 1954 that was competing for my time and money. I considered the Alfa as the first of the new generation of sports cars that emerged after the WWII and the MG the lst of the prewar tradition (although the subsequent MGs were no “avant garde” either). So it took to the beginning of the -80ies until my son and I started the first restoration. The paint was bad, there were some rust (but not so much as one could expect) and the interior worn, so we dismantled the whole car, had the rust welded (but for some reason a part of the door sill was left open) and sent the motor to a competent firm and had a new paint and things re-chromed. We are by no means professional car people but did our best. Our ambition was to have fun and keep the car in its original form, thus no upgrades whatsoever. One of the problems were that there were no internet at that time and it was much more difficult to get spare parts even if AFRA existed. We had to do our own wiring loom and we soon noticed that on this early car the workshop manual did not correspond to reality. The fuse box had just 6 fuses in stead of 8 etc. We did the brakes with new break cylinders and master cylinder and pipes and hoses, the radiator was cleaned, the carburetor was checked by a specialist etc. I also did a new interior and ceiling. When we were ready the car was very nice and run well but we never used it because the MG took over Another reason was that my son moved abroad and I was alone with my cars.
So
there was another 20 years of garaging but every year I started it up and drove
it warm. But the paint deteriorated and a noise in the transmission appeared. I
am partially deaf and cannot hear from where the sound is coming but probably
from the rear wheel bearing or perhaps the support bearing for the propeller
shaft. The
breaks got stuck once again. So now when I am a pensioner I started a second
renovation and dismantled the car and had a new bare metal painting in Alfa Red
501. The breaks were once again overhauled and this time I bought new
mastercylinder, new flexible hoses and new front wheel cylinders and new seals
for the rear cylinders. It got a new front screen. I had
broken one first so now I asked professionals but I don't think the were so much
better than me but at least they did not break the screen. I got new rubber trim for the
windows but I suspect my car should have had another, slightly smaller type than
I could find. Etc!! Now i will try to describe and illustrate the different
parts of the car.
The bodywork is very good. No rust. Doors, bonnet and the compartment lid fits good even if I have not done my best to adjust the locking mechanism for the doors. The chrome is good There are a couple of wholes in the front bumper, probably for extra lights. The aluminium not highly polished but nothing is missing. There are some marks on the alu plates inside the doors. The Bertone emblems are worn original ones. The headlamps are original and have got new silver lining. The front parking lights are new and here the MG rubber mouldings for the rear lamps fitted although 2 mm too big. Otherwise it is a problem to get new rubber mouldings, they are rare and expensive. The rear lamps are of the early 2-bulb type but I found newly manufactured ones in California. But the surrounding rubber mouldings is the old, dry ones and the interior rubber I made myself. The license plate lamp is OK with intact glass. The side windows are OK, the rubber new but - it did not fit in my alu profiles so I had do make them some mms thinner. I have not adjusted the windows to the best. (tedious!) Door locks and keys OK.
As
I said I have made the interior myself and most of it is very good but the
upholstery for the chairs was too difficult in some parts. I also put in a new
ceiling but of course got some glue spots on it. The interior lamp OK. I did not
paint the instrumental panel and door panel this time because they are good and
it is a big job to prepare for paint. It is the same colour. The glasses over
the instruments are intact but not perfect, the instrumental knobs too. I think everything works,
heater, lamp switches, wipers etc The steering column gear change works too. I
had to make my own bushings at that time but now I found them on the net. One
problem is that the cloth and vinyl I used for the interior is out of market.
The luggage compartment is OK without rust and a spare wheel with the original
fastener and jack. New battery.
There are no security straps. The radio is the same that was mounted in the car when we bought it but I don´t think it works.
The chassis was welded in the 80-ies. After that I tried to rustproof it and underseal it. I have not noticed any new rust. The welder said the bottom plate was made of small metal plates, welded or riveted together. Early works? (The painter said the same). I made new bushings for the front wheel wishbones and changed the springs as one was broken .I did not change the bushings for the anti roll bar or any ball joints. The steering is perhaps a bit loose (I compare with the rack and pinion of the MG) but the there is no leakage from the housing. The front wheels are not aligned after they were put together again. The front wheel bearings seem OK. I did not change or replace anything in the rear end. The shocks are the original ones from the time we bought the car. The tank is original. It had a dent on the underside that I smoothened out with a plate an Plastic Padding. It is tight but I had some leakage around the drain plug. Probably that the lead gasket was compressed too hard too many times. No it is tight with the help of sealants. I could not see any rust inside the tank.
Brakes
I have renewed the front brake cylinders and master cylinder, ,the hoses and the rubber seals in the rear cylinders. New piping in the eighties. The drums are intact and round, the handbrake works, the linings are new. The brake oil reservoir is a little worn.
We had the motor renovated by a respectable firm and I know they honed the cylinders, probably changed at least the piston rings. I have not been able to find the bill for it so i do not know exactly what was done. The exhaust manifold has been welded since we broke it when we dismantled it. It is now tight. One of the pinbolts ot loose when we tightened one nut too hard so the pinbolt had to be rethreaded in the block! (the same has happened in the gearbox, the old alu is brittle). The exhaust was a problem since this car has a single system all the way. I bought one system from AutoEpoca in Italy and was very careful to describe what I wanted with the right spare part number etc and they said they had it and sent a double system (with air freight)!! I have tried to weld it right and now it works. The carburetor is renovated. I have had problems with the petrol pump. I changed the membrane but that did not help and then I found out that there was a leakage in the back valve so just a small part of the petrol was pumped to the carburetor. I was the very small spring that closes the valve that was misplaced. Once the camshaft chain tensioner stuck but that was easy fixed. The thermostat is in the upper water hose. The radiator is leak-free. The starter and generator work (it has a pull start, so no solenoid, which is a big problem when you are alone and need to check the engine at the same time you have to pull the starter!). I fixed the nuts for the camshaft covers myself but now you can buy new ones on the net.
Clutch,
gearbox and beyond The clutch is OK. We did never take out the gearbox for renovation, which we now regret. It drips a little oil, probably from the plate on the underside of the gearbox. I have not found a draining plug so I have to take away that plate when I change oil and when I tightened the nuts one pin bolt lost its thread but I could place a new screw with its head inside the box. The support bearing for the propeller shaft is new. There is some play in the differential.
I think we have wired the new loom right. All lights and electrical items work. I have just found 1 cabel with free ending. The high tension circuit is OK.
So this has been a long enumeration mostly of problems and faults but I try to be honest. Other people would certainly have called the car “mint” or “perfect”, it looks absolutely great! But saying that would not be entirely true, yet it is a remarkable good, early car with no stuck bolts or hidden rust holes and I don´t think it will cost a fortune to make it “mint” if you don´t want to use it as it is.
So why am I selling this object if it is so good? I have hinted it. I am rather old. I am working alone with my cars. No one of my children can take care of it. My wife and I have never taken part of any club activities or rallies so it is not so meaningful to have it even if can sit and just admire it. Somehow the MG TF has been more “popular” and with that we have made trips both in Sweden and abroad and if the Alfa will be sold I can spend money and work to try to make it “mint”. It is a little bit easier to work with that car. But I feel a bit divided about selling it but as I also know that more years of just storing is no good idea, I wish someone could take over and use it and take care of it. It deserves it.
I hope this page has given you more information about the car but if you still have questions, just send a mail. But the best would be if you could come and look at it. Sweden is easily reached by car or air. The car is just an hour or two from airports and ferry in Gothenburg in the south western part of Sweden and it could be a nice trip.
Below I have included several more pictures of various details referred to in the text.
Click at the pictures for the larger versions
