1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
Description
Up for sale is this 1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, this is the desirable and increasingly rare 1st series 750 with the small headlights and tail lights.The chassis # AR1493-01943 and corresponding engine # AR1315-01925 verified by Alfa Romeo was manufactured in March of 56 and originally sold to Hoffman Motor Car Co. of New York.Sometimeat the end of the 50's the Sprint found it's way to Colorado, and in the beginning of the 60's it became a track car and race car. Where it was campaigned through out the 60's and into the early 70's at Continental Divide Raceway, with a run in the inaugural season of Pueblo Motorsports Park.
In the summer of 76, I was visiting relatives in Colorado, and one day driving my go-kart down the endless dirt roads my kart stalled. After several futile minutes of trying to restart it, I started to push it home, that is when in front of a little farm an older gentleman offered help. He took a quick look, assessed the issue, and said "lets push her up to the barn and we will get her running again". He opened the doors and that is when I was introduced to Alfa Romeo's, this Sprint and road racing, in the corner sitting was this Alfa Sprint, dusty, neglected race car, from it's former glory, parked and dismissed. Over that summer I found myself at his place, he taught me and helped me work on my kart and we became friends, and ensuing summers, I continued to find myself at his place helping and working on everything and listening to stories of racing.One summer, after many of my questions about the old race car, he proposed to get the Alfa running again, so we dug her out, worked on her in earnest and after a few day's fired her up again, it was then I understood his plan, that summer he taught me how to drive in the Sprint on the very roads that led me to meet him.By the end of the 70's I was getting older and did not spend as much time in Colorado, but when I did I would always make a point to visit and lend a hand to him, over the years, at some point after my driving education the Sprint was parked again, and mostly forgotten.In the early 80's during one of our phone conversations he asked if I was coming up, and if I was could I help him with something. He wanted to get the Sprint running and put it back to street car, to be his wife's "grocery getter". Over a week that year, we dug out the car, as well as all the original pieces of the car he had kept and stored since it's conversion to race. He had saved everthing, like every other thing that came to the farm. So we started to put her back to a car, we pulled out the race parts, seat, roll bar, fuel cell and such, and re-installed the windows, interior and just put everything back on her, and got her running.Over the following years when I would visit, and noticed he had "tinkered" on the car a bit, fix thi, fix that, a little paint and so on. On one visit in the early nineties, I noticed at some point the little Sprint was retired parked outside next to the barn with his wife having passed,and it had quit running, the Sprint was just another thing stored on the farm . Through out the nineties my visits were sporadic, but every time I did, the Sprint had not moved, just more stuff was piled on and around her, at some point the doors were pulled off and laid against her, the interior deteriorated as chickens and mice had moved in.At the end of the 90's we were talking, and reminiscing, as he was failing. He asked me if I could spare some time and come up to visit. I made some plans and went up. When I arrived, he had somehow drug the car back into the barn and you could tell was tinkering, but struggling. We once again were working on the Alfa together, like old times. I found out what finally retired the car, the "race engine" had finally given up in a big way, but unknown to me he had stored the original 1300 engine all those years and wanted to "put her back together how she should be", so over the next 6 months on several short visits we worked on her and put her back together. We did finally get her to run and drive, but at that point the wiring, brakes and such were all pretty sketchy, not really road worthy, but he was pleased it was a car again.We took her out for just a short test "drive" (100ft down the driveway), and that is when he told me he wanted me to have her, and gave her to me, later that year he passed.
I brought the car home and initially made it a little more drive-able, but decided that when I had time I would do it justice and restore it, so sadly and not what I thought would be, the car was parked again for another 18 years. In 2017 I finally had the time I needed, so I started to pull it down, and work on it, I had the body stripped down to bare metal, and had a coat of epoxy primer applied, but unfortunately life threw me a curve, and had to take a break of working on it, but I continued with acquiring new parts and needed pieces. Ultimately, I had to move, so I had to put the suspension back on before I could work the body, as I needed to make it roll again for the move. Life is continuing to throw curves, and the hard realization was made that I would not be able restore or finish the car, so I have decided that I need to sell the Sprint.
The car is mostly complete the only things that I know it needs for sure is the rear trunk emblem, one Bertone badge, the trunk lid stay and spring, and maybe a few trinkets. The body is rough, all of the old bodywork he had done through the years was stripped away to get to metal and a good foundation, the rust is minimal mostly from sitting with debris, but every panel needs work. The doors took a beating while they were off, but I was able to locate a very solid pair to replace them, but they will need fitting. I have an original trunk floor, as well as rear shock tower patch panel to make those repairs. If you have any questions or want to see it, 520-909-5962 or you can send a message. Most of the parts off the car will need restoration, but I have had a few done and bought many of the new replacement parts, the front grille, headlight rings, eyebrows and hood spear are new, along with a new wiring harness, all new switches including the rare early turn signal/dimmer switch, it has a good original blower switch and ignition switch, it has all new dash knobs, new inserts for restoring all the guages, as well as all new rubber seals for the entire car including new windshield and back glass gaskets, (the glass is currently installed with generic gasket, just for moving the car and protecting the glass) it will need the trunk lid seal, new suspension limiting cables and rear straps, as well as e brake cables are installed on the car for movin, all the trim pieces are with the car but will need polishing, the brake parts have all been cleaned, but the rebuild kits have not been installed in them, but are with the car. I put a new set of Firestone 570 radial tires, manufactured for vintage car applications for correct period look.Please look at the pictures, I have several shots of the parts that go with car, and shots that should show the work needed. If you have any questions let me know.
Buyer is responsible for pick up or shipping, but will help in any way I can. will ship overseas but buyer will be responsible to set up logistics.
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