1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV
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Motorsport enthusiasts during the second half of the 1960s and into the early 1970s were thrilled to watch the Alfa Romeo GTA race, which to this day remains one of the most successful touring cars of all time. It won around the world, on circuits and in rallies in Europe, America, Africa, Australia, and South America, often against much more powerful cars including Mustangs in Trans-Am and BMW 3.0 CSLs in the Touring Car Manufacturers’ Championship, which the GTA won five times.
Their giant-killing performance made them part of a long and illustrious legacy of successful racing Alfa Romeos. They are raucous, lively cars that turn every drive into an occasion. Produced to race or to homologate the race cars, the GTA was full of sophisticated technology, at the centerpiece of which was an intense diet facilitated by exotic materials that saw the car’s weight slashed by a shocking 22%, a reduction of 500 pounds off the already trim 2300 pound curb weight of the standard Giulia GT.
The racing mission of the cars meant that many were used hard, and oftentimes even used up, which has made them even more collectible (and financially out of reach) today. This characteristic, coupled with the sensational looks and driving experience of a properly set up hot rod Giulia or GTV has led to a robust market for customizing and upgrading these cars, often with an eye toward evoking the legendary GTA.
This is one such car, magnificent testament to the vision and persistence of its owner, who built it over a six year period as the ultimate roadgoing Giulia. Every aspect of the car was built or rebuilt with exceptional attention to detail and without any expense spared and the result is nothing short of spectacular. The quality of the components is first rate, with extensive Alfaholics components throughout, paintwork by multiple-time Pebble Beach Concours winner Charlie Potts, and engine by well-known race motor builder Terry Tinney.
Like the GTAm, this car began as a US-specification 1750 GTV, completed on the 9th of February 1969 finished in rosso Alfa with black interior. Prior to the restoration, the car was a solid Texas and California fast road car with stripped interior. During the restoration, which spanned the 2017 to 2022 period, the car was fitted with the 1969 homologation type flares from Alfaholics, the most handsome type fitted to GTAs since the later cars received the less attractive pop riveted type. An Alfaholics chassis leg stiffening kit was installed, and several other chassis strengthening measures taken including seam welding engine compartment welds, front suspension crossmember, and adding strengthening plates for the steering box mounting points. The front bulkhead was also strengthened and the previous conversion to later type hanging pedals was retained. Once the paintwork, the entire undercarriage of the car was painted with black 2-part epoxy and then bedliner for durability.
Many Alfaholics components were fitted including but not limited to race differential with enlarged sump and LSD, adjustable brake balance box, brake calipers, pads, and discs, adjustable suspension (springs and dampers), dropped spindles, 28mm sway bar, adjustable caster rods, polyurethane camber top joint bushings, rose jointed track rod kit, quick steering arms, drilled trailing arms, aluminum T bar, billet steering box (necessary because of the of suspension and enhanced grip provided by the wide wheels and tires), clutch and flywheel, drilled boot hinge set, accelerator pedal with linkage and bushes, hydraulic handbrake kit, driveshaft support bearings, heavy duty engine mounts, aluminum carburetor mounts, velocity stacks, and Campagnolo wheels wearing Michelin TB15 tires. Alfaholics also supplied an electronic tachometer with the vintage Jaeger aesthetic of the TZ unit. Titanium (!!) hardware was used throughout the suspension.
The engine was fully balanced and blueprinted and uses JE-Spruell pistons and Carillo connecting rods, nitrided crankshaft, and was built up to 1825cc and employs MSD ignition and dual 45mm Weber carburetors fed by a 10 gallon ATL fuel cell with Monza filler. The head was ported and matched to both the intake and exhaust manifolds. A lightweight starter (2.1 pounds vs 12 pounds) was fitted, a serpentine belt conversion performed, and Darstan tubular headers installed as well. The engine was dyno tested and made 168 hp at 7,100 RPM. The torque peaked at 6,300 RPM at 135 foot-pounds but more than 89% of that figure is available between 4,000 RPM and 7,200 RPM.
The car was completely rewired by an aerospace engineer using all new wires, and is fully relayed and every component was grounded. A lightweight Odyssey race battery was fitted behind the front seats, and push button starter and billet switchgear (in black) added. All LED lighting is employed throughout the car with the exception of the Cibié Oscar driving lights. The interior is custom with leather and alcantara trim throughout, a leather-trimmed rollbar, and rear seat delete with leather-trimmed luggage shelf. All gauges were rebuilt. The gaskets, seals, badges, and countless trim parts were restored or replaced as well. In essence, every aspect of the car was renewed using the finest parts available.
The result of this effort is a well-resolved car that is not a race car, but is instead the ultimate weekend toy, one which is tractable and civilized enough to use on the road while being an order of magnitude more thrilling (to drive and to look at) than a standard Giulia GT or GTV. It has been shown to great effect at a number of Northern California events including the Monterey Kickoff, Hillsborough and Niello Concours, and many more. It has covered more than 1,000 miles of shakedown and is accordingly well-resolved.
The car is extensively documented with invoices and other paperwork from the build such as engine setup information, torque and alignment specifications, and a binder summarizing the build and depicting the paint and bodywork in progress.
