Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider 1600

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Widely regarded as the prettiest post-war Alfa, the gorgeous Giulietta 750 Series made its debut in 1954 and was available as a Sprint 2+2 coupe and a Spider two-seater convertible with Alfa’s jewel-like all-alloy 55bhp 1,290cc twin-cam under the bonnet.

In 1959 it was replaced by the improved 101 Series and in 1962 the name was changed to Giulia. Virtually identical to the outgoing Giulietta, the Giulia 101 boasted a more powerful and much less fussy 80bhp 1,570cc engine, in addition to welcome improvements to the previously feeble heating arrangements. The 101 Series also have a higher level of parts interchangeability with later models and are, in general, easier to live with than the more highly strung 750 Series. “Few cars can rival the 1600 Alfa for sheer driving enjoyment and the keen driver devoting his full attention to driving it will be amply rewarded,” declared Car & Driver.

This Giulia Spider is most unusual in being a right-hand drive model that was supplied new via Thomson & Taylor (Brooklands) Ltd to first owner Samuel Boothroyd of Birmingham in April 1964. It then had four further Midlands owners (all detailed in logbooks on file) before being acquired by our vendor’s father in around 1978. An aircraft fitter by trade, he enjoyed fettling the car more than he did driving it and we are told that it has covered no more than 3,000 miles in the last 40 years.

Never restored as such, it has been kept in good running order and attended to as required, including some localised bodywork repairs and a full repaint about 30 years ago which still looks respectable today. There is a fair amount of history with the car extending back many years but unfortunately this was kept in a folder which got wet so many of the invoices, letters etc. are hard to decipher through water damage. We are told that the timing chain and front oil seal were renewed in the early 1980s and more recently it was treated to a full brake overhaul, a new fuel pump and new seat covers.

Inherited by our vendor when his father passed away 20 years ago, it has barely been used since apart from the odd outing to local shows. Starting promptly and running well as we moved it around for these photos, it would doubtless benefit from a precautionary check-over before any long journeys are undertaken.