Alfa Romeo GTAm Replica

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Beautifully balanced with fine handling and good brakes, the 105 Series Alfa Romeo coupes made excellent road cars but it was abundantly clear that they also had great potential in motorsport.

In 1965 Alfa’s racing division, Autodelta, developed a heavily modified competition version of the roadgoing 1600 and 1300 coupes called the GTA, the A denoting ‘Allegerita’ or ‘lightweight’. Apart from aluminium body panels and plastic side windows, they had numerous other race upgrades including a twin plug head, various magnesium engine components, Marelli distributor, 45mm carbs, close ratio gears, uprated brakes, suspension and cooling, magnesium alloy wheels and stripped out race interiors. For homologation purposes 500 were made and it would cost you a substantial six-figure sum to secure one today.

This particular car began life as a 1970 1300 GT Junior and comes with the original Italian registration documents showing that it has had just four owners from new. Some years ago it was professionally converted to GTA spec including fitting GTA-style lightweight wings, flared to accommodate the Alfaholics GTAm wheels which are fitted with a new set of Toyo Proxes tyres.

The engine has been prepared by Ganzinelli, a famous Alfa Romeo race engine builder based in Milan. Not a lot happens until around 4,000rpm but then the racing camshafts kick in and off she goes hurtling towards the redline. With twin Dellorto 40 DHLA carburettors, power is estimated at 114hp. Not bad for a 1290cc GT Junior as they were around 89hp in standard guise. Weighing in at under 900kg it really is a little red rocket.

The 5-speed gearbox has a shortened final drive ratio of 10:43 and is said to be nice and crisp with good synchros. Koni Sport adjustable suspension is fitted along with a competition exhaust. In the boot the standard fuel tank has been prepared by Sassa to contain the Deto-Stop Explosion Prevention System, a specially designed aluminum alloy mesh originally developed for NATO military vehicles.

The interior is stripped out for racing with no creature comforts and no sound deadening. There is a bolt-in Sassa roll bar that is FIA approved, a single OMP race seat, Sabelt 4-point harness and Vitaloni wing mirrors. A new steering box has just been fitted at a cost of around £1,000 and there are recent bills for around £5,000 from Alfaholics.

FIA Historic Identity Forms and a CSAI Technical Passport have allowed this car to compete all around Europe and it has finished numerous events over the years including the Monte-Carlo Rally and Alfa Revival Cup, attesting to its good level of preparation. On the button and ready to go, it is also road legal and has a UK V5C registration document and an MOT valid until December 2015. 

AMENDMENT: Contrary to what it says in the printed catalogue, this car does not have up to date FIA papers.