Market 98: Nicest early Sprint I’ve seen

Giulietta Sprint 750B 1493*01149, Engine 1315*01110 (I think).  This car is one of the earlier Sprints I’ve seen come up for sale and is available now on Anamera for 50,000 Pounds Sterling.  This car is well known to Alfa enthusiasts in Europe, having been displayed in shows and driven on events there by the seller.  A friend who owns several Sprints (early, late, veloce etc) said he wouldn’t hesistate to lay out the cash if he could afford it.  He says that this car is as good in person as the pictures and has been warmed up so that it really goes.

The car at speed.  Note the wire wheels.  Stunning, and I even like the color.

Looks to me like a professional photo session set up.  Look at the reflection along the side of the body and around the trunk corner.  This is original!

A rare Sprint option: knock off wheels.* 

My favorite style of tail light.*

Clean and tidy as the day it was made.  Note the air horns in front of the washer bottle. 

Even the build plate looks good.

Notice the control knobs and radio blank plate are different than usual.  I think that’s the column shift lever in the foreground.

Nardi wheel is a period option, not sure if it came on this car.  Carpet is 54 years old and looks good.  Neat to see how it would be without a shift lever sticking up out of the floor.  Apparently European cars have two levers on the column, one for directionals, one for high/low beam, rather than the floor mounted switch I’m used to on this side of the Atlantic.  I didn’t know the dashes were ever so shiney, usually these cars have wrinkle finish by now whether correct or not.

That door panel is 54 years old and looks great.

Seats are a little puffier than I would expect so they probably have been restuffed.

Look at that trunk floor.  Awesome!

The asking money is big but this car is probably unique in its originality, better even than this car in Sweden.  If I had the cash would I spend it on this car instead of similarly priced Veloces, Speciales and the like?  Hard to say with out seeing it in person.  I think in the long view this car will be more valuable than a lot of the restored Veloce’s, even light weights,  as originality of finish will eventually become the highest standard a car collector can strive for.  I think this car is blue chip even at this high price.

*Pictures courtesy of Greig Smith and taken by ‘Uncle’ Rick Lesniewicz.