Tag: Italian cars

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Strange Giulia Super ‘Torpedo’ for sale

I got a bunch of links from Maurizo that included one to this car for sale.  As you can see, it’s an open top/no doors stretched Giulia Super sedan in a style that most people in know would call ‘like a Fiat Jolly’, but sans wicker.  On Capri, in 2003, I saw a mid-60’s Fiat 1500 station wagon done up this way.  This sort of car was commissioned to give slow, fair weather (obviously) guided tours and serve as a hyper local taxi or errand running vehicle in resort areas.  I could easily imagine this being some manufacturing executives facilities touring car -in Arese perhaps…  oh, and it’s €75,000!

If you put your hand on the screen to obscure everything from the windshield back, it just looks like a very nice Super.  I like how the arm rests also keep the passing-out drunk from slipping out of the car.  

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Identification numbers Part 1: Sprint Autotelaio number

Update 10/25/11: Time marches on.  I read these old posts and find myself in the interesting position of not remembering what I have written so it’s fresh -like seeing yourself from an others perspective.  Not many times in life when you can look at yourself this way.  I’m glad I started this madness.  Enjoy, and as Giulietta owners like to say -keep the rev’s up!

Update 11/10/09: Below was first posted on 6/26/08. I carry on with the projects and other pursuits. A new post is almost done. There are some Spiders (as usual) on eBay that deserve a quick mention but again, time has been precious.
Thanks for stopping by and today 5 boxes with T-shirts went out to Tom who paid first, Chris in UK, Dirk in Germany, Peter in Portland and Marco in Illinois. Send me a paypal or check and I’ll get yours in the mail too,
Update 2: Looking over all the cars I have numbers for it looks more likely that 101.02 cars have the new 001.02 engines while 101.05 cars have the 1315* series engines that are modified to accept the 101 engine series head.
Update 1: 101.02 versus 101.05 is a market difference. I read in a reputable source that 101.05 was the model number for US Market Sprints.
If you start looking carefully at the parts on your Giulietta Sprint, Sprint Veloce or Sprint Speciale you will notice there are a lot of numbers stamped, cast, engraved or written with grease pencil in Italian long-hand. These numbers tell you the year, model, and on early cars can match engine number to VIN number. The more subtle markings can shed a little light on how these cars were assembled and can be of great assistance when trying to identify what is correct for your car. I am going to focus on the vehicle identification numbers of Sprint and Sprint Veloce’s in this post and will look at the Engine numbers, Bertone numbers and Sprint Speciale specific numbers separately later.
Tipo or type and series are the fundamental identifiers. Tipo is essentially the model name and series is the model number, which changed over time and for different markets. The first picture is the build plate for one of my cars. It is a Tipo: Giulietta Sprint, Series 101.05. It doesn’t actually say Sprint on the build plate, it’s sort of implied by the car itself that it is a Sprint.
Several identifying numbers can be seen in this picture. On the build plate are the Series, Autotelaio (VIN) and Motore (Engine) numbers. Above the plate, stamped in the body is the number Bertone used to identify the car during fabrication and assembly. The Autotelaio is also stamped on the firewall just below the bundle of wires that can be seen in this picture.
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ARA All Italian Car day 2011

ARA All Italian Day car show.  I’ve been busy.  Moved 3 times this summer, kid on the way, trying to make a start-up start up etc.  I made time this weekend and went to the Alfa Romeo Associations All Italian Day in Alameda.  Turnout was probably the best I’ve ever seen and the weather was amazing.  Here are some pictures I took.  This show is the best of the year for me.
The Jeff Glenn (24 hours of Lemons fame among other things) SS. 
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Market 15: "Beautifully restored Giulietta Sprint"

Update 9/15/11: A note from the seller: “Actually I did quite a lot to the car since I bought it from the man in Savannah GA who offered it on ebay.  That was about 30 months ago.  Paint was carefully hand cleaned, hand clayed, hand polished and waxed. Carpet was replaced with custom colored wool woven plush material, of very tight linear weave.  Engine bay was extensively cleaned and detailed. Original Lodge spark plugs and Cavis wires installed. Original air cleaner canister was refinished and re-installed with an adaptor to the dual barrel Weber. Engine was fine tuned and a complete new centerline exhaust system was installed by Mike Besic. Brake system was completely fine tuned.  Five new Pirelli Cinturatos installed. Interior was cleaned and extensively detailed. Trunk was extensively cleaned and detailed. Fog lights were replaced with Carrellos.  It all seemed like a good idea at the time, and then the 1958 Veloce Confortavole came along last Spring.  I actually took the 1960 Sprint and 1969 Duetto to the Concorso Italiano last August.  That’s where the buyer saw it for the first time. He drove it the following week at Fantasy Junction.  Car sold yesterday. Five days after Fantasy Junction offered it on their website.”
Maybe I didn’t ask enough.”

Update 9/14/11: First -I had to really dig to find this old post.  I’ve been at it a while now it seems.  Champagne all around!  Okay, wishful thinking aside -this car is now available from my frequently frequented, frequently well stocked with frequently above average -in this case way above average cars, Fantasy Junction.  Asking price is an inspiring $49,500.  Yep.  “Sale Pending” the website says.  Mines parked on the street in Oakland California with the windows open.  Heh!


My car looks almost this good from space on a rainy day before they fixed the Hubble lenses.  That’s a nice car!
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Market #31: Restored 1960 Giulietta SS

Update 3/13/11: More pics from Bill.


Update 3/12/11: Not your usual resale tale here.  This car sold for $140,000 + 10% at Amelia Island.  Buyer was the Malamut Auto Museum in LA.  Thanks for the tip Eric!  Anyone have pics from the auction to share?  Oh, and congrats to the seller on a big cha-ching.
A nice one from Bill Gillham, the restorer, who is no doubt proud of his work.

From the sellers own hand as the bidding passed the estimate.
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Market #7: Giulia SS racer 380352

Update 1/8/11: This car is available again -this time it looks like it’s in Germany.  The asking price is 41,900 Euro’s or a little over $54,000.  The SS’s keep coming!
Makes me wonder if it really is in Germany…

Originally posted 5/13/2008: Giulia Sprint Speciale 10121-380352. Available through Alfaholics for 39,000 Euros, about $60,000 at time of writing. Entire text of the advertisement reads: “Body # 380352. LHD. Body excellent. Engine tuned at 150 BHP. Roll bar. Racing tuned. 2008 FIA papers. Ready for season 2008. This car has done Tour Auto many times. Price: € 39 000. Car is in Paris.” I assume an inquiry would receive a in depth account of the car. Details of the car reveal a decent car was used as a starting point to make a pretty serious FIA racer. I like the lightweight plexiglass windows and lack of trim and if it was a track only car I could live with the interior, but for street use I’d like a little more of a period look on the inside.
Always a nice profile. Wheels are later Sedan or GT items, the cheap way to put more tire under one of these without major body or suspension rework.
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Market #29: Nice Red Giulia Sprint Speciale in Los Angeles

Update 4/26/10:  This car is back on eBay with the same pictures and a zero feedback seller.  Scam?  Chances are… 

Update 7/2/08. Auction has been pulled off eBay as of about 1pm. I guess I was right to express my doubts about the validity of this auction. Buyers beware, this is the third time I have personally seen pictures from this group used to create a fake eBay auction. Has anyone ever fallen for one of these scams?

Giulia Sprint Speciale 10121*380999. This car is available right now on eBay out of Los Angeles with a starting bid of $45,200. This particular car, with these pictures has been on eBay twice in the last year, once in Hayward California and once in Savannah Georgia. On both of those occasions the auction was pulled within a day of being posted. Is this the real seller offering this car for sale right now? I don’t know, but more pictures and information is provided in this auction than either of the other two and both the others had buy it now prices that were way under market for this car, I think less than $20,000. There is no reserve and the starting bid is slightly under market for this car if everything checks out. Maybe this is a real no-scam auction.

No engine number is given so I would first ask about the number and request a picture of the number on the engine to make sure the stamping looks unaltered. In this price range, you have to verify everything. I would guess the engine number would turn out to be in the range 00121*00850 – 00121*01150.

Is it just me or is the bumper corner on the drivers side drooping a little? The supports and bracketry in this area are not very robust and as such easily damaged but also easily realigned. Other than that it looks great!

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Modified Sprint Speciale’s part two

So many of you enjoyed the last rerun about modified SS’s that I thought I’d rerun this one.

Originally posted July 16, 2008: The last modified Sprint Speciale’s installment highlighted some fairly successful modifications, mostly done in the youth of the featured cars. This car glared at me from the same file directory I used to store the other pictures but I just couldn’t work it in. It would have been like accidentally finding reverse while speeding down the highway.

I know, you’re looking at the picture thinking ‘that’s an SS??… NO WAY’. Look closer, you know it’s true. My first impression was someone built an interpretation of something from Bubblegum Crisis or another cyberpunk Anime, but without the ability to fly.

Not an altogether unsightly proposition if it was based on a 70’s Spider -which is where the nose appears to have come from, but in my opinion an abberation as a Franken-SS unless based on a horribly smashed SS that would have been recycled if not for this.

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Modified Sprint Speciales

A rerun since I’m tropically indisposed.  Enjoy.

Originally posted July 5th, 2008: While not considered competitive on the race track in retrospect, the Sprint Speciale must none the less have been a somewhat attractive option for wealthy amateurs when it was first sold. The combination of an aerodynamic shape and powerful engine must surely have seemed like a winner if some weight could be shed and current engine tuning tricks being used by Conrero, Bosato and others could further improve the engine. This is supported by period race photographs and entry lists which document the occasional SS among the field of SV’s, SVZ’s and SZ’s.

An early SS (00045) running the 1960 Targa Florio, 00029 and 00040 also ran. 00045 went on to run in ’61 – ’64. Anyone know where 00045 is now?

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Market #2: Giulietta SS project 00237

Update 2/1/10: This is a detail of writing market reports that I hadn’t really anticipated.  An update from the purchaser of a car with some progress pictures.  This car originally sold in May of 2008 and the owner has just gotten it back from the media blasters.  Makes me think I should get mine blasted.  Very cool!

I think I need a rotisserie.   The rockers look very good.

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