Details

We are delighted to offer for sale an outstanding example of the Alfa Romeo 105 series cars a 1972 Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce.

The Alfa Romeo Guarantee Certificate in the service book states this car was sold new to S Butterworth from North Essendon in Victoria. The pre-delivery checks were carried out on the 11th February 1972 by Bob Jane Southern Motors in Melbourne.

The current owner, who is understood to be the third owner, acquired the car from the Shepparton area in Victoria in 1992 from a deceased estate. It is further understood that the car came from very long term ownership and it was essentially used as a daily driver. Based on the invoices in the history file, the odometer would have read approximately 54,000 miles at that time.

The car was unmolested and very original, which was its attraction for the current owner. Not surprisingly, it was showing its age and therefore a perfect candidate for a full restoration. He chose APR Automotive in Shepparton to restore the car.

The project commenced in earnest in July 1992. The engine was removed and the body completely stripped down. As is typical of Alfa Romeos of this era, corrosion was found in the usual places in the body which required repair. The panels from the sills, floor and boot were removed and repaired/replaced as necessary. Mechanical repairs were completed as required, however, the engine was found to be in good order and it did not require a rebuild. There are detailed records and accompanying photos of the restoration on file.

It quickly became apparent that restoring this little Alfa Romeo was a significant and time consuming job.

The car was finally completed in October 1997 and it then received its Vic Roads certificate of roadworthiness.

The restoration was completed to an exceptionally high standard and the car was entered in the Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia (Victorian Division) Spettacolo Concours dElegance in 1997 where it took out the Perpetual trophy.

The car has been used sparingly since, but has been taken on the occasional road trip and rally.

At time of photographing this car the odometer read 61,455 miles.

Walking around this Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce it is immediately obvious that the restoration was completed to a very high standard. Today it still presents superbly. Incredibly, the restoration was completed almost three decades ago as its overall presentation is more consistent with a car that was repainted five to ten years ago. The paint has preserved beautifully, which reflects both the quality of the workmanship and years of careful ownership. It retains a strong depth of colour and whilst there are a few small paint imperfections you have to look closely to find them.

All the panel gaps on this car are excellent and all the lines a smooth. The door fit on these Alfa Romeo 105 Series cars is quite often a problem. Not on this one, the doors fit perfectly and they open and close effortlessly.

The external trim is minimalistic on these cars. The delicate chrome bumpers and trade mark grill present well. All the lights and lenses are clear with no cracks and they are in really good condition. The same can be said for all the glass and associated trims. To be picky, both door handles are probably original and present accordingly.

The steel wheels are another Alfa Romeo feature and they are all in very good condition with no signs of any kerb rash. They are shod with Pirelli P500 tyres, size 175/75R14. Whilst these tyres still present well, they probably should be replaced based on age if the next owner is considering doing some serious driving with the car. The Alfa Romeo scripted hubcaps complete the look and they are also in very good condition.

The interior was retrimmed when the car was restored and it can be best described as stunning. Everything looks to be correct and it presents like it would have done when this car came out of the factory all those years ago. It is in excellent condition and the upholstery presents with no cracks, rips or tears evident anywhere. The seats are firm, comfortable and provide ample support. The rear seats have probably never been used since the car was restored all those years ago. The carpets all present well. All the instruments in the dashboard and on the centre console are clean and clear. On our test drive they all appeared to be in good working order. The wooden trim accents are also in very good condition.

Under the bonnet sits Alfa Romeos jewel, its 1,779cc twin cam engine. Everything looks to be correct and the engine bay is clean and presents well.

After having had some time to admire this car we were keen to find out if it would drive as good as it looks. We are delighted to report that we were not disappointed! The car had sat idle for time and the current owner suggested that it would benefit from a tune prior to being offered for sale. That task was given to highly respected Brisbane based classic Alfa Romeo specialist Cameron Wright.

The engine starts easily, even from cold and quickly settles into a smooth idle with that typical raspy Alfa Romeo exhaust note. After letting the engine warm up it was time to hit the road. First impressions are good, in fact, they are really good. The twin cam engine sounds fabulous and it pulls strongly through the rev range. It just begs to be driven. The car easily accelerates and easily reaches motorway speeds. It is also happy just driving around town or sitting in traffic, though that is not what Alfa Romeos are made for! At no point during our test drive did the temperature gauge show any concerning values. The gearbox is precise and the gear changes are smooth. The brakes work well and pull the car up quickly and in a straight line when needed. These cars are light and nimble and on this car the steering and handling are exactly as one would expect on a well sorted example.

After 30 plus years of continuous ownership the current owner has made the difficult decision to sell. He is simply not using the car and believes it needs to go to a new home where it will driven and enjoyed.

All the hard work has been done. These Alfa Romeo 105 series cars are expensive to restore, so this 1750 GT Veloce presents an opportunity for someone looking for an excellent example that is ready to use and enjoy.

We just love the colour combination of this car, which is understood to be original. The rosso amaranto (maroon) paintwork is quite unique and suits the car perfectly. It also contrasts with the beige interior, which is light and fresh.
Accompanying the car is a good history file which includes the original service coupon book, photos and receipts from the restoration as well as a tool kit, jack and a spare wheel.

Highlights:
Australian delivered.
Understood to have had 3 owners from new.
Beautifully presented in a stunning colour combination.
Ready to be used and enjoyed.

Price $89,950


Background

The Alfa Romeo story began in June 1910 when A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) was founded in Milan, Italy. Their first car, the 24hp, was a great success and the Alfa name became synonymous with motor racing in the early years. In 1915 Nicola Romeo took over the company and during war time its focus was on military equipment, however, it wanted to build cars. Soon after the very first Alfa Romeo motor vehicle, the Torpedo 20-30hp was built.

On February 3, 1918, with World War I slowly drawing to a close, the new company called Alfa Romeo was officially registered.
In the early 1920s Alfa Romeo quickly made a name for itself in motor racing. Drivers like Ugo Sivocci, Antonio Ascari and Enzo Ferrari won several races driving various Alfa Romeo race cars.
Some of the cars produced by Alfa Romeo in the 1920s and 1930s could be purchased as either a road car or a race car.
Through until the 1950s Alfa Romeo was responsible for some of the most exclusive road cars and most successful race cars ever built, most notably the Alfa Romeo 6C and 8C series cars.

Following the Second World War the company was in financial difficulty and it decided a change in direction was necessary to survive and rather than hand build luxury sporting cars it decided to focus on mass production. Hence, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint was born. Alfa got the formula right and as testament to the success of this model the car was in production for over a decade from 1954 through until 1965.

Throughout the 1950s and 60s Alfa built a number of different models including four door sedans, two door coupes and convertibles, however, regardless of model their cars always had a sporting edge. They were a drivers car first and foremost.

Launched in 1963 the Alfa Romeo 105 Series was introduced to replace the very successful 101 Series Giulietta. Designed by Bertone (Giorgetto Giugiaro) the shape was purely Alfa with many styling cues taken from the Alfa Romeo 2600 and 2000. The first model introduced was known as the Giulia Sprint GT which was powered by Alfas proven 1600cc engine. Convertible versions known as the Giulia GTC and more powerful Giulia Sprint GT Veloce were subsequently introduced. Other standard models in the 105 Series range that evolved from 1965 were the 1750 GT Veloce, 2000 GT Veloce, GT 1300 Junior and GT 1600 Junior.

It is understood that Alfa Romeo built 44,629 1750 GT Veloces from 1967-1972.