From Muscle Cars To A Racer-Owned Alfa Romeo

Owner: Heiko Schöller

Year, Make, and Model: 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV

Location: Köln, Germany

Photographer: Alexander Haala

In 2002, a good friend and I wanted to check out some muscle cars at a local car dealer but it was closed. But around the corner was a garage for vintage Alfa Romeos and at the time my regular car was a Alfa Romeo 156 so we stopped in for a look. This was the first time I saw a Bertone coupe or Giulia. I always thought that vintage cars were expensive and hard to keep running but the owner took some time to talk and explain how to keep them running well. Three months later I bought my first vintage car: a ’73 Giulia Super 1300. And that was my first step into the vintage car scene.

Four years later another friend asked if I was still interested in a Bertone Coupe because his brother knew someone looking to sell: a very well-known German racer who had restored the car for himself. The driver turned out to be Mr. Frank Stippler (who won the 24 Hours Nürburgring two years ago in an Audi R8 LMS ultra) and he had to sell because he had bought another car. The Bertone looked exactly the way I wanted, so I bought the car.

The car is fitted with fifteen inch Alfaholics GTA style rims, the steering wheel is from a GTA and the car is very low to the ground. The car is in great shape and was repainted in its original color in 2006. The engine is a two-liter unit producing 131 hp.

I’m a huge Alfa Romeo fan and for me the 1750 GTV is the nicest car they built. I like that the color is rare and the car handles really well. With the two-liter engine the car has enough power, after eight years I still have fun with it, and just look at it! It’s simply beautiful! I really enjoy driving through the Eifel on the weekends. I grew up in that area and I know many amazing roads through the forest. The famous Nürburgring is a one hour drive from where I live so during the summer we often drive there to check out the track.

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