Carrozzeria Zagato Milano S.r.l. has been responsible for some pretty polarizing designs during its nearly 100-year existence. The Alfa Romeo Zagato Junior fits comfortably within this time-honored way of doing things differently, from its glass-covered nose to its abrubt Kamm tail. Styled by Ercole Spada and built upon the 1300/1600 Spider platform, the Zagato retained these cars’ fantastic handling traits and enthusiastic (if not teeming with tire-shredding power) drivetrains, but repacked them in a suitably odd yet very sharp suit.
The first thing you’ve undoubtedly noticed about this car is the striking neon pea green/gold color it wears, a shade suited to its general oddness that’s also spot-on period correct. It’s hard to imagine a non-Italian vehicle in the ’60s or ’70s pulling off such an outlandish hue as well as this car does. A 1973 model, this car benefits from the upsized 1,600 CC motor introduced on series II cars a year previously—additionally, these later cars are about four inches longer, primarily in the rear, and do not share the same aluminum opening panels as their 1,300 predecessors.
It claims only 27,000 miles on the clock, but in what currency isn’t mentioned—even if it’s miles rather than klicks, though, it’s a nice, low number. The car has spent most of its life on the Canary Islands, according to the seller, who now keeps it in La Laguna, Spain, where it’s offered free of rust and in excellent condition throughout, according to their somewhat limited English. Given that rust and electrical problems are the top of any secondhand Alfa buyer’s potential fixit list, those claims are quite reassuring—as always, it’d best to arrange a local inspection before bidding, however. Bonus points are awarded for what’s claimed to be a full service documentation and 100% originality.
The seller is asking $35k for the BIN, or exactly $10k less than a condition 1 car according to Haggerty. It looks super-clean in photos, and provided there are no nasty hidden surprises beneath that Martian banana enamel, it could prove to be quite a score.
We’d love to find ourselves behind its lovely wood-rimmed steering wheel, rowing that signature Alfa horizontally mounted shift, and relishing it the induction honk of what has to be one of the finest four cylinders ever designed. If any of that sounds fun to you, too, this car could be worth your attention.
