1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce ($119,500)

By Fantasy Junction

May 17, 2016

Photography by Nima Salimi

Written by Shayan Bokaie

AT A GLANCE

Location: Emeryville, CA, USA
Seller: Fantasy Junction | @fantasyjunction
Chassis: AR1495F03326
Engine: AR1311530818
Mileage: Total mileage unknown
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Color: Graphite Grey (Grigio Grafite) with Burgundy Hardtop
Production Run: 835 Spider Veloce models produced in 1958
Car won “Best Open Car” at 2012 Danville, California Concours d’Elegance

PRICE: $119,500

“Giulietta”—what a name.

Turns out, other than having a great name, the Giulietta was actually a pretty pivotal car for Alfa Romeo. The Second World War pressured many of the auto companies into rethinking their place in the market. Before the war, Alfas were seriously dominating European racing with nine victories in the Mille Miglia from 1928 to 1938 and four consecutive wins at Le Mans from 1931 to 1934. Yet after the war, they pivoted to the mass consumer market, a bold move to say the least.

The performance of their first attempt, the 1900, was well received but financially underwhelming leaving Alfa Romeo strapped for cash and in need of a win.

SMALLER. LIGHTER.

Alfa cleverly funded the production of the Giulietta by issuing a bond where one lucky investor would receive a Giulietta. Funding solved, fulfilment then became an issue. With seemingly all of Italy breathing down their necks, Alfa commissioned Carrozzeria Ghia and Carrozzeria Bertone to pump out the first 1,000 units to be ready for the 1954 Turin Auto Show.

After a bit of drama, Bertone was left to fulfill the production alone which had jumped to 6,000 cars since the Giulietta was a huge hit at the auto show. Keep in mind, Bertone was a small coachbuilder, and actualizing this order completely changed and challenged his business.

TAKE THE TOP OFF

The coupes became an instant success and the demand for a spider was obvious. Bertone, and importers like Max Hoffman were keen to bring a convertible version to the market. At the 1955 Paris Auto Show Alfa Romeo debuted the jaw-dropping Giulietta Spider, which ended up being designed by Pininfarina, their first contribution to the Giulietta line.

Who would have thought making a car was so damn hard?

THE CAR

The Veloce 750F performance models went from 80 to 90 horsepower, extracted from the 1,300-cc aluminum block inline-four with better compression and a couple of Weber carbs. This cut the 0-60 by about 2 seconds and brought the top speed to 110 MPH.

Let’s talk about this matching-numbers 1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce. When this car was restored, its engine was bored out to 1,400-cc giving it even more power and drivability in modern traffic, however, taking away from its original spec.

CONDITION

This car is in great condition overall, but let’s break it down.

Exterior Highlights

Paint respray was done to extremely high standards
Chrome, trim, badges all in excellent condition
Wheels have been restored
Burgundy soft top is in like new condition

Exterior Blemishes

A few minor swirls in the paint
Windscreen has light road wear and wiper marks

Interior Highlights

Unusual burgundy upholstery in great condition
Carpets are in excellent shape
Correct rubber Alfa Romeo floor mats
Matching burgundy Alfa Romeo buckles
Clean dashboard and instrument cluster

Interior Blemishes

Steering wheel badge shows some clouding

Mechanical Highlights

Motor and engine compartment have a very high quality restoration
High attention to detail—correct Pirelli stickers and correct hose clamps
Correct Veloce intake components and airbox

Mechanical Issues

Some vibration from the drum brakes

How does it drive?

The restoration quality is best shown while being driven. The engine is tuned well and begs to revved. Gear changes are tidy and crisp, as they should be. The clutch is easy to find and allows for the Alfa style shifting we all enjoy. The chassis and suspension are tight and the car handles extremely well.

RESTORATION

This Giulietta underwent a well documented rotisserie restoration completed by well-respected Washington mechanics in the Alfa Romeo world.

Restoration timeline: 2010 – 2012

Bodywork – Daron Walker | Vintage Customs
Engine – Wes Ingram | Ingram Enterprises
Miscellaneous engine components (Veloce oil pump, carburetors, etc.) – Tom Sahines | Alfa Romeo Association

You can see the craftsmanship that went into restoring the chassis in this video.

ORIGINALITY

Since this car was a ground up restoration some of the originality is lacking. The color, while period correct, is not the original paint/color. The car was believed to be a red on black prior to it’s restoration. The interior components are also not original, but is restored to like new condition. The motor and chassis are matching numbers, however, the motor has been increased to 1400cc which is not the original spec. Generally speaking, with a restoration on a car like this retaining original components is not particularly a priority since the value lies its current condition and quality.

DOCUMENTATION

Photo documentation of the restoration
Miscellaneous other documents

OWNERSHIP TIMELINE

1958 – Imported by Max Hoffman
1967 – 1967 – Michael Shonk | Michigan
1967 – 1980 – Patrick Saddler | Michigan
1980 – 2010 – Robert Briscoe
2010 – 2010 – Richard Phillips
2010 – present – Paul Yesnosky | California

OUR THOUGHTS

It’s no secret that the demand for Giuliettas, like most post-War sports cars, has dramatically increased in recent years. What we like about the car aesthetically is it’s an earlier model 750, meaning it has a shorter wheelbase. The burgundy interior and hardtop also caught our eye, it contrasts well with the grey and is distinct.

We love a great DIY project, but let’s face it—buying a complete car is much easier, and potentially even cheaper. The restoration looks very thorough, well documented, and recent which means this is a good turnkey example for someone who just wants to get in and drive it (tastefully, of course).