1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super Euro-Spec ($35,000)

May 14, 2018

Written by Andrew Golseth

Location: San Diego, California
Chassis: 456012
Engine: 1.6-Liter Twin-Cam Inline Four-Cylinder
Transmission: Five-Speed Manual
Mileage: 35,293 shown
Color: Beige Cava | Dark Red Vinyl

PRICE: $35,000

THE CAR

Police, villains, and baddies of movies have been chasing protagonists for decades in the Giulia Super. From The Italian Job to and countless Italian films, Alfas 4-door sedan is one of history’s all time favorite pursuit vehicles. Now, you can attempt to spoil a getaway with this Euro-spec 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super. Finished in the very ’60s Beige Cava on red interior, this example is believed to still have its original 1.6-liter twin cam engine (record keeping in Italy back then wasn’t exactly great) and is still very original throughout with a few upgrades including the 15-inch Alfaholics GTA alloy wheels which give the car a badass stance.

The engine runs beautifully and the five-speed transmission shifts without the common second gear synchro issue. The four-wheel disc brakes offer excellent bite and stopping power. The suspension has been slightly adjusted, marginally lowering the ride height, which complements the 15×7-inch Alfaholics GTA style alloy wheels.

EXTERIOR

Body – The car is believed to have all of its original panels, which remain very straight with good panel gaps and no corrosion to note. Alfisti will tell you that any Tipo 105 model retaining all of its original body panels is extremely hard to come by, as these cars were notoriously prone to rust, especially in the rockers.

Paint – This car was originally painted beige, but has seen at least one professional respray since it left the factory. The paint presents very well and the lighter Beige Cava suits the cars curious shape.

Glass – The glass is believed to be all-original to the car with no major etching, scratches, or cracks to note.

Wheels – The narrow factory steel wheel was swapped out for a more aggressive 15×7-inch all-aluminum GTA style wheel which fill out the side profile perfectly. UK-based Alfa specialists Alfaholics specifically cast the original 14-inch GTA model wheel in 15-inch specification to accommodate more modern tread options.

INTERIOR

Steering Wheel – The correct Super model three-spoke steering wheel is in place and in excellent condition with no cracking around the rim.

Dashboard & Instrumentation – The original twin-binnacle Super dash is in very good condition and retains its correct gauge layout. All instruments function correctly.

Seats, Trim & Carpets – The dark red vinyl seat covers are free of tears and are in overall great condition and actually quite comfortable. They are believed to be original minus the added seat belts. The headliner is original as you can see from the pictures with signs of age and discoloration almost always found in Alfas of this era.

MECHANICAL

Engine – The correct 1.6-liter twin-cam dual Weber 40DCOE carbureted inline four-cylinder is believed to be the original unit fitted to this car. The engine recently received a light service including new spark plugs, oil change and tune.

Original Motor: Believed to be.

Engine Number: Available upon request.

The Drive: The engine idles and revs beautifully, offering ample power with the induction bark these soulful engines are known for. Your right foot becomes the conductor of an Italian symphony.

Transmission – The correct five-speed manual transmission is believed to be the original unit fitted to this car.

Original Transmission: Believed to be.

Gearbox Number: Available upon request.

The Drive: The gearbox is very smooth with no grinding issues to report. Shifting the Giulia Super has all the pleasures of the sportier GTVs and Giuliettas.

ORIGINALITY

Aside from the adjusted ride height and upgraded 15-inch Alfaholics GTA style wheels, this car remains highly original and could be returned to stock with minimal effort and expense. That said, the car currently sits perfectly for improved handling performance without loss of comfort. The very clean interior is believed to be entirely original and the body is believed to be entirely original as well, with the exception of a factory-correct color respray, which remains in exceptional condition.

MARKET OBSERVATIONS

1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super – Bring-A-Trailer | February 2017 for $28,000 w/o premium – Red/Black vinyl with 104K miles, single family ownership.

1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super – Bring-A-Trailer | November 2017 for $31,500 w/o premium – Bluette/Tan velour with 53K miles, four owner car.

1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super – Bring-A-Trailer | April 2017 for $33,000 w/o premium – Medium Metallic Grey/Italian leather with 89K miles, recently-completed restoration.

1969 Alfa Romeo Giulia Super – Artcurial Motorcars Auction | November 2017 for $42,645 with premium – Green/Biscuit leather with 93,221 KM.

OUR THOUGHTS

Turnkey For The Right Price – This example has already been sorted mechanically and still has much of its original patina. Alfas interiors are quite easy to over-restore detracting from the experience of sitting in what’s effectively an ‘old car’, and you get a nice of a reliable drivetrain with time capsule interior.

Be Different – The Giulia Super is not the obvious choice, but it is the tasteful one. It’s a little box of charm that can hold its ground at any cars & coffee, and the European-spec makes it just that much cooler.

Great Colors – We’re convinced these cars are great regardless of color scheme, but beige over dark red is a bold and beautiful combination that just looks damn good.

MEET THE SELLER

This car is for sale by a private seller in San Diego, CA.

MORE ABOUT THE MODEL

Lead A Double Life: The Original Super Saloon

While BMW fanatics will happily drone on about how the E28 M5 was the first true super saloon, the fact is Alfa Romeo beat the Bavarians to that title by nearly two decades. The Giulia (Tipo 105), with its stylish but unassuming looks, was an honest sedan with enough headroom for four full-grown adults. Despite its boxy build, the Giulia famously slipped through wind tunnel testing with an alarmingly low .34 drag coefficient. While that might sound like some arbitrary figure, for comparison’s sake, the Ferrari 458 Italia’s drag coefficient is .33!

But its awesome aerodynamic achievement wasn’t the Giulia’s only trick. A peek under the bonnet reveals a twin-cam 1.6-liter dual-carbureted twin-cam four-cylinder lending all 105 horsepower command through a five-speed manual transmission, all powered to the rear wheels, of course. The small but surprisingly spacious saloon also deserves praise for what’s beneath the charming good looks—a strong but simple chassis construction equated to at a mere 1,000 kilograms (2,200 lbs) overall weight.

The later Super model, like the one offered here, was the top-of-the-line road-going performance iteration. The Tipo 105.26 (Super chassis code) was introduced at the 1965 Geneva Motor Show. The Super essentially translated the race spec “Super TI” into a more livable streetcar. The 1,570cc engine was fitted with twin Weber 40DCOE carbs, a new twin-binnacle dash was equipped, a sportier steering wheel was mounted, and four-wheel disc brakes came standard. Naturally, this sporting trim level proved to be the most popular Giulia specification, inspiring one of Alfa Romeo’s greatest marketing tags: “Lead a Double Life.”

With Alfa Romeo’s return to the North American market, the Giulia name has also been resurrected. Much like the Giulia of 2018, the original Giulia Super is a true performer that mastered the “one car to do it all” mantra. Whether it’s taking the family out for a picnic or blasting through the canyons on an early Sunday morning drive, the Giulia Super is one of Alfa Romeo’s greatest, most charismatic, and unique hallmarks lining the marque’s impressive history.

DESIGN

While the overall shape of the original Alfa Romeo Giulia’s profile appears pretty standard for a saloon of the ‘60s, in typical Italian fashion it’s within the details that really make these sedans stand out from their competitors. The traditional three-box shape is simple, but has enough unique touches to enamor aesthetic enthusiasts for hours.

The front grille, stretching across fender-to-fender, incorporates two large primary lights at the very edges with smaller high beam lamps inset. The simple horizontal slat-lined center grille sits flush with the hood line and front fascia, which makes the signature shield-shaped “heart” grille really stand out at the forefront. The fenders canter down inwards towards the hood shut line, giving the front an aggressive “dug in” look, while starting at the very front top corners, a distinct cut away line carries across the fenders, through the doors and quarters, vanishing at the end of the quarters, giving the shoulder line a chiseled look.

This full body length shoulder line is mimicked along the sides of the roof, again giving the otherwise minimally-styled sedan added strength. Thin pillars support a wide wrap-around front windshield and the rear glass has a distinct roof overhang, almost like a reverse, upside-down “hofmeister kink.” The fuselage is accented with thin body-hugging bumpers, minimal brightwork around the window frames, and a simple stamp-pressed strengthening bodyline that starts mid-fender and carries through the doors, giving the rear fender arches a flat-top finish.

All of these details, in-sync with the body-to-greenhouse glass balance, makes for a simple but stylish overall vibe. Much like the super saloons to follow in its footsteps, the Giulia Super manages to fly under the radar while somehow still feeling undeniably special, well built, brilliantly detailed, and timelessly cool.