1964 | Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider

This is an incredibly special home market UK Alfa Romeo Guilia Spider, it has been fully rebuilt to an exceptional standard, the bodyshell is outstanding with a body colour underside, but adding to the quality of its rebuild and condition, is the fact this classic Alfa is a superb option for reliable long distance touring as a mechanically top class car with proven history. Further to this, the Alfa is also ideal for road rallies, historic racing and has the provenance of FIA paperwork and a racing history in the UK and on the Continent for over 30 years. Whilst the car presents as though it was restored very recently, the story with the car goes back to 1987 when it was purchased as a joint venture with a plan to prepare the car for European rallies, the first one being the 4th Coppa D ’Italia. In 1987 it had been left garaged for a number of years with little use and had a certified mileage of 52,000.The car was delivered to Jon Dooley of Brookside Garage, a British Alfa Romeo Racing Driver and aficionado. The Alfa was then prepared to Veloce spec (as designated by the factory for RHD Guilia Spiders), registered for FIA and HSCC papers and then entered for the Coppa D’Italia. The Alfa was then driven to Padova, the car finished 33rd out of 150 original starters and then driven back from Italy to the UK.

From 1988 onwards the car competed in seven full seasons racing with the HSCC, the car was a class winner many times and class Championship winner and runner up on several occasions. It returned to Italy for the 5th and 6th Coppa D'Italia, and also the Giro Dell' Umbria, and then entered several AROC historic races and competed in the Rallye des Pyrenees. The development of the car was ongoing, and each racing season the engine was rebuilt - twin DCOE 45 carbs mounted on a standard 1600 block, the head gas flowed and re-profiled with appropriate uprating of springs and valves. The spec included special pistons and con rods, steel crank, fast road, high lift, long dwell camshafts ensuring a quick, impressive engine. The sump is a very expensive stainless steel aluminium finned sump, and oil cooler added with huge benefits, a lightened flywheel and clutch parts fitted and mechanical pump as per the regulations is in place. Over the various events, various trial suspension changes were made, with uprated front and rear springs being the option, and an effective anti-roll bar and a ZF LSD fitted which enhances handling enormously, especially on hill climbs. There is also a hard top which gave its owner an increased feeling of security on the various events. Its long term owner summed the car up as a great historic circuit race vehicle, is ideal for hill climbs, eligible for many FIA and non FIA overseas events and comfortable for rally events with many years of historic racing under its belt.

Having spent the late 1980's and 1990's travelling across Europe, by the early 2000's the car was ready for another program of major work. A Buckinghamshire based Design and Engineering firm were entrusted with handling a light restoration that included a full engine rebuild, gearbox rebuild, general mechanical re-commissioning and a full re-paint ahead of 2006 when it was back on the scene with various historic events at circuits to include Spa, Silverstone and Brands Hatch. In more recent years, the Alfa has been more a road car, and adding to the thousands of pounds worth of expenditure in the early 2000's, around £4000 was spent softening the car up for road use including new springs, road tyres, road brakes, overmats/carpets and expensive Zagato style seats. The race seats are still with the car and included in the sale.

The car today is in exceptional condition and mechanically outstanding. The more recent engine rebuild included new sleeves, high competition pistons and rings, re-ground steel crank, lightweight rods, new oil pump, all new bearings and seals, Colombo hi lift GTA 12mm cams and the head flowed, polished and rebuilt with unleaded conversion. The gearbox was rebuilt, a new clutch with lightweight alloy flywheel fitted, and the car just feels incredible and fantastic fun on the road. The car presents beautiful with excellent paintwork on a superbly straight, top quality bodyshell. The interior is clean, sharp and under the bonnet and boot compartment the same. The underside is superb, and with corrosion being one of the main weaknesses for these Alfa's, its great to see one at this very high standard structurally. The car is exciting to drive, its quick with lots of power and is ideal for long distance tours, historic rallies and events. Thousands of pounds have been spent on this stunning car, and it comes with an two large folders of history with photos, magazine articles, maintenance and restoration invoices, and historic rally events information and results. 7799 FM has so many selling points, and is truly a multi-purpose classic car that can be simply enjoyed on a weekend, used for overseas touring, but also offers a great opportunity for the historic rally and race scene.