Giulia Sprint Veloce Zagato 1493*04458, Engine 1315*30640. This car is available right now out of Japan. The asking price is 120,000 British Pounds which is approximately $180,000. There are some unresolved ‘issues’ around this serial number so do I dare write about this car? Why not… It’s on the public market after all. I welcome informed comments on this car since the wording of the advertisement is puzzling and the background of the car is not explained.

The SVZ is to many the ultimate Giulietta. In a lot of cases Sprint Veloce Lightweight wreckage lives under the handsome Zagato body and all were produced on a case by case basis making them more of a defacto family than a true model. These were purpose built racers with further lightened, aerodynamic bodywork and in most cases highly tuned engines, the ‘Conrero Special’ being the most well known.

Bodywork looks nice, approximately correct for an SVZ. I say that because most SVZ’s have been ‘restored’ by now and since these cars spent years as inexpensive competitive race cars, restoration usually means at least partial rebody. This car enjoys both the features SVZ brings to mind to the Alfa enthusiast; the double bubble roof and covered headlights.

Does this car look slightly asymmetric to you? Look at the aeroplane trunk lock, roof and rear window carefully. I would consider this appropriate in original bodywork but this car has been at least partially rebodied and I would think care would be taken to make it symmetrical by the craftsmen responsible for the work as most people nowadays are used to symmetry.

Here is a picture of the car at a shop in Japan getting a little attention either before or after an event. Note that the aluminum framed passenger window rolls down. Are those stock wheels or alloy? Thanks to Tiger for putting this picture on the AlfaBB ‘Complete SVZ’ thread.This would be a great picture if it wasn’t for the clutter in the backgound. Fisheye makes the hood look long. Note the elastic catches at the corners of the hood. Another picture by Tiger.

Ad reads: “it is my Alfa romeo SVZ original. I keep it carefully.
if you are interesed in this car,please contact me.
i can sent photo.
I bought a car from the team called the alpha racing. I forgot the name of the race, but was famous in Italy.
I do not register the number in Japan.
I ran for several times at a circuit.
Off course from when I bought, full original condition. but too old car A carburetor is a thing of the those days. Too old carburetor, but very good condition original.
This car is only one of them in Japan.
The same car which I watched has watched a car exhibited in the art museum of the Italian alpha.
It was said by the team unless only definite approximately 30 of them were made.
I hope price
about 120000pound (18,000,000yen) (1pound=150yen)
include shipping cost and car transport my home to
port. And into container.

1957年 AR1493-04458 engine Motor 1315-30640″

More questions than answers here. Elsewhere the seller states it is a 1968 or has something to do with 1968. Perhaps it was rebodied and ‘restored’ to some extent in 1968? Perhaps a lot of things. Homework to do before the check is written. It is known that SVA 04347 had engine 1315*30526, 04447 had engine 1315*30528 and 04547 had 1315*30622 so the quoted numbers make perfect sense for an SVA of this vintage. Too bad there are no pictures of these numbers as found on this car to compare stamp fonts, boss backgrounds etc. I have no idea what #24180 means, mileage? Italian plate number?

If this was a regular Sprint one would want to inspect the closed rockers for rust etc, especially considering they should be ‘open’ but on a car like this it’s tough to judge what’s going on through here as this is where steel and aluminum meet.

Dash looks good. I didn’t know these seats folded forward. Car has two switch arms coming out of the steering column. Is that a hand above the passenger seat? Third of three pictures by Tiger.

The seats and steering wheel seen here are two more signature Zagato items normally associated with SVZ’s or SZ’s. The vinyl on the seats looks at least 20 years old. Look at that dainty door catch.

Guess what a search on ‘Barbi Alfa’ turned up on Google (even google.it). Intake manifold and 40DCO3′s are consistent with 750 series Veloce engine. This all looks very ‘old’ to me and what I would expect from an old race car that has been well used.

Italian language gauges are also consistent with this cars history. Not sure about the red rings. I know SZ’s used larger Jaeger chronometric tachometers in the center, I think an original SVZ would retain the stock tach, but if the car was raced into the SZ era it may have gained the SZ unit.

And here might be our subject in its youth. Note the wiper arms are reversed from the first picture above. Are they on? The other 04458 has wipers opposite this as well.

Now the fun begins. A white SVZ identified as 04458 lives in Florida. A fairly comprehensive description of it can be found here. It looks like convincing proof of claim to the vin number 04458 but I have to point out (here I prepare for inevitable nasty email) that that website could be titled ‘Perfect SVZ 04458 replica‘ and the descriptions and documentation would have the same meaning. The fact that all that documentation exists doesn’t mean one bit that that car is 04458. Put pictures of this car on that website and you have just as convincing an argument. I want to see long term provenance for one of these cars dating from the time before 04458 was a sought after commodity. I want to see the race damaged bodywork cast aside when the rebody happened for either of these cars. In my opinion the existence of two 04458′s is not too troubling, I mean, who knows, maybe 04458 was in an accident, during repairs the car got cut apart and the damaged body became the basis for one and the frame for another. Without original bodywork (neither appears the same as period photos of 04458) both are basically replicas, although one MIGHT have the original engine and pan. Does one having been a Sprint Veloce and the other a regular Sprint or Spider make one more valuable? Here is a brief discussion from the AlfaBB about 04458.

Okay, here I am at the end of my write-up and I haven’t expressed my very amateur opinion about the authenticity of this car in Japan. These are my observations I should mention upon which I base my opinion. First, the very thoroughness and assumptive language etc of website about the white Florida car gives me alarm bells. Why go to such lengths ($$$$$$$$$$$) to prove your car is the real one and yet have no jury convictable proof? Second, for all the high res pictures etc on that website there isn’t a single clear picture of either the vin on the firewall or the engine number. My gut tells me the yellow car is more likely original. When I say ‘more likely’ I mean 65% chance of being the original.

If this is the real SVZ 04458 I reckon $180,000 is somewhat of a bargain compared to ‘SS 00001′, the Prince of Sweden SVA and even the usual $250K SZ. What would it cost to make a good SVZ from scratch? I dunno, you need a donor chassis that is worth your effort (not rusty) so a minimum of $10,000. You need a numbered Veloce engine or blank block and all parts $15,000. You need all the trim, windows and interior $15,000. You need a hand built aluminum body $15,000. You need a bunch of hourly expertise, $30,000 at least. There you have it. $85,000 for a replica, $180,000 for an original.

Cool cars these SVZ’s, but you have to do your homework and do it well and don’t believe anything anyone tells you. Get pictures, get letters, get welds analysed, use your common sense and above all buy the car because it’s a car you could live with after finding out it’s not quite what you thought it was.