Market 20: Waterloo Sprint Veloce 750E 08721

5/8/2013:  This feller has popped up for sale at Bonhams at their up coming Spa Auction.  Estimate is $53,000 – $66,000.  Probably a bit on the low side.

“‘The Alfa, in a few words then, is a small car with a rev-happy dohc engine that can carry two people from point A to point B over all types of roads quicker than most cars twice its size. It does this not with blinding speed but with a wonderful combination of roadholding, compact size and sheer willingness.’ – Car & Driver on the Giulietta Sprint.”

Five years later and no new pictures.  Thanks Jerry for pointing this sale out to me.

6/10/2008: Giulietta Sprint Veloce 750 AR1493E08721, Engine 1315*32399. Listed for sale on Classic Driverfor 31,200 GBP, or about $61,000. The ad text says it is a 1958 Confortevole but Fusi lists the chassis number range for 1958 ending with 07921 though there is a typo where the page breaks for the 1959 year information and beside the 1959 750 designation Sprint Veloce’s it says 1958. Conforevole’s end with car 06611 so its a stretch of the accepted definitions to call it one. In this condition and at this price I don’t think they added any premium for calling it a Confortevole and I doubt there is any dishonesty at work, likely just a lack of solid information combined with the usual regurgitation of hear-say.

“Perfect in all respects.” This is a car that the seller means for potential buyers to come see in person, and who in their right mind would buy a car at the absolute top of the market without viewing it in person and taking it for a spirited drive. I want to go see it just to get a better look at the sellers facilities.

This presentation is great. More museum than Classic car dealership with period pictures and statistics built into the display. You probably have to qualify to even step into the ring for a closer look.

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2012 Sprint and Sprint Veloce market review

The Sprint market is also up for 2012.  Good cars are more expensive than last year -the top cars are very expensive.  Cheap ones don’t seem to have moved much though.026[1]

Market 375 was a $2500 Sprint shell with rust.  I suppose it sold since I haven’t seen it making the rounds.

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Market 322 was Sprint 750B 08650, just the body selling for $3800.

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Market 387 was Giulia Sprint 10112*356053, selling for $8150.

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Artcurial Automobiles sur les Champs 4 – Giuliettas at auction

I can take a hint guys!  A few of you pointed me in the direction of Arcurial’s ‘Automobiles sur les Champs 4′ auction taking place in a few days where four Giuliettas will be sold.  Check it out!

Giulietta Sprint 750B 1493*03793, 1315*03496.  Nice early Sprint Normale expected to make 24,000 – 30,000 Euro’s.  Probably the good deal of the four they are offering.

A lot of effort went into this car to make it look good.  Correct 155 series tires, great fit and finish all around.  Small headlamps are a big selling point for some collectors.

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Market 436: 1956 Sprint Veloce Alleggerita 750 E 02239

Update 8/23/12: $310,000 hammer has members of the exclusive club known as ‘early lightweight Sprint Veloce owners’ all calling their insurance agent to up the agreed value, and then thinking about whether or not they really need that jewel in their jewelry box at that price.

8/11/12: Giulietta Sprint 750 E 1493*02239, 1315*30135, Bertone body number 77117.  This car will be auctioned by Russo and Steele next weekend with an expected hammer around $200,000.  With a high expected price comes high praise and/or high scrutiny.  d’Amico and Tabucchi list this chassis number as a 1956 Sprint Veloce 750E, good enough for me!  It has been magnificently restored to a semblance of ‘last raced’ specification, with lightweight seats, a lack of bumpers and other details deviating from stock.  It is doubtful it wore the Borrani wire wheels shown since -not only have I never seen a period picture of a Giulietta racer with wire wheels, they were very likely heavier than the usual Fergat or Borrani wheels due to the required extra splined hub adapter.

A lot of the ‘lightweight’ treatment was replacement of chrome-over brass parts with aluminum.  Body fits together with the typical Bertone precision.  Would be nice to see it wear it’s original, most likely lost 50 years ago aluminum bumpers.  I have read they are available -I know ClassicAlfa and Alfastop list a few of the aluminum parts, not sure if they have bumpers.

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Market 437: Sprint Veloce Alleggerita 750 E 03819

Giulietta Sprint Veloce ‘Alleggerita’ 750 E 1493*03819, 1315*30348. This 1957 Sprint Veloce is available now out of Italy. It is a good comparison with yesterdays lightweight Veloce, especially in the interior -would be a great comparison if I knew how much they were asking.  They made about 600 lightweights if my vin/body number math is sound.  Not horrifically rare as far as rare Italian cars goes, but these being very potent machines in their hey-day, frequently vanquishing their own class and placing very high outright in races against competitors with 2 or 3 times the displacement, and being constructed from lots of impossible to find special parts, they have all the cache one could want in a 50 year old Italian car.  Oh -and they are beautiful and easy to drive -even among modern traffic.

Hood fits very well.  I like the extra lights -looks like 1 fog and 1 spot.  Marchal’s?  Bumper, eyebrow trims and headlights all look like aluminum to me.  Nice car.

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Market 398: Sprint Veloce 10106 350633 in Sweden

Update 3/13/12: Henrik from Sweden has found out the vin number.  Turns out it is one of the very last Sprint Veloce’s -the last car is 350961.

Giulietta Sprint Veloce 10106 350633.  Henrik and Frank both sent me a link to this car today, listed on a Swedish site with lots of cars for sale -mostly new.  Text of the ad reads “Unique Alfa Romeo-62 in very good renovation condition. Super interior. Complete car with engine and gearbox.  One of the few Veloce in Sweden. The car has been standing since -77.” Price is 85,000 which would be about 13 000 USD.  Seller lists it as a 1962 750E, so either they are wrong about the year or model -looking at the pictures, I suspect it’s a late 10106.

One wonders if the paint was removed in 1977 or soon there after.  Body is decent and straight.  Sweden looks to have been a ‘side marker light’ country.

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Market 400 (!!): Sprint Veloce 750E 08765

Update (later the same day): I received some less than encouraging pictures of the underside of the car from someone who knew it -it’s got some structural rust that will be difficult to fix. Check it out.

This is thick, difficult to replace metal.  Will be fun for who ever gets to repair it -even more so for the check writer!

It looks like some repairs were made in this area once upon a time.

That is some thick scale rust coming off the trailing arm.  You just take it one patch at a time.

This is typically seen on Spiders. 

The rust is not the end of the world -its still a viable project and will result in a valuable car if brought to completion, but do you really want to go through all that rather than buy one that’s done?

Giulietta Sprint Veloce 750E 1493*08765, 1315*32267.  Alex texted me that this car is available now on eBay out of Florida from a seller who has listed several Alfa projects over the last few months -this is definitely their best offering to date.  Judging from the pictures it is very complete -though I did see a 105 1600 air filter canister in one picture I think, so inventory carefully before you buy.  They just keep coming.

Car looks pretty good.  I don’t think US destined cars were supposed to have side markers, but demand was high and I’m sure cars were rerouted to the US from other intended destinations.  I would drive this as is after a light clean up.

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Market 384: Sprint Veloce Zagato 1493*06184 at auction

Update 5/30/12: Sold for 414,400 Euro’s, about $546,000!

2/13/12: Giulietta Sprint Veloce ‘Zagato’ 750E 1493*06184, 1315*30851.  This very interesting SVZ is going to be auctioned by RM in Monaco soon.  While most cars I write about are straight forward subjects, and anything I say should be taken as insightful mainly due to heavy exposure to the subject if nothing else, and as being typically off the cuff.   A car like this demands careful consideration and wording.  Why?  The genuine article -a Zagato re-bodied Sprint Veloce, that was re-bodied ‘back in the day’ i.e. the late 1950′s, is a very valuable car.  See this thread on the AlfaBB for some lengthy but enjoyable reading on the subject.  Interestingly, this car is listed as MIA since 1960.  It’s important to note that there was no search party out looking for it -it just stayed under the radar since then.  So, with a spirit of caution, I start, and will reserve my comments to ‘ooh’s and ahh’s’ once more.

That is one desire-able object!  Note squared off wheel openings.  Hood is a low as they could practically make it and still fit the engine.  Color scheme is bold -red headlining is fantastic.  Any significance to that license plate number? Wheels look to be period cast wheels -magnesium?  This is pretty close to the top of the Giulietta food-chain.

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Market 376: Sprint 750E 04239 in Japan

Giulietta Sprint 750E 1493*04239, 1315*30449.  This car is listed on Antea Cars out of Japan.  I haven’t had the opportunity to write about very many lightweights, but they all seem to be this color so far.  Car is in great shape -only really lacking in the originality dept, and only minorly, but nothing a few bucks wouldn’t cure.  It is described as having been restored in Japan, which is probably a good thing.  Enthusiastic, detail oriented folks if the few genuine articles I’ve met were a representative sample.  I wonder if this car did anything race-wise back in the day…Did these have little market lights?  I like this color, but is it lighter in pictures than in person?  In the Coup Des Alps footage it’s a little darker looking  Body is in very nice shape.

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Market 357: Sprint Veloce Confortevole 06469

Update 1/15/12: This car has been loosely assembled, had new pictures taken and relisted on eBay.  Seller says to call them (Daniel, 203 778 2601), that they expect to have a strong offer for it and sell it before auctions end.  I hope it finished at auction so we get a sense of what a car like this is really worth.

Looks like a car now.  I know it needs as much work as one all apart to restore this, but I would make it run and drive with the minimum effort first, enjoy it on the road for a few years then do a gradual nut and bolt.  Too bad I don’t have a billionaire benefactor in my readership.  A wonderful book about the restoration of it could be produced.

I am assuming this is all just finger tightly assembled, but at least you can see it’s all there. -except the hood latch.  Would the hood have been stamped with the body number?

Laurence’s SVC has this color scheme interior, in original condition.  This would look amazing if just carefully put together with what you see.  Horn ring is busted.

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Market 365: Sprint Veloce racer 157435

Giulietta Sprint Veloce 10106*157435.  This car is listed on Anamera as available now out of Italy.  It’s a rough and ready racer with a spartan, uninspiring interior and lots of modifications.  Asking price is 32,500 Euro’s or $41,500 at the time of writing (as the Euro depreciates against the dollar).

I’m not much into yellow, but it works on Sprints.  Body looks pretty straight -no glaring problems.  Hood fits well and the grills all look nice.  Lots of trim is missing, but that’s just dead weight -right?  Wheels look as though they may be original Cromodora’s.

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Market 307: Don’t blink or you’ll miss 750E 06600

Giulietta Sprint Veloce ‘Confortevole’ 750E 1493*06600, 1315*31079.  This very complete and very rough and one of about 200 so very rare SVC was on eBay for all of about 2 hours before being purchased, Buy it Now for $12,000.  Seller listed the car in Columbia, SC.  Thanks Corey for pointing it out!

Pulled from what would have been a leafy death just in the nick of time.  Headlights look like original Carello units.  Hood fits great.  Door hinges work.  No evidence of rubbing noses with anyone too aggressively.  Hints of bluette paint?  A winner!

Yep -$12,000 smackeroo’s.  A good deal?  I’m going to say yes, would have been a solid deal at the $20,000+ it would have made if it had sold through the usual 7 day auction.  One of these cars hasn’t changed hands in a while -especially in project form on the open market.

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