Italian Fastback: 1976 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT
Despite having made approximately 400,000 examples over a sixteen-year period, when was the last time you’ve seen an Alfa-Romeo Alfetta GT? Months? Years? Decades? Same here, more towards the decades’ side of the equation. The seller has this 1976 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT posted here on craigslist somewhere in “South Jersey” (they don’t list a city) and they’re asking $12,000. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Gunter K. for sending in this tip!
This is a really beautiful and interesting design being the fastback coupe version of the Alfetta four-door sedan known as the Alfetta GT. The Alfetta sedan was introduced in 1972 and the GT came two years later. The unique roofline gives backseat passengers somewhat adequate headroom, although, at 6′-5″ tall I don’t know if I’d fit back there. Italdesign’s Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the GT.
I think this is a gorgeous car, styling-wise, and this example also appears to be in decent condition. The seller heavily emphasizes that this car is an “EXCELLENT ORIGINAL EXAMPLE!!!” but then they go on to say that it had “minimal rust around the windshield and rear window that has all been cut out and replaced with metal. (Have pics.) Paint match not perfect, but good.” Maybe they mean original color. It was reportedly purchased from California in the 1980s and then “garaged”.
The interior appears to be in good condition, the seats especially. We don’t see a full view of the back seating area but the front seats look almost perfect. There will be some bodywork to take care of when the next owner trailers this car home. The seller says that it will need to be towed, it needs tires, a water pump, and one front shock is broken. The dash layout is really interesting with most gauges being in the center in a separate pod from the speedometer which is centered on the steering wheel.
The seller says that it’s a 1.8L engine which would have had around 120 horsepower. This car has had a lot of work done, including a new Ansa exhaust, rebuilt brake and clutch hydraulics, the prop-shaft center support and bearing have been redone, and the radiator has been re-cored. Hagerty is at $5,600 for a #4 fair condition car and $9,400 for a #3 good condition car, as a general reference. Have any of you owned an Alfetta GT?
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Comments
It says “germantown” in the craigslist header.
That’s actually the tach in front of the steering wheel; speedo is in the center gauge cluster.
Interesting to note the wing windows in the front doors apparently open, via the knob above the main window crank; I’m pretty sure they made those panes fixed by the later GTV6 revisions.
Yeah, my first thought when I saw this on here was: “Where’s that doofus commenter who frequents this site and always complains about the fixed quarter windows on late 20th century cars as ‘fake vent windows’ or something? I hope nobody tells him that Alfa eventually followed the industry trend and eliminated the opening feature circa 1980!”
I had a couple. First all are 2 liters, the usa didn’t get anything else.
This is a #4 car at best, too many flaws.
Driving them is ok, but not really my favorites. Not as tossable as a 105 and not as butch as the later one with a V6.
I vividly remember the first time that I drove one; I was taking it to another town and, in between, there were twisty roads. What felt awkward and a bit offset (like Minis) all made sense when cracking on.
One of these showed up to race in the Mini Stock division at out local track back in the early 1990s . Most of the cars were Fox body Mustangs, with a few Pintos ,200sx, and Celicas in the mix. The Alpha absolutely dominated the field! Always starting in the back of a 24 car field, it easily made it to the front every week. The next year the track outlawed them from the division
WOW!… If you cant beat ’em…. BAN ‘EM!!…. Right!? I mean, why should all the lesser cars have to feel like the mediocre machines that they are!?
I’ve got a parts car identical to that one. 75 with the 2 liter as well as a 79 Sprint Veloce. Nice balanced cars. Solid design. Rust and 2nd gear synchros are the only real weak points but neither stops then. 12k is a little high for a non runner.
There are many reasons why you don’t see any around !
In canada they all rusted quickly and had many electrical gremlins because of cheap wiring /cheap components /no protection on wiring to only name a few
I am sure others can add their comments
They were all sent to the graveyards
Hard to find a ’76 with so little rust – later ones had better rust prevention. Lovely candidate to bring back to life.
When these cars were first brought to North America I thought the design was awkward. Some 40 years later it looks good to me. I would like to have this car but I believe the ask for this is optimistic. Maybe to the right person but it’s not me.
Could always make it into a group 2 rally car: https://www.ruotedasogno.com/en_gb/cars/1975-alfa-romeo-alfetta-gt-gr-2-ex-chicco-svizzero.html
I drove one when they first came to the states. I likes the drive train but was not impressed with the handling. (I had an older Alfa Sedan at the time) I later drove that had been lowered and “sport setting” and shocks installed. (Bilsteins I believe) WHAT A DIFFERENCE! It was fun to drive and I always liked the body style. I ran across a non-rusty roller (no engine) a few years ago that I thought would make a really cool mid-engine conversion as there was lots of room behind the front seats. But it just never came together.
I had a red one back in the eighties along with a spider. With some tweaks to the suspension to get the ride height back to euro specs and some exhaust mods, they were fun to drive. I am actually searching for another but with the sweeter Buso V6. Unfortunately these have skyrocketed in pricing and those that didn’t get consumed by the tin worms are tucked away into collections.
Note that this is 1.8 Alfetta GT, the first Alfetta coupe, not a GTV. As such it is very rare, very few survivors and some trim pieces ( door cards) are unique to this model. So a good interior is very important.
Remove bumpers or replace with EURO items to regain the true elegance of the shape.
Although interesting and desirable, $12000 is too much to ask.