Berlina Register Newsletter No. 43 (July 2018)
Notes
and Comment
Somehow, the older I be, the busier I do. Work on friend’s
1900CSS consumed my time til just recently, I don’t mind; I got to have a 1900
around (and a 1900 Super came in after for two months’ work). My Tiger has been
sitting while other projects take its place. I keep finding other things to do! I bought
one each of one-owner 74 Spider and 73 VW Bus. But once the VW Bus is out of
the garage I’ll get back on the Tiger. I built up a 79 Spider to go to a friend
in Georgia, I left off the smog whatnots (no smog test in GA) and had a nice
simple car. Last year I bought an 89 Mustang 5.0 five-speed to satisfy my
urge/need to drive a small-block Ford til the Tiger’s done. Well, you see, then
this 69 Berlina and this 67 GTV came along? So I sold all three Spiders and the
Mustang and bought it (see below) and, to complicate things further, an
original California GTV. Busy times but good ones.
The keeper of the Berlina Register, North American Giulia
Sedan Register, and Giulietta Sedan Register is Andrew Watry, email
watry@prodigy.net. Send corrections to
your information or any other Giulia- and Berlina-related facts, rumors, tips,
or needs. Always seeking articles for
the newsletter. The keeper of the
international Giulia Sedan Register is Barry Edmunds in Australia, email Giulia105@optusnet.com.au
Schmidt’s Tips
Giulia TI Air Filter.
Willy Schmidt from Vancouver checks in: “Air filter element for
Giulia TI with 2 bbl downdraft Solex carb and round filter
canister. NAPA PN 542157 or FIL 2157
fits correctly and works. I was looking
in many places and finally tracked this filter down as a common part for another
car (Mercedes 190) and checked the dimensions with the existing one.”
Touch-Up
Paint. Willy
again: “I was looking for some touchup paint for the inevitable stone chip etc
and other than some Humbro Navy Blue from a local hobby shop. Was having no luck
until I found Roberts Paint Care in Longueil, near Montreal. Thank you
Google as the other option I found was in New Orleans. While they did not have a listing for 1965,
they did some research and suggested the AR 343 from later years would still be
the same colour I received the paint today and it is a good match - now to wait
for some better weather for some touch ups.”
https://www.robertspaintcare.com/search-results/?y=1979&manid=98&mod
Chrome Paint. Willy: “I was looking at the
controls on the turn indicator and headlights on the Ti. The stalks are
getting a bit rough and the chrome is peeling. I found in a local hobby
shop a most interesting product. Liquid Chrome 20 years edition made by
Molotow. It comes in several widths so I got the 4mm size. The clerk showed me
a sample but said the trick was to leave it for 3-4 days and do not
touch. I just checked the headlight stalk; It looks quite good.” https://www.molotow.com/en/product-series/marker-refills/professional/”
Extreme
Race Berlina in the UK
by Philip Stader
[Learned of this car from Ian Jephcott;
thanks for putting us in touch] A little about the Berlina: 1968 1750 UK
car, which has been competing in varying forms since the late 70’s; it was
re-shelled with a Cypriot shell in the late 80’s. It was raced in road going circuit spec by
Chris Taylor and Ed McDonough at an early stage of its life (see second pic
below). It then went to The Isle of Man and was used in the Manx Classic hillclimb
for a number of years by David Turner (in those days it was red).
I purchased
in 2015 and have used it in hillclimb and sprint events in the UK since. It
currently competes in the MAC Sunrise Sprint Championship, the HSA Speed
Championship, and the Midland Speed Championship. When acquired it was in a
light hillclimb competition spec (see current-condition pic above) with a 2000 rear
axle, Alfaholics suspension and exhaust manifold its was turning out 110bhp but
we have since carried out the following:
uprated engine using Classic Alfa high compression original pistons and
race cams (secondhand, spec and make unknown). The head and inlet manifold have
been ported and Dell‘Orto 45’s added by Dave at Mech Motorsport in Cheltenham.
Window glass removed and replaced with Lexan, new Cobra driver’s seat and
up-to-date harnesses and a OHP full cage, fuel tank removed and light weight race
tank fitted, and an Alfaholics exhaust. Alfaholics 8 x 15” wheels added with
Kuhmo 225/50-15 soft tyres and set of 1969 Homologation GTA wheel arch
extensions also from Alfaholics. Recent new Classic Alfa gearbox fitted.
The work
has been carried out over the last three years by Brian Cornock of Mech Repairs
in Cheltenham and Dave Young of Mek Motorsport Rolling Road in Cheltenham. The car has been engineered bit by bit as
we’ve gone along adding and tweaking along the way. It current puts out 168bhp
at the fly wheel and is extremely drivable and quite competitive.
Berlina
Register Back in Berlina Business
Sooooooo, kind of out of the blue, I got offered a really nice Berlina in
February. And guess what, I bought it. It’s a white/red Canadian-market car,
sold new in Quebec, migrated west across Canada to BC. Then down to California
in the early 70s, owned first by a mechanic at the famed Griswold dealership in
Berkeley (he’s still at it, building engines for Patrick Ottis Ferrari), then
in 1978 he sold it to a local guy who used it for fun, not a lot of miles,
because he was busy racing the Giulia TZ he had bought in 1970. More recently,
he was clearing his garage for another acquisition, and I happened to be in the
right place at the right time. Car has had some minor rust repair and repaint
over the years, but let’s call it organically original, not restored. Driver’s
seat is recovered, rest of interior is largely original. It has its original
motor, rebuilt with Euro cams, big valves, 45 Webers, a GTA exhaust, other
mods. Driveline, suspension (has TI Super springs), and brakes have all been
kept up to snuff. Lots of records with the car, I can see what’s been done over
the years. Anything needed doing got done. Then, I fell into a set of real magnesium 14”
GTA wheels, which seemed just the thing for this car. On they went. Car is
stunning to look at and great to drive. All the white US-market Berlinas I know
of had black interior; this is the only red one I’ve seen; everyone remarks on the
combo. So happy. I rotate between my Super, Berlina, and Stepnose GTV. I can’t
keep them all forever, but for now I’m making the most of it.
Market
Report
1967
Giulia Super. Charming unrestored blue car with tan
velour interior. Sat for many years before mechanicals were comprehensively
sorted and upgraded. 2000 engine, hydraulic clutch, new springs, shocks,
brakes. Basically a 2000 under the shell with period looks. Older paint and
interior, original black plates, few owners, lived in SoCal its whole life, so
good solid shell. $33,000 BringaTrailer, Los Angeles. Big money for an
unrestored Super, but it’s kind of what everyone wants. First series car with
ATEs, upgraded brakes, suspension, engine, but it all looked stock. And not so
nice you wouldn’t use it in the real world, which is really the point anyway.
Not a bargain, but I’d call it fair. 11/17
1973
Giulia 1300 Super. Green car with tan interior, prettied
up in Europe and brought over to the US some years ago. Shiny paint started
coming undone immediately, and now it’s really erupted, rust everywhere. Very
sad but owner took it like a man/woman, was candid about the condition and
presented plenty of pics and description. Car was driveable but not used much
in the last few years. Could be made daily operable will little work. $2,700
BringaTrailer, Pensacola FL. Something
of a sad story, this car came to the US with high hopes and lived a life
visible on the AlfaBB, where you could see the rust eating through the paint in
real time. Some of these imported shiny Euro-Giulias really need a close look.
Price was going to be low, though I didn’t think it’d be this low; the rust is
very bad. Still, the running gear could be worth the price for another project;
drive it til it breaks in half. Quite a good deal, but still sad for the
seller. A cautionary tale: don’t buy without an inspection. 12/17
1969 1750 Berlina. Extremely original white car with red interior. A
Canadian-market car that came to the Bay Area early on, led a charmed life with
two loving owners. Strong engine with big valves, Euro cams, GTA headers, 45
Webers. Drivetrain good, suspension upgraded with TI Super springs, shocks,
sway bars, adjustable arms. Quite low, handles well. No real issues, seats are nearing
reupholstery but car overall is stunning. Body has repaint in some areas,
driver’s floor was replaced. No pending rust. $15,000 private sale, San
Francisco. I utterly fell into this; wasn’t looking and didn’t know it was for
sale, but the seller and I worked it out. Second-best Berlina I’ve known. Fast,
smooth, well cared for, unimpeachable history. Really a steal, like half price.
It’s what the seller wanted, and was I going to strong-arm him to take more?
No. 1/18
1969 US 1750 Berlina. Maroon car with tan interior. Decent beater-driver
with basically sound structure. Paint is shiny but worn through in areas.
Interior complete but tatty. Reported to run and drive well, money was spent on
the mechanicals, not so much on the appearance. Owned many years ago by an
idiosyncratic California Alfa racer, some mods including a support structure in
the trunk. One brake booster instead of original
two. Turbina mags. $9800 BringaTrailer, Winchester VA. Something of a low-grade frequent flyer on several
venues, changing hands but not getting used.
Sold on BaT in July 2017 for $6100, now a 50% increase; not bad. I
looked at this car when it was in California 15 years ago and passed, it needed
everything. Now that the mechanicals are good, use it and enjoy. Doing paint
and interior would be a personal choice, may or may not make economic sense.
This price surprised me a bit, I saw it as a $7500 car. High but not crazy. 2/18
1973 US 2000 Berlina. Silver car, black interior. Complete and operable,
been kicking among a couple SoCal owners for a time. Paint faded and flat,
typical rust in rear fenders, interior worn if not trashed. Largely original and unmolested, but that’s
not to say it’s a nice car. Good compression, working mechanicals, though
typically spare ebay listing gave little useful information. $5,500 ebay, Irvine CA. Ebay listings with 50
words about an old complicated car are a common thing; I can’t imagine what
sellers are thinking. Regardless, given the poor description, this listing had
good pictures and the car was driveable. Still, rear wheelwell rust in a
Berlina is a big fix if you undertake it, which this car needed. Good price for
the seller given the minimalist description. 4/18
1972 Giulia 1300 Super. Gunmetallic metallic with grey velour seats. Italian-market car brought to the US a few
years ago. Decent looking condition, has a 1600 engine, mechanicals stock, ATS
wheels, interior looks OK. VIN says it’s
a 1300 Super but car is presented as a 1600 Super with the 1.3 identification
removed. Not much difference between 1300 and 1600 in late-70s spec, but still,
it should be accurate. $13,885 BringaTrailer, Pompano Beach, FL. Lots of talk on BaT about the specification
and condition, seller didn’t respond.
BaT listed it as a “Giulia Super” but it’s a Giulia 1300 Super, a different
kettle of cuttlefish. Price low even for a 1300 Super, but who knows about the
body condition on a cheap car from Europe. Seller could have done better by
responding and being candid about its provenance. BaT should not take seller’s
word for what a car is; the VIN tells all. I’ve seen this problem on Petrolicious too.
4/18
1976 Nuova 1300 Super. Charismatic giallo
piper car with black interior, imported from NL some years ago. Rebuilt 2000,
upgraded/rebuilt drivetrain with sport suspension. About as nice as you can
imagine a Nuova. $27,000 private sale, TX. Buyer’s words: “This is
probably a strong price for a Nuova, but the car is in really nice condition,
has a rebuilt and upgraded 2L drive train and a sport suspension. Because
I did all of the upgrading on it [buyer had owned it before], I also have a
high level of confidence that wouldn't come with an unknown car in similar
overall condition.” I couldn’t agree more. My view has always been, buy the
best Giulia you can regardless of model, then build the running gear to suit
your use. Yes it’s a strong price, but the buyer could rely on the condition
throughout; there probably isn’t a better Nuova around. Fair enough. 6/18