1969 Alfa Romeo A12 Autotutto

Built in July 1969, this Autotutto was first registered in November of that year in the province of Gorizia - a small town in north-eastern Italy on the border with Slovenia.

The vehicle started life as an F12 minibus but during restoration the owner, our vendor, decided to convert it to a beaver-tail car transporter - an inspired move with an eye to potential use as an historic race support truck, or maybe just a stylish way to move a cherished classic Alfa around from show to show without adding mileage. See History Highlights for more information on the conversion.

He first saw the van on Italy’s eBay site but before he could buy it, a dealer he knew snapped it up. Luckily it transpired that the dealer changed his mind and our vendor was able to buy it from him. Having completed the conversion, he was intending to use it himself for his Alfa 145 track car but has decided to sell it to fund a business project.

Oh, and one thing worth knowing about our vendor - this is the 91st Alfa Romeo that he has owned! Around a dozen of those have been full restorations carried out by him and his full time restorer - and six have been other Autotutti models. Of those six, three have gone to collectors overseas.

The cab of the A12 is painted in a simple white, which looks well done and nicely presented with a few graphics for Lodge Racing and SPICA adding character and a nod to its potential use. A further motor racing hint are the sky blue vintage-style mechanics overalls, also marked with the same logos.

Lodge is a brand of spark plugs, named after British physicist Oliver Lodge who invented the “Lodge Igniter”, the first ever electric spark plug., while SPICA - Società Pompe Iniezione Cassani & Affini - became part of Alfa Romeo in the 1940s making fuel injection systems, spark plugs, shock absorbers and various other auto parts.

Although the front bumper is also painted white, the grille (similar to that of the contemporary Giulia Super), mirrors, door handles and trims are in chrome - as are the Alfa Romeo scripts and rear number plate light. All are in good order, although most carry a little patina in keeping with the age of the vehicle.

The Autocarro sits on 16-inch 10-hole steel wheels of the type fitted to Autotutti, which are in reasonable order with just a few blemishes. They have stainless Alfa Romeo hubcaps, more typically only seen on cars of the period but correct to the F12. The driven front wheels are fitted with Nankang tyres dating from around 2019 and the rears with older Pirelli boots. The spare is mounted on the rear of the cab.

The interior is a spartan affair, as befits a commercial vehicle, but it is in excellent condition, combining the white of the painted body with black steering wheel and engine cover and type-correct, and beautifully stitched, brown vinyl-covered seats and door trims.

The dashboard and instrument panel are similarly basic but there are some nice touches like the chrome around the dials and ventilation controls - just like those found in Alfa’s road cars.

The footwells have custom-fitted rubber matting on the floors, which are in a reasonable condition and exceptionally rare for original mats; the passenger side mat being a little cracked and worn around the edges. The cab roof has a beige headlining, which is brand new.The original ash tray has also been removed and replaced with two period dials for "Olio" and "Acqua" which is a lovely addition.

One of the advantages of a commercial vehicle - and a beaver-tail or flat-bed particularly - is that most of the chassis and undersides are on show and easily seen without ramps or lifts. The rear portion of the vehicle was modified into a car transporter during the recent restoration and appears in an excellent condition with good coverage of black anti-corrosion paint across all structures and surfaces.

The main transporter surface is a steel lattice, also painted black and there are aluminium checker plate ramps stowed underneath, which feature non-slip strips.

Also easily accessed and inspected, by removing an acoustic cover in the cab, is the engine. Again, all looks clean and well presented with just a little surface corrosion on the throttle to carburettor linkages. The electrics are also very accessible under the dash. The exhaust appears to be a stainless unit and is also in good order.

The A12 comes with a large sheaf of invoices, an original owner’s manual and the registration book from Gorizia in Italy. There is also a Certificate of Origin from Alfa Romeo Classiche giving details of its original identity and build date. The owner also has numerous photos taken during the restoration - a selection of which we have included in the gallery.

The restoration involved a full strip down and media blast of the chassis and bodywork. The vendor owns a precision blasting company so he’s got all the kit and made sure things were done properly.

As it was originally a minibus rather than car transporter, he had the chassis lengthened and both the rear of the cab and the beaver-tail section fabricated to match to a Romeo 2 Transporter that he already owned. Some other vans converted for this use have retained their original wheelbase but that limits the kind of car you can carry.

During restoration, he sourced numerous genuine parts from Italy - many of them rare NOS (new old stock) items. Examples are the bolt-on wheel trims with a specific thread to match the wheel hubs and the rubber gasket inside the small flap above the front grille for topping up the radiator. We can’t even begin to imagine where you’d start looking for such things, but from years of doing this kind of thorough restoration, he clearly has the right contacts.

The vehicle is not yet registered with DVLA but it has completed the NOVA process, so is ready for registration if it is to remain in the UK.

This unusual Alfa Romeo commercial vehicle has been tastefully converted to a car transporter and restored to an outstanding condition, both aesthetically and mechanically. It is said to run and drive as well as it ever did - possibly better thanks to the uprated head and larger carburettor; an authentic modification often done in period.

So, who should be bidding on this? You’ve maybe got an historic Alfa Romeo race car that you’d like to transport to the track in period style. Or perhaps a classic Alfa that you want to keep the motorway miles off but still show when you get to a new location. Or possibly you’re just a sucker for unusual light commercial vehicles and fancy something with Italian flair to add to the collection.

There are very few original A12 car transporters in the UK - possibly only two or three - so creating one from a not-quite-so-rare Furgone is no bad thing. We think this recently completed one will sell for between £30,000 and £40,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located near Bridgnorth in Shropshire; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.