1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The Alfa Romeo we offer is a finely restored Giulietta Berlina built in 1955, chassis n. AR148800440 and engine code AR1315. This Giulietta is powered by a, for the time, very modern 4-cylinder DOHC engine with a capacity of 1290cc and fuelled by a Solex 32BIC carburettor and with a power output of 50hp, more than enough for a car that sports a dry weight of barely 870kg. The suspension setup consists of a front double a-arms with a sway bar arrangement while a live axle beam with hydraulic dampers takes care of the rear. This car features very simple lines that look like an evolution of those found on the 1900 which make it a car that's as beautiful to stare at as it is to drive, perhaps while thinking with a bit of nostalgia about the little industrial evolution Italy was undergoing at the time.

This Giulietta's bodywork is in great shape and rust free. Its delicate celeste azure paintjob, which appears to be defect free, is very well accented by the chrome trims like the front triangular shield, both bumpers and the other trim details that surround the front split grille. The chrome on this car is shiny and still mirror finished, the bumpers are scratch free and the hub caps were surprisingly left unscathed by road debris and aptly complement the aluminium-grey steel wheels. Both the front and tail lights are well preserved and in full working order, while the door handles, the side mirror and the windshield's trim are in line with the quality of this restoration and so are the vivid orange side indicators, which are curiously housed on the front fender and yet close to the front doors. Even the little chrome caps that protect them from accidental damage look stunning! The bodywork is well aligned and the door gaps are correctly spaced, especially considering the production quality of the time.

The car we offer features a striped, grey upholstery that's in excellent shape. Both the front and rear benches are well upholstered and clean. The fabric is free of wear marks and cuts while the padding still does its job and the various accents like the chrome ashtray and the passengers' handles, which are made of plastic show no cracks unlike many other Giulietta’s which were poorly cared for. The door cards, which curiously come in a green-grey colour combo are in good conditions and present no apparent wear marks aside from some minor stains and dirt on their integrated armrests (an issue that's very easy to address). The pockets still tightly adhere to the door cards and the door handles and window lifters, again finished in chrome, fit very well with the overall colour theme. The carpet, which is green and covered by striped, green-black floor mats, is well fitted, very clean and free of wear marks. The headliner, in grey, just like the visors, follows the roof's contours very well and again shows no signs of wear or stains. The lonely interior light, chromed like rest of this car's trim, is well preserved and is a welcome accent on this plain headliner.

The dashboard, which reads 97844km, is semi-elliptical in shape with the tachometer's generous digits that bottom out at 140km\h and a fuel level indicator and an oil temperature gauge sitting on either side of the assembly. The instrument cluster is well preserved despite showing some minor age-related yellowing. The same can be said about the rest of the switches: well preserved for being 67 years young but clearly never restored or replaced. The black steering wheel, made of Bakelite, is of a two spoke design with white accents and a smaller chrome ring that acts as a horn switch. The golden emblem proudly spells the model's name other than showing the traditional Alfa Romeo badge. The teal leather-faux leather dashboard cover is scratch and cut free but could benefit from a light clean-up. The luggage compartment, in the rear trunk, lacks the carpet but is extremely well preserved. On the right, tightly held by a beautiful leather strap, vertically sits an equally well restored spare tyre.

From a mechanical side this Giulietta Berlina was restored equally well and thoroughly. The engine bay, which is extremely clean and full of recently replaced components, is in great condition. The small water cooled, dohc 4-cylinder engine that features hemispherical combustion chambers similar to those found on the Alfa Romeo 1900, runs well and shows no signs of oil leaks. All the hoses and pipes were recently replaced, just like the distributor and the oil insulated Klitz coil. The radiator and the IPRA heat exchanger, still with its original plate, work egregiously well and show no signs of leaks. What's truly surprising about this engine bay is the attention to detail many restoration projects often skip on. Many plates, stickers and even the hose clamps are of the same specs and shape as the OEM products from almost 70 years ago and in like-new conditions. The chassis, which we'd like to point out is of a monocoque design, is well preserved and only shows minor stone chips. The little rust it has is barely superficial and kept to a minimum, emerging only where the paint is chipped. The rest of the drivetrain, like the 4 gears + reverse gearbox, the rear beam axle and the suspension components are in excellent condition and accurately repainted. Neither the gearbox nor the rear differential show signs of oil leaks and most bushings and rod ends were replaced and currently sit in almost new conditions. The same can be said about the dampers which look shiny and present no evident wear marks or leaks. The exhaust was recently replaced and it shows since it's both ding and rust free just like the freshly repainted (in gloss black) fuel tank.

The gearbox linkage, just like the handbrake's, further shows how meticulous this restoration has been, with attention to detail overflowing from the visible engine bay to the invisible but yet still essential components. The drum brakes work as intended and shouldn't need any maintenance.

Built in Milan, in 1955, and registered in the same year with chassis n. AR1488 00440, this Giulietta Berlina seems to be amongst the first 500 to be manufactured. Its dashboard currently reads 97844km, with a likely last service performed in 2018, when it had allegedly covered 97533km according to a tally tied to the brake master cylinder. The car comes with its registration papers, at the time named "Licenza di circolazione per autovettura" dated 27/10/1955 and with its "foglio complementare". On top of those essential documents, there's also the certificate of historic relevance issued by A.S.I in 2019.

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Berlina, largely based on its sportier coupé sister, the "Sprint", is a testament to Italy's post war industrial efforts and an automotive icon. This particular car, which is undoubtedly well kept, is a great mix between a full restoration and an equally relevant preservation. Most wear items have been recently replaced with period-correct analogues and the bodywork is finely resprayed. The interior almost looks brand new as well and even the very simple dashboard, despite showing some signs of aging, serves as a memento to how in depth this car has been restored.

Price estimate for this Alfa Romeo Giulietta: € 26.000 - € 36.000

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in the province of Padua, Italy. 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”.