1964 Alfa Romeo GIULIA TI

An early, left-hand-drive Giulia 1.6 TI with the desirable horizontal speedometer, the vendor has owned the car for just over a year. Originally sold in Italy, it moved to Finland in the early 1990's where it was restored and built as a rally car for use on snow and ice, it had been gently used over the years to compete in a handful of events. It is also believed to have formed part of a car collection, although details on this are sparse.

Recently imported after being purchased from a dealer over there, the owner had intended to convert it from a rally car into a race car, something he’d previously done with a Ford Anglia. However, his plans have changed and after fettling it to get it through an MOT eighteen months ago and then using it for just two track days at Castle Coombe, he’s decided to offer it for sale as it is now sitting in his garage gathering dust.

Believed to be built to Appendix K regulations, coming with a valid FIA Historic Technical Passport, it could either be used as it is as an historic rally car, or simply converted for racing purposes. Or, you could just enjoy it as a fast road car that would also be incredibly good fun on the odd track day or hillclimb.

The paintwork on the car is good, but not perfect. There are a few blemishes and stonechips and the odd bubble, which is a shame because the rest isn’t too bad at all for an older respray. The matt black bonnet is painted, while the chequered roof is vinyl. Both would be easy to change back to the metallic silver finish of the rest of the coachwork.

The car required a new sill and some localised welding to gain its MOT (which has since expired) in July 2017. This work was professionally carried out by Protech Engineering of Wallingford. The repairs were blended in, and the result is a strong and solid base for whatever purposes the car finds itself being used for in the future.

The chromework is in good condition, too. Front and rear towing/recovery points are fitted, as are auxiliary boot and bonnet latches as well as twin clips to keep the rear screen in place during even the most extreme ice driving. 

Oh, and it’s got steel wheels, for the win! And, as you’d expect of a car that has been as carefully prepared as this, the tyres are quality Hankook items. It will also be supplied with a second set of black wheels, fitted with semi-slick Toyo tarmac tyres.

If it were ours, we’d be tempted to source a good secondhand bonnet to replace the original, which is a little battered on one rear corner. We have looked over the car and agree with the vendor that the car is solid overall and just suffering from some minor cosmetic blemishes - it is a race car afterall....

The interior has been stripped out in keeping with the car’s previous role. Two red Momo Corse bucket seats keep the driver and navigator firmly in place, aided-and-abetted by the six-point TRS harnesses; they might be a bit of a pain on the weekly shopping run but they grip like a hungry anaconda and are exactly what you need when you’re throwing the car around on a frozen lake. (Both are out of date for competition purposes, though.)

A full rollcage completes the interior safety accoutrements, as does a battery cut-off switch, which is fitted between the seats for ready access by either party. A second external cut-out switch is fitted on the nearside bonnet scuttle. 

The navigator also has the benefit of a map-reading light and a substantial alloy footrest, while the driver has a patinated suede, three-spoke steering wheel.

A variety of period, aftermarket switches have been fitted in the dashboard, as has a first aid kit and fire extinguisher in the rear. The quality of the conversion from a road car into a competition car can be gauged by the details: the neatness of the wiring going to the auxiliary fuse boxes, for example, or the extra gauges for water temperature and oil pressure, both of which are genuine Alfa Romeo items. 

The seller tells us that everything in the cabin works.

With its straight-cut gearbox (complete with lowered ratios), and mildly modified engine (which pushes out a verified 120bhp at 6,730rpm), this is the sort of car that that feels like it’s flying at only modest speeds. And therein lies the appeal of this charming little Alfa; it’s powerful enough to be fun, but not so powerful that you’re going to land yourself in the sort of trouble that means bankruptcy threatening bills. 

The engine is protected by a sump guard, should you want to go rallying again, and the engine bay itself is very clean and tidy. Twin-fuel pumps reside in the boot, controlled by separate switches in the cabin. The Bosch battery is recent.

Starting the Alfa is as easy as turning on the cut-out switch, prodding the throttle a couple of times to get the juices flowing, and then pressing the starter button. It starts well and quickly settles into an even tickover with a lovely throaty burble to the exhaust note. 

It revs well and drives even better, showing good oil pressure. It really is a magnificent little thing to thread along twisty country lanes where it feels so much faster than it actually is. You can drive it flat-out almost everywhere, with a smile on your face and the gearbox howling alongside you. The owner describes it as “up and together”, which we think sums up the car’s build and dynamic ability perfectly.

A box of bits and bobs will be included, including a spare bell housing.

The history file contains a number of items from its time in Italy and Finland, plus its FIA Historic Technical Passport for both racing and rallying, which is valid until the end of 2025. The car will also come with a two-part service, repair and parts manual in Alfa Romeo-branded lever arch files.

Other than that, the car comes with little in the way of paperwork, so potential bidders will want to inspect our photos carefully and may want to come and see the car for themselves as you’ll be bidding on its current condition rather than being able to rely on a thick stack of old bills and invoices.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork.

As a relatively cheap fast road and weekend competition car, this lovely little Alfa Romeo Giulia TI will take some beating. It’s beautiful, and beautifully balanced and the model is both fast, and fast gaining an enthusiastic following, which bodes well for future values. And, it looks the part too, which is, though we might try and deny it, a large part of any competition car’s appeal…

It’ll be fairly cheap, too. We think that it’ll make between £12,000 and £16,000, which is good value, and a much more interesting way of keeping your money safe than leaving it in the bank or building society. 

Why so cheap? Well, it does need a small amount of attention to the cosmetic blemishes already mentioned, which should see it running for many years to come. So, the price reflects the need for this work, which is why it’s something of a bargain.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.