1973 Alfa Romeo GIULIA

This left-hand-drive example was imported from Italy in January 2017, having covered only 68,000 kilometres (which equates to around just 42,250 miles) from new.

The overall condition of the car is a testament to the dry conditions in which it has spent its life; rust-free Alfas are a rarity and while the initial purchase cost will be a little higher than a ‘project’ car, the up-front premium will be repaid many times over compared to the cost of restoring a rotten example.

The photos really don’t do this car justice; the paintwork is in fabulous condition as is the underside and under-bonnet areas. Everyone loves an old Alfa coupe and this example is a real crowd-puller!

There are a couple of small marks on the rear bumper but the rest of the chromework is in good shape, which is remarkable given that it is original to the car.

The wheels are especially lovely and all four are shod with new Pirelli tyres.

The interior of this Alfa is a real highlight; not only is the colour wonderfully and fabulously period, but the tan colour suits the red coachwork perfectly. Interestingly, the floor covering is the original simple rubber mats, which contrast delightfully with the luxury feel of the rest of the interior.

The seats are completely unmarked and the rest of the interior is in very good condition and looks almost new, despite being original and unrestored.

The Nardi steering wheel is another nice touch, as is the hand throttle for setting a fast idle to warm the car up; ah, those were the days, eh?

While everyone thinks they want one of the larger engined cars, the cognoscenti are starting to gravitate towards the 1300cc as it’s such a lovely, free-revving engine and still manages to endow the car with enough speed to be enormous fun; the owner, no stranger to classic sports cars, tells us that the engine “is real peach, revs freely and sounds particularly lovely with its raspy, metallic note”.

The smaller engine also makes the car feel a little nimbler than the more powerful cars, and Alfas have always been more about handling than outright speed, something the owner echoes telling us that the “car drives absolutely beautifully, better than most other cars of a similar age. The gearshift is smooth with no notching, the clutch bite is high but it is something that is easy to adjust to. The car handles very well and communicates excellently. This isn’t a very fast car by today’s standards but it is lithe and fun to drive”.

In addition to having been recently serviced, the car has also recently had new rear brake calipers and a new steering idle box.

This GT Junior comes complete with an impressive history file including copies of the Italian MOT paperwork going back to 1998, its ASI (Italian Historic Car Register) documents from 2007 and a copy of the Italian registration document.

It also comes with a disk crammed full of manuals and diagrams of the vehicle that would be a real boon to the future owner when it comes to ongoing servicing and repair.

Oh, and it still has the original Italian number plates, which would be a wonderful addition to the walls of the Man Cave!

Please visit the Records section of this listing where you will find 100 photos and a video to see the car fully for yourself.

Whether you simply want a classic sports coupe to pootle around in on a summer evening or something that could form the base of a very nice period racing car, this Alfa Junior fits the bill.

Fans of the marque (and who isn’t?) will know that the price of good 105-series coupes continues to rise, with the Alfa Junior in particular showing considerable year-on-year gains. This makes the guide price of £20,000 seem very reasonable to us.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be viewed in Upminster, Essex; to arrange an appointment please use the 'Contact Seller' button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, make observations in the comments section or view our frequently asked questions below.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transportation needs and Footman James for classic car insurance.