The first I saw of the 3.0L GTV6 was the Production race at Kyalami. The 2.5L normally qualified behind the fastest BMWs but on that Saturday they were on the front of the grid. When the flag dropped the Alfas simply left the BMWs. When it was found they were 3.0L a protest was filed and upheld the following week due to homologation.
I ran a 1981 GTV-6 for about five years from 1989-1994 (actually traded it for some stock halfway through then was given the car back a bit later). I adored that car. Such feel and fun! As far as Callaway GTV-6's go, there is one sitting at the shop I use right up my street. It supposedly hasn't run for quite a while and it's up there to be revived. Hasn't moved an inch in six months.
My GTV6 is two days out of paint with original color going back on. This was a glass out, engine out, hood, rear-hatch, doors and sunroof out, everything off, fully worked over body fixes, then repaint. Should be good for many more years to come. Have a new windshield and headliner to go in. The 4-Cam higher compression engine will go back in, the Verde (3.55 R&P) with freshened LSD will fill in the back to put the car back on the road. I'm looking forward to many more years of ownership (I've had it 30 years now)!
Thanks@@Matteo_Licata, with these cars weighing in around 2800 lbs wet the 4-Cam engine can really move the car along. I used to take it on the race track about four times a year but will likely cut back to maybe one club track day per year as I'm more interested in taking longer week to two week long "GT" drives in it next (will retire in a year or so) where these cars really do shine. They have such a high fun factor one can't help but have a big grin on their face when the road turns twisty.
Mille grazie ! All I remember of the dark blue Alfetta GT 1.6 a friend had was the great handling, the poor shifting and the impressive Rev.counter in front of the steering wheel =, the rest speedo, olio, acqua and benzina were mounted in the middle of the dashboard separated, it always reminded me that they looked at the Innocenti Cooper to make the dashboard ! I like the Series 1 cars with their stainless bumpers much better, they are an elegant design, perhaps that was the mistake : the old Giulia Coupés looked much more like an animal . But these were quite roomy, 4 big Dutchmen would fit in an Alfetta GT, which was impossible with the old Coupés.
Yes, the idea behind the Alfetta GT was to make it a full four-seater, as the market for coupés was faltering. That dashboard was cool, and it shows how the GT was designed before speed limits!
Sadly, what I most remember about my own dark blue 1.6 liter was the rust eating the wings and the need to park it on a hill, due to a regular reluctance to start in the morning. Looked beautiful and great to drive, apart from the rubbish gearshift. Epitomized so much about Alfa, good and bad
John Duggan; and I remember very clearly my Alfetta 2000 GTV in Alfa Rosso, - which I bought 1st Nov 1976, - because it is still in my possession 😉😉 and now sitting in my heated garage until spring arrives. It has 115.000km on the clock - and is absolutely without any rust and still with the original paint. So..... they didn't all rust away.... I'm glad to tell 😁😁
Thank you for posting these informative and well made videos. I still have fond memories of the '76 GT and '77 GTV that I owned; sadly, but not uncommonly, both succumbed to rust and weren't cost effective to restore. I still wish that I had bought the GTV6 that I test drove many years ago. Grazie mille!
when i lived in the usa i was a mechanic and we worked on alfas we had a 76 alfetta as our loaner car.i loved it at first sight so i bought it.then i bought another and then i bought another.i had all 3 at one time.all three had a 2.0 with spica injection. i always did the maintenance when it was needed and i never was disappointed or left stranded by any of them they were such great cars. then i bought a gtv that would crap itself weekly lol.
Very interesting. And I bet the cars were reliable if looked after: Alfas were very well engineered, but let down by poor assembly and, later in the 80s and early 80s, shoddy electrics
Super interesting video -as usual- about one of my favourite all time cars! Allways loved it's clean yet full of character design. But it wasn't only super attractive, it was also a car with decent room for four people and enough boot which its impressive.
Again you did a great job! I remember very well the Alfetta GT and I saw a few of them around. It was much liked in Italy but it was not very common to see around, presumably because it was quite expensive and the terrible oil embargo was "hanging" around. Although I liked very much I never had the chance to drive one unfortunately but everyone mentioned how really good this car was. undoubtly it was more succesful abroad than in italy, i even remember seeing the Giulietta GT 2.5 in South Africa! I wish i would have manged to buy such a car but no chance... Looking foward for new videos like this!!
Well done Matteo. Keep up the great work. Only wished we had this technology and data in the 80's and 90's. I've owned and driven many of the cars showcased on your channel and can't wait to absorb more content as it come. Currently finished semi restoring the only RHD 1983 Lancia Prisma in Australia and looking at doing another project once everything settles down. Forza Italia e tutti gli automobili che ci hanno dato nel passato. Il presente purtroppo non riflettono i tempi quando automobili Italiane erano "il top" del mondo. 👍
Una Prisma in Australia? Incredibile!!!!! Thank you very much for your kind words. Unfortunately the Italian automobile industry has been destroyed by piss-poor leadership, but luckily there still are bright spots, like Ferrari and the Giulia and Stelvio QV.
@@Matteo_Licata and I hope the hierarchy at FCA or PSA can see what we all see and that is to go back in time for style and design to build towards the future, but unfortunately, millenials don't see it this way and EV vehicles will be their future and FCA are already heading in that direction. Thank God for Elon Musk for giving FCA a chance to catch up on new emissions control 🤞
When I visited the Museo back in 1988 as a kid with parents the GTV Zagato was on display, I have some pics of it. It had no info board next to it so no idea what was under the bonnet. Even back in the 80s the styling of it looked so heavy handed, not helped by use of standard wheel offsets. Great video, keep up the good work!
Excellent video as always - thanks for sharing this with us. Any more adorable car like the Alfetta GTV V6 in the segment at that time - not that much - today is the giulia quadrifoglio💞 - Alfa Romeo is an everlasting love for Alfisti 😍.
There is an Alfetta GT driving around here where I live in Johannesburg. It's in perfect condition! I want to make the owner an offer; such a cool car!! But thanks for all the info on this channel!
Thank you for a fantastic video. It was incredibly informative, and brought back a ton of Alfa memories. In '85 I bought a black GTV6, and in '87 a black Milano (i think a Milano 75 in Europe). Great cars! I kept both until 1994 when teenage daughters started driving. I'll spare you the details of the one time our elder daughter drove the GTV6 to high school. 😂🤣🥴 For the money, these cars were a pretty good deal by offering fun, practicality, and uniqueness at a fair price. Thanks again for your video!!
Thank you for your appreciation, I’m glad my video brought you back good memories! I really appreciate when viewers share with me their memories with the cars I cover 👍
Ha informazione on '67 Alfa Romeo Berlina, 1750, perfevore? Do you have information on the Alfa Romeo Berlina 1750 please? I'm of Italian descent, but from UK. I'm currently 80% of a '67 Berlina restoration project. A history lesson of this car would be a total godsend. Grazie.
@@Matteo_Licata I'm very much looking forward to your upload to get a better insight of their introduction and ratings of the day. I look forward to the viewing. Thanks very much.
excellent video, I had no idea anyone had stuck a Monty V8 in one, superb.... So now you've covered the fabulous 116 GTV, when will you be doing a video on the unicorn of 80s Alfas - the Sprint 6C with mid-mounted Busso V6? And of course the insane Australian V8 powered monster it inspired - the Giocattolo (affectionately known in Oz as the Chook-lotto.)
A video about the Alfasud Sprint (6C included!) is certainly coming, as it's one of my favorite Alfas. I'm not sure about the Giocattolo, but just because it's a car I don't know well enough.
@@Matteo_Licata I can't wait for the 6C video. As for the Giocattolo, I don't wish to spoil the fun you can have researching it. But some teasers: Sprint Veloce shell, mid-mounted Group A-spec 5.0L V8 (Alfa pulled out of plan to provide the Busso to the Aussie builder) 300bhp and only 15 built...
Great video Roadster Life. Do you have an email address? I live in South Africa and grew up next to the race track watching the Alfa GTV6 3.0 driven by Nico Bianco and Abel D'Oliveira battle it out against the Sierra XR8, Mazda RX-7 and BMW 745i in the early 1980's. Those races were the best motor racing I ever attended. I have some material on the GTV6 3.0 I would like to send to you.
The details of the early Alfetta GT is the thing to look for, a superb interior with nice door cards, a petrol door in metal, nicer side vent trims. Same with the early Sedans -1975 has nicer interior, more and better looking chrome also better quality on the chrome and plastic trim, you can feel the weight difference in chrome/trim\badging pieces. Something happened at Alfa Romeo in the mid 70s and everything was made cheaper. God bless you all!
Alfa Romeo interiors did look great in the 60s and early 70s, despite their below-average finish. But it's not that Alfa cheaped out later, Alfa simply followed the wider industry trend of using more and more plastic trim.
Re Point 2 - well known to me, as I am from South Africa. the ZA GTV's are bodies in carbon steel, and so do not rust. Many are also Garrett Turbo'd ! Between 1962 and 1985, the largest number of Alfa's outside Italy was - South Africa !
Yes indeed, it's a fact I've discovered while researching for my first book. Sadly, the factory records weren't kept when the Brits factory closed in '85...
Had a lefty alfa , sprint. 1984 I think model . Red of course . Was a barn find . So no rust. This was in Sweden. . Loved driving it to my gigs . Drivers car . And the faint smell of petrol in the cabin space , gives you that experience
@@Matteo_Licata Nice. I was goimg tp sell mine. But ive decided to keep it. The wife is fibe with it. And i do a little bit of restoration on it each year.
I've never been closely connected to Alfa's. They have become ever thinner on the ground here in the Netherlands. I did however always admire them for being a bit different to the mainstream and well styled. I do for instance remember liking the GTV when it came out. Especcialy that proud badge in the rear quarter that seemed to be made out of overlapping sheetmetal was original. To some it may sound a bit like sacrelege but overall it reminds me of the Fiat 850 sport. Not a machbuster but a practical car with a sporting touch (not talking about V6's here of course).
In South Africa, I also remember in the 80s and early 90s a coupe fastback that looked similar to the GTV - it was like a baby GTV. What model was that?
It seems a shame that we will never again see the sort of cars that Alfa Romeo was making back then. Modern Alfas are very nice for sure, but I don't think we will remember them in the same way. I'm a South African and Alfa used to be a pretty significant player - never could afford the really nice ones but loved my 33 and my 147. I remember how special my 33 made me feel; with the bonus that my parents didn't think much of my buying decision ;-). Too bad I definitely can't afford an Alfa now at the eye-watering South African prices.
I’ve learnt about Alfa’s success in South Africa while researching for my first book, and it blew me away! Sad that the assembly operation they had there was shuttered. Current Alfas are great cars, but of course the “soul” of the older, more individual, less perfect cars will never be repeated, true!
@@Matteo_Licata Unfortunately, pretty much all of the older Alfas are lost to South Africa since they were all exported to the UK and elsewhere. I know someone who would buy Giulias, smarten them up a little and sell in the UK for a very nice profit.
That's so obscure I could not say much about it. On the books, it only gets a passing mention, and I did enquire to the Alfa museum about it for this video, but they did not respond.
Oh, my little '72 GTV needs a friend. My only fear is that were I to pair it with one of these that I'd have a pair of rabbits in my garage and it wouldn't stop there. lol
Of course I tried. They've recently put out an e-mail address about the collection... But they didn't reply. Had I insisted, I could eventually have gotten a response, but not in time for the video.
@@Matteo_Licata Yes, I perceived them in the past as quite supportive for such projects. But already gone by some years, since I had the last time contact with them.
Senza polemizzare però c'era da menzionare il piccolo lotto di Gt V8 2.6 allestite per il mercato tedesco assemblate in non più di 20 unità. Esiste una foto del prototipo di colore grigio metallizzato in posa davanti al piazzale del Museo di Arese.
Sono a conoscenza di quella vettura, ma ho deciso di non citarla perchè ci sono voci discordanti e poco di documentato. La storia che si racconta più comunemente è di 20 vetture per la Germania, ma ci sono prove documentali di questo? Se si, potresti indicarmele? Grazie mille!
Sadly, Chiti and Autodelta were often mistreated after Giuseppe Luraghi was ousted in 1974. Many within Alfa itself were bitter against Autodelta's activities and very existence.
@@Matteo_Licata It must have been a tough time. I've always been fascinated by the Alfa-Autodelta F1 adventure of the late 70s, early 80s. Is there a Chiti biography in Italian to recommend?
@@gorkab8461 Yes indeed. I'd recommend you two titles: "Autodelta - L'ala veloce dell'Alfa Romeo" and a new one about the infamous F1 venture of the 70s and 80s: "La congiura degli innocenti". This last one is fantastic, I've met the author and he did an outstanding job.
The GTV6 typically gets overlooked by Alfa historians. Not sure why? Considering the basic body shape penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro had a 13 year run, the V6 by Giuseppe Busso was in production from 1982-2005. And the GTV6 won the European touring car AND Group A Rally championships 5 years in a row. Yet all you ever hear is griping about these cars. These are the last true Alfa Romeos manufactured before Fiat bought the company. Pristine surviving examples should be six figure cars. Don’t agree? Then name me ANY V6 powered classic Italian sports coupe with even half the pedigree that isn’t.
I agree wholeheartedly with you about the GTV6's place and significance in Alfa Romeo history. The Busso V6 actually predates the GTV6, as it debuted in carbureted form on the 1979 Alfa 6 saloon. Then the GTV6 2.5 with the fuel-injected V6 became available in late 1980. Should they be worth 6 figures? Maybe not, as they're not rare enough (luckily!), but prices in Europe have been steadily rising. A nice GTV6 is at least 20k, with the best going for 30.
Roadster Life - Thanks for your response. I’m old enough to remember when Ferrari Dino’s weren’t considered “real” Ferraris with many insecure owners slapping Ferrari badges on them. Now? $300K buys a nice one. And don’t get me started on Fiat Dino’s! How did a recent pristine VW GTI Mk1 sell for $30K while most equivalent Alfa GTV6s sell for less? It’s crazy. History has a way of causing people to look at things that were previously ignored through a different lens. In the USA there were only about 4,800 GTV6s imported from 1982-86. There might be 500 in very good condition left in the entire country. Maybe.
Stuff Happens; Yes, you are very right (not in your price setting though) But I guess exactly the same goes for the 1,8GT, 1,6GT and the 2000 GTV. On the other hand - as Roadster Life pointed out - prices are on the rise - and my guess is, they will continue. So if you own one of these, - stick to it ! 👍
@@jrgensenbo2999 - How many Fiat Dinos are less rust prone, have superior build quality, or won as many races in competition as the GTV6? Despite not holding a candle to the Alfa in provenance a nice coupe is easily $60,000 all day long and a Spider is twice that. Take the GTV6 out of the equation and those Fiats are the cheapest 6cyl classic Italian sports coupes. It only goes up from there.
Unfortunately, the company never really put much effort into their Brazilian outpost, and kept selling outdated technology right up until the end, in the 1980s.
I have two: 1979 one I bought new in 1980 at the dealership in New Hampshire still have it but need work to get it running again after I let it sits for years. The other one 1978 I bought it months ago in town this one is really in bad shape. I wonder if the Alfa museum wants my 1979 one? one owner since new with about 75ki miles on it.
Cool! The Alfa museum is pretty well-stocked with GTVs, as far as I've seen. This leads me to think they may take your car, given its originality, but only as a gift. However, that's just my hunch, I advise you try contact them: www.museoalfaromeo.com/en-us/visita/pages/contatti.aspx
Thank You for doing this. I suggested this a few months back and you delivered. Grazie Mille ! I hope you are all safe and well !
All fine here, thank you! Glad you've enjoyed the vid. I take some time, but I do remember all the suggestions I get :)
Fascinating video. Please make as many videos as you can. Very well done my friend.
Thank you very much indeed :)
I'm glad you enjoy my content so much, and rest assured that I'm here on UA-cam for the long run :)
The first I saw of the 3.0L GTV6 was the Production race at Kyalami. The 2.5L normally qualified behind the fastest BMWs but on that Saturday they were on the front of the grid. When the flag dropped the Alfas simply left the BMWs. When it was found they were 3.0L a protest was filed and upheld the following week due to homologation.
Thank you for sharing!
Very interesting and entertaining historical information for true auto enthusiasts. Grazie mille.
Glad you enjoyed it! Grazie a te!
I ran a 1981 GTV-6 for about five years from 1989-1994 (actually traded it for some stock halfway through then was given the car back a bit later). I adored that car. Such feel and fun! As far as Callaway GTV-6's go, there is one sitting at the shop I use right up my street. It supposedly hasn't run for quite a while and it's up there to be revived. Hasn't moved an inch in six months.
I’ve always loved the design of these cars. Beautiful. The Italians always get it right!
Regards from the US.
My GTV6 is two days out of paint with original color going back on. This was a glass out, engine out, hood, rear-hatch, doors and sunroof out, everything off, fully worked over body fixes, then repaint. Should be good for many more years to come.
Have a new windshield and headliner to go in. The 4-Cam higher compression engine will go back in, the Verde (3.55 R&P) with freshened LSD will fill in the back to put the car back on the road.
I'm looking forward to many more years of ownership (I've had it 30 years now)!
Wow, you got a four-cam V6 into it? That sounds like a lot of fun! Awesome car, congratulations!
Thanks@@Matteo_Licata, with these cars weighing in around 2800 lbs wet the 4-Cam engine can really move the car along. I used to take it on the race track about four times a year but will likely cut back to maybe one club track day per year as I'm more interested in taking longer week to two week long "GT" drives in it next (will retire in a year or so) where these cars really do shine. They have such a high fun factor one can't help but have a big grin on their face when the road turns twisty.
@@Snarge22 I bet! Thank you for sharing your memories with me, and I wish you many miles of enjoyment with your cool GTV
Yet again a great clip of knowledge into alfa. Still one of my favourite cars to date . Well done
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!!!
Mille grazie !
All I remember of the dark blue Alfetta GT 1.6 a friend had was the great handling, the poor shifting and the impressive Rev.counter in front of the steering wheel =, the rest speedo, olio, acqua and benzina were mounted in the middle of the dashboard separated, it always reminded me that they looked at the Innocenti Cooper to make the dashboard ! I like the Series 1 cars with their stainless bumpers much better, they are an elegant design, perhaps that was the mistake : the old Giulia Coupés looked much more like an animal . But these were quite roomy, 4 big Dutchmen would fit in an Alfetta GT, which was impossible with the old Coupés.
Yes, the idea behind the Alfetta GT was to make it a full four-seater, as the market for coupés was faltering. That dashboard was cool, and it shows how the GT was designed before speed limits!
Sadly, what I most remember about my own dark blue 1.6 liter was the rust eating the wings and the need to park it on a hill, due to a regular reluctance to start in the morning. Looked beautiful and great to drive, apart from the rubbish gearshift. Epitomized so much about Alfa, good and bad
John Duggan; and I remember very clearly my Alfetta 2000 GTV in Alfa Rosso, - which I bought 1st Nov 1976, - because it is still in my possession 😉😉 and now sitting in my heated garage until spring arrives.
It has 115.000km on the clock - and is absolutely without any rust and still with the original paint.
So..... they didn't all rust away.... I'm glad to tell 😁😁
Thank you for posting these informative and well made videos. I still have fond memories of the '76 GT and '77 GTV that I owned; sadly, but not uncommonly, both succumbed to rust and weren't cost effective to restore. I still wish that I had bought the GTV6 that I test drove many years ago. Grazie mille!
Another great informative video, loved the GTV 💖😷👍
Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
when i lived in the usa i was a mechanic and we worked on alfas we had a 76 alfetta as our loaner car.i loved it at first sight so i bought it.then i bought another and then i bought another.i had all 3 at one time.all three had a 2.0 with spica injection.
i always did the maintenance when it was needed and i never was disappointed or left stranded by any of them they were such great cars.
then i bought a gtv that would crap itself weekly lol.
Very interesting. And I bet the cars were reliable if looked after: Alfas were very well engineered, but let down by poor assembly and, later in the 80s and early 80s, shoddy electrics
Another great video, with upgraded audio!
Nice.
Glad you've noticed! When I compared with the previous vid I was blown away by the difference. Money on the microphone was well spent!
Super interesting video -as usual- about one of my favourite all time cars! Allways loved it's clean yet full of character design. But it wasn't only super attractive, it was also a car with decent room for four people and enough boot which its impressive.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you very much, this was very interesting. I really like the pure style of the first series with less plastic. Ciao🙋♂️
My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the original is best, no doubt about it.
Again you did a great job! I remember very well the Alfetta GT and I saw a few of them around. It was much liked in Italy but it was not very common to see around, presumably because it was quite expensive and the terrible oil embargo was "hanging" around. Although I liked very much I never had the chance to drive one unfortunately but everyone mentioned how really good this car was. undoubtly it was more succesful abroad than in italy, i even remember seeing the Giulietta GT 2.5 in South Africa! I wish i would have manged to buy such a car but no chance... Looking foward for new videos like this!!
Alfa GTV6 2.5 was my first great love... I am in love still... Thank you!
Fascinating aspect, as you usually do, about Alfa. Viva Alfa Romeo!
Glad you liked it!
Excellent video!!! One more time awesome information!!!
Thanks again! Glad you like it!
Well done Matteo. Keep up the great work. Only wished we had this technology and data in the 80's and 90's. I've owned and driven many of the cars showcased on your channel and can't wait to absorb more content as it come. Currently finished semi restoring the only RHD 1983 Lancia Prisma in Australia and looking at doing another project once everything settles down. Forza Italia e tutti gli automobili che ci hanno dato nel passato. Il presente purtroppo non riflettono i tempi quando automobili Italiane erano "il top" del mondo. 👍
Una Prisma in Australia? Incredibile!!!!!
Thank you very much for your kind words. Unfortunately the Italian automobile industry has been destroyed by piss-poor leadership, but luckily there still are bright spots, like Ferrari and the Giulia and Stelvio QV.
@@Matteo_Licata and I hope the hierarchy at FCA or PSA can see what we all see and that is to go back in time for style and design to build towards the future, but unfortunately, millenials don't see it this way and EV vehicles will be their future and FCA are already heading in that direction. Thank God for Elon Musk for giving FCA a chance to catch up on new emissions control 🤞
My sisters husband owned one of these back in his younger days. Sadly he had to sell due to financial issues back then... It still pains him today.
Do you think you will you be doing a video on the Alfa 164? it was a great saloon car of its time.
The 164 is a fantastic Alfa and well worth a video... Sure it'll happen!
When I visited the Museo back in 1988 as a kid with parents the GTV Zagato was on display, I have some pics of it. It had no info board next to it so no idea what was under the bonnet. Even back in the 80s the styling of it looked so heavy handed, not helped by use of standard wheel offsets. Great video, keep up the good work!
Thank you for sharing your memories. I did visit the "old" museum in 2002 and 2008, but the GTV6 Zagato wasn't on display in those occasions.
Excellent video as always - thanks for sharing this with us. Any more adorable car like the Alfetta GTV V6 in the segment at that time - not that much - today is the giulia quadrifoglio💞 - Alfa Romeo is an everlasting love for Alfisti 😍.
Couldn't agree more!
There is an Alfetta GT driving around here where I live in Johannesburg. It's in perfect condition! I want to make the owner an offer; such a cool car!!
But thanks for all the info on this channel!
Sounds great, go for it! Thank you :)
One of most beautiful production cars ever.
No doubt!
Thank you for a fantastic video. It was incredibly informative, and brought back a ton of Alfa memories.
In '85 I bought a black GTV6, and in '87 a black Milano (i think a Milano 75 in Europe). Great cars! I kept both until 1994 when teenage daughters started driving. I'll spare you the details of the one time our elder daughter drove the GTV6 to high school. 😂🤣🥴
For the money, these cars were a pretty good deal by offering fun, practicality, and uniqueness at a fair price.
Thanks again for your video!!
Thank you for your appreciation, I’m glad my video brought you back good memories! I really appreciate when viewers share with me their memories with the cars I cover 👍
More interesting facts from the ambassador of Alfa, thank you :)
"Ambassador Of Alfa"... I don't know if I fully deserve the title, but I love it so much I'd write it as an epitaph on my gravestone :D
@@Matteo_Licata Well that proves it.
Ha informazione on '67 Alfa Romeo Berlina, 1750, perfevore? Do you have information on the Alfa Romeo Berlina 1750 please? I'm of Italian descent, but from UK. I'm currently 80% of a '67 Berlina restoration project. A history lesson of this car would be a total godsend. Grazie.
Wow, 1967, the first model year of the 1750 Berlina. I will certainly make a video about those cars soon.
@@Matteo_Licata I'm very much looking forward to your upload to get a better insight of their introduction and ratings of the day. I look forward to the viewing. Thanks very much.
That third restyling looks interesting! But I’m a fan of the 80s anyway ;) Thanks for uploading, as usual great stuff!
Thanks for watching! Yes it was an interesting idea, and those bumpers were reminiscent of the Alfa 90... But I think it was a step too far, anyway
Greetings from South Africa! Pretoria 21 May 2020.
Grazie Mille from 🇬🇧 ❤️
Nice video. I have a GTV6 and almost all spare parts triple. Regards from Belgium.
Thank you! Congratulations on your GTV6, cool car!
excellent video, I had no idea anyone had stuck a Monty V8 in one, superb....
So now you've covered the fabulous 116 GTV, when will you be doing a video on the unicorn of 80s Alfas - the Sprint 6C with mid-mounted Busso V6? And of course the insane Australian V8 powered monster it inspired - the Giocattolo (affectionately known in Oz as the Chook-lotto.)
A video about the Alfasud Sprint (6C included!) is certainly coming, as it's one of my favorite Alfas. I'm not sure about the Giocattolo, but just because it's a car I don't know well enough.
@@Matteo_Licata I can't wait for the 6C video. As for the Giocattolo, I don't wish to spoil the fun you can have researching it. But some teasers: Sprint Veloce shell, mid-mounted Group A-spec 5.0L V8 (Alfa pulled out of plan to provide the Busso to the Aussie builder) 300bhp and only 15 built...
Great video Roadster Life. Do you have an email address? I live in South Africa and grew up next to the race track watching the Alfa GTV6 3.0 driven by Nico Bianco and Abel D'Oliveira battle it out against the Sierra XR8, Mazda RX-7 and BMW 745i in the early 1980's. Those races were the best motor racing I ever attended. I have some material on the GTV6 3.0 I would like to send to you.
That's fantastic, thank you very much! you can find my e-mail in the "about" page of this channel or through my website roadster-life.com
My late father had a yellow one.
It was awesome!
Must have been the "Giallo Piper" shade, very bright, love it!
Another great video, Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it, I hope this video will do well, as I like it myself!
The details of the early Alfetta GT is the thing to look for, a superb interior with nice door cards, a petrol door in metal, nicer side vent trims. Same with the early Sedans -1975 has nicer interior, more and better looking chrome also better quality on the chrome and plastic trim, you can feel the weight difference in chrome/trim\badging pieces.
Something happened at Alfa Romeo in the mid 70s and everything was made cheaper.
God bless you all!
Alfa Romeo interiors did look great in the 60s and early 70s, despite their below-average finish. But it's not that Alfa cheaped out later, Alfa simply followed the wider industry trend of using more and more plastic trim.
Excellent thanks
Glad you liked it
Re Point 2 - well known to me, as I am from South Africa. the ZA GTV's are bodies in carbon steel, and so do not rust. Many are also Garrett Turbo'd ! Between 1962 and 1985, the largest number of Alfa's outside Italy was - South Africa !
Yes indeed, it's a fact I've discovered while researching for my first book. Sadly, the factory records weren't kept when the Brits factory closed in '85...
Had a lefty alfa , sprint. 1984 I think model . Red of course . Was a barn find . So no rust. This was in Sweden. . Loved driving it to my gigs . Drivers car . And the faint smell of petrol in the cabin space , gives you that experience
Great info as usual ..
Thank you!
I have a 1977 Alfetta GTV 2.0L. Still going nicely
That's a lovely car. Currently I'm eyeing a 1978 1600cc GT here in Italy, car seems OK and the price is fair...
@@Matteo_Licata Nice. I was goimg tp sell mine. But ive decided to keep it. The wife is fibe with it. And i do a little bit of restoration on it each year.
I've never been closely connected to Alfa's. They have become ever thinner on the ground here in the Netherlands. I did however always admire them for being a bit different to the mainstream and well styled. I do for instance remember liking the GTV when it came out. Especcialy that proud badge in the rear quarter that seemed to be made out of overlapping sheetmetal was original. To some it may sound a bit like sacrelege but overall it reminds me of the Fiat 850 sport. Not a machbuster but a practical car with a sporting touch (not talking about V6's here of course).
In South Africa, I also remember in the 80s and early 90s a coupe fastback that looked similar to the GTV - it was like a baby GTV. What model was that?
You mean this one? ua-cam.com/video/Tds5SGXsAso/v-deo.html
@@Matteo_Licata Yes! What a beauty! Thank you!
The Group 4 rally version seems really interesting. :)
Such a pity that monster never got a chance.
Do you know of the Giocattollo, an Australian mid mount V8 GTV?
Its not a GTV. its a Sud sprint with V8
It seems a shame that we will never again see the sort of cars that Alfa Romeo was making back then. Modern Alfas are very nice for sure, but I don't think we will remember them in the same way. I'm a South African and Alfa used to be a pretty significant player - never could afford the really nice ones but loved my 33 and my 147. I remember how special my 33 made me feel; with the bonus that my parents didn't think much of my buying decision ;-). Too bad I definitely can't afford an Alfa now at the eye-watering South African prices.
I’ve learnt about Alfa’s success in South Africa while researching for my first book, and it blew me away! Sad that the assembly operation they had there was shuttered. Current Alfas are great cars, but of course the “soul” of the older, more individual, less perfect cars will never be repeated, true!
@@Matteo_Licata Unfortunately, pretty much all of the older Alfas are lost to South Africa since they were all exported to the UK and elsewhere. I know someone who would buy Giulias, smarten them up a little and sell in the UK for a very nice profit.
They should take the 4 front headlights front of the GTV6 and create a new Giulietta based on a "restomod" of this car. It would be amazing...
I had not heard about the Zagato.
That's so obscure I could not say much about it. On the books, it only gets a passing mention, and I did enquire to the Alfa museum about it for this video, but they did not respond.
they actually produced 20 Gtv 2.6i V8 in 1977 for the German market
I knew all 5, i live and breath gtv6
Oh, my little '72 GTV needs a friend. My only fear is that were I to pair it with one of these that I'd have a pair of rabbits in my garage and it wouldn't stop there. lol
ALFA = Always Looking For Another
Cars.co.za UA-cam channel has recently reported on the South African special Alfetta GT's.
I'll check that out, thank you!
tastes like childhood for me
Bellissima.
Hmm, I assume you tried to ask the museum about the specifications? :)
Of course I tried. They've recently put out an e-mail address about the collection... But they didn't reply. Had I insisted, I could eventually have gotten a response, but not in time for the video.
@@Matteo_Licata Yes, I perceived them in the past as quite supportive for such projects. But already gone by some years, since I had the last time contact with them.
Senza polemizzare però c'era da menzionare il piccolo lotto di Gt V8 2.6 allestite per il mercato tedesco assemblate in non più di 20 unità. Esiste una foto del prototipo di colore grigio metallizzato in posa davanti al piazzale del Museo di Arese.
Sono a conoscenza di quella vettura, ma ho deciso di non citarla perchè ci sono voci discordanti e poco di documentato. La storia che si racconta più comunemente è di 20 vetture per la Germania, ma ci sono prove documentali di questo? Se si, potresti indicarmele? Grazie mille!
Who dares destroy the tooling and provoke the ire of Carlo Chiti!! LOL
Sadly, Chiti and Autodelta were often mistreated after Giuseppe Luraghi was ousted in 1974. Many within Alfa itself were bitter against Autodelta's activities and very existence.
@@Matteo_Licata It must have been a tough time. I've always been fascinated by the Alfa-Autodelta F1 adventure of the late 70s, early 80s. Is there a Chiti biography in Italian to recommend?
@@gorkab8461 Yes indeed.
I'd recommend you two titles:
"Autodelta - L'ala veloce dell'Alfa Romeo" and a new one about the infamous F1 venture of the 70s and 80s: "La congiura degli innocenti". This last one is fantastic, I've met the author and he did an outstanding job.
@@Matteo_Licata Excellent, thank you!
The GTV6 typically gets overlooked by Alfa historians. Not sure why? Considering the basic body shape penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro had a 13 year run, the V6 by Giuseppe Busso was in production from 1982-2005. And the GTV6 won the European touring car AND Group A Rally championships 5 years in a row. Yet all you ever hear is griping about these cars. These are the last true Alfa Romeos manufactured before Fiat bought the company. Pristine surviving examples should be six figure cars. Don’t agree? Then name me ANY V6 powered classic Italian sports coupe with even half the pedigree that isn’t.
I agree wholeheartedly with you about the GTV6's place and significance in Alfa Romeo history. The Busso V6 actually predates the GTV6, as it debuted in carbureted form on the 1979 Alfa 6 saloon. Then the GTV6 2.5 with the fuel-injected V6 became available in late 1980.
Should they be worth 6 figures? Maybe not, as they're not rare enough (luckily!), but prices in Europe have been steadily rising. A nice GTV6 is at least 20k, with the best going for 30.
Roadster Life - Thanks for your response. I’m old enough to remember when Ferrari Dino’s weren’t considered “real” Ferraris with many insecure owners slapping Ferrari badges on them. Now? $300K buys a nice one. And don’t get me started on Fiat Dino’s! How did a recent pristine VW GTI Mk1 sell for $30K while most equivalent Alfa GTV6s sell for less? It’s crazy. History has a way of causing people to look at things that were previously ignored through a different lens. In the USA there were only about 4,800 GTV6s imported from 1982-86. There might be 500 in very good condition left in the entire country. Maybe.
Stuff Happens; Yes, you are very right (not in your price setting though) But I guess exactly the same goes for the 1,8GT, 1,6GT and the 2000 GTV. On the other hand - as Roadster Life pointed out - prices are on the rise - and my guess is, they will continue. So if you own one of these, - stick to it ! 👍
@@jrgensenbo2999 - How many Fiat Dinos are less rust prone, have superior build quality, or won as many races in competition as the GTV6? Despite not holding a candle to the Alfa in provenance a nice coupe is easily $60,000 all day long and a Spider is twice that. Take the GTV6 out of the equation and those Fiats are the cheapest 6cyl classic Italian sports coupes. It only goes up from there.
It's a shame that Alfa Romeo never produced these magnificent machines here in Brazil.
Unfortunately, the company never really put much effort into their Brazilian outpost, and kept selling outdated technology right up until the end, in the 1980s.
I had the chance to buy one of these for 800 UK pounds back in early 2000s. Wish I did but alas I did not !
I share the sentiment. Ten years ago these were less than half the current price in Italy
I have two: 1979 one I bought new in 1980 at the dealership in New Hampshire still have it but need work to get it running again after I let it sits for years. The other one 1978 I bought it months ago in town this one is really in bad shape. I wonder if the Alfa museum wants my 1979 one? one owner since new with about 75ki miles on it.
Cool! The Alfa museum is pretty well-stocked with GTVs, as far as I've seen. This leads me to think they may take your car, given its originality, but only as a gift.
However, that's just my hunch, I advise you try contact them:
www.museoalfaromeo.com/en-us/visita/pages/contatti.aspx
Reliability is always a worry with Italian cars - rust and electrics
Thank God they didn't carry out that 3d restyling... the front looks like the Alfa 90... one of the most stylistically uninteresting Alfas.
Agree. The 2nd restyling was probably as good as it was going to get. What a classic shape it is.
Agree that the third restyling didn't look good. Too much plastic cladding.
Nice video, but please stop showing the destruction of that Giulietta. It breaks my heart to see that.
It's an edited shot from a 1985 Italian movie. Was a pun given I was saying "pressing" projects... Felt bad too when I first saw that movie