1966 Alfa Romeo Romeo-Giulia GTC

Description Chassis Number – AR*755701*Engine Number – AR00551*04236*Exterior Color – WhiteInterior Color – RedEngine Type – 1750cc DOHC four-cylinder with twin Weber CarburetorsGearbox – 5-speed manualCurrent Kilometers – 75,115 kms TMUCurrent Owner – Purchased in 1985 Highlights of this Alfa Romeo – One of 247 LHD GTCs built in 1966, the final year of production– Comprehensive Epifani restoration in desirable colors– 41-years of current California ownership General History Considered to be one of the best Bertone-designed sport coupes, the tidy greenhouse, low but roomy profile, and clean body lines made the 105 series Alfa Romeo coupe one of the most successful cars in the Alfa Romeo lineup. Built from 1963 -1975, the charming, hunkered down front-engine, rear drive sport coupe offered seating for four adults and spirited performance. Although the design shared many mechanical features with the Giulietta, the new unibody/monocoque platform was very innovative and lightweight. Live rear axle, disc brakes all around, dual overhead cam, and 5-speed gearbox, all resulted in a very effective driving combination. Rare in number and now considered one of the most desirable of this series, the GTC cabriolet was the only four-seater convertible offered through the Giulietta/Giulia family. With a limited market, Alfa chose to outsource manufacturing to Touring of Milan who also performed subtle design enhancements unique to the GTC. These included a gently lowered trunk line, larger capacity trunk, wind-up rear quarter windows, and a fully retractable soft top that nested behind the rear seats. Additional structural improvements made during construction at Touring included body reinforcements which were greatly improved as the model line advanced over the 1964-1966 years of production. Though a mere 998 examples were built, just 247 LHD models were completed in 1966, the final year of production. History and Restoration According to the current owner (and later confirmed by the son of the former owner who saw the car after the restoration was completed), this factory left hand drive Alfa Romeo was delivered to the first owner, a resident of France. After spending time in France, the car spent time in Montreal, Canada and was subsequently imported to California where it remained under prior ownership until 1985. That same year it was no longer drivable and the costs to repair the car were considered prohibitive, so the prior owner sold it to San Carlos Auto Wreckers for $50.00. Fortuitously, a week later in March, the current owner, an Alfa Romeo enthusiast, discovered the car while looking for spare parts for other Alfa Romeo project cars he was restoring. Though it had been assigned a salvage title, the current owner purchased it directly from San Carlos Auto Wreckers (copy of purchase receipt included with the records). Complete and non-running, the owner initially considered it a donor car for some of his other projects. After reviewing the condition and considering the rarity, the owner began working on it, was able to get it running and decided it was worthy of restoration. The owner gathered parts, researched the unique convertible features, and decided to commit to a comprehensive restoration. In 2000, the current owner engaged marque experts at Epifani Restorations, Berkeley, CA to manage the entire restoration project.??During the restoration the car was completely disassembled down to the shell while all brakes, pedal assembly, steering, suspension, engine, and transmission were disassembled at Epifani and each of the component parts were fully stripped, glass bead blasted and refinished using correct finishes as part of the mechanical rebuild. The body was sent separately to a professional body shop where it was inspected and reviewed by the Epifani team as the restoration progressed. For the engine, the cylinder head was dismantled, pressure tested, valve seats cut and radiused, new pistons and a piston liner set (1750) installed, and mag rods fitted. The crank was also machined and new cams installed. A new bell housing was fitted with new clutch and flywheel, differential rebuilt, all brake lines installed new, new brake booster and master cylinder, new hoses and lines, new fuel lines and refinished fuel tank, a good used wiring harness sourced and inspected for any new wiring needs, and all electrical, lighting, gauges, and switches tested and installed. At the body shop, all body work was fully addressed including bare metal work performed on the floor and lower doors and rear panels as well as corrective welded in areas, new metal for the pedal box, and other areas as needed. The interior was subbed out to a professional upholstery shop which covered the dash in black (correct for the GTC), correct seat foam used to rebuild the front and rear (unique to the convertible) seat, a complete set of rubber floor mats were sourced from Italy, and the seats and door panels finished in a beautiful shade of red. A new windshield was installed along with new gaskets for all glass, new window channels, restoration and polish for all aluminum trim, gaskets for all lighting and body accessories, new chrome for the front and rear bumpers, and a set of rare correct Carello headlight trim rings fitted to the headlights. As a handsome finishing touch, the owner selected a set of factory original GTA wheels from his personal collection and installed them on the car. After final assembly, in late 2002, the car was road tested and driven for the engine break in period, and all bolts torqued to specification, and fluids changed as needed. The current owner enjoyed occasional use of the car for various local shows and family outings. In 2008, the radiator was cleaned and rodded, in 2009 new ignition Bosch plex were installed with new spark plugs, and in 2010 the car returned to Epifani for brake work including a new master cylinder, and a brake fluid flush, returning again to Epifani in 2011 for fron