1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA Jr. Coupe

The Alfa Romeo Sprint GT was a fast automobile, but more was required in order to keep pace with the Mark 1 Lotus-Cortina. Carlo Chiti, head of Alfa Romeo's Autodelta racing division, responded with the GTA, with the 'A' representing alleggerita (lightened). The GT's steel body panels were replaced with aluminum, resulting in a savings of 450 pounds. The interior featured a special lightweight dashboard and seats. The new twin-plug, twin-cam head engine saw an increase in horsepower by over 30 percent.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA proved to be very competitive in FIA Group 2 touring car racing. It finished in the first seven places in the first round of the 1966 European Touring Car Challenge and would win both the 1966 Constructors' and Drivers' Championships in its first season.

The 1300 Junior variation was introduced in 1968 to compete in the new 1300 cubic-centimeter class.

This matching-numbers example has had only three owners from new. The odometer shows just 7,325 miles since new. It was completed in late 1968 and registered to its original owner in Florence, Italy, in 1969. The original owner enjoyed the car for over 25 years before it was imported to Japan in the mid-1990s. There, it came into the care of Yuki Kakishima, the chief priest of Bukkakuji Temple in Yamanashi, who owned the Alfa from 1996, until it was acquired by the present owner in 2004. The car has remained in the United States ever since.

This Junior Stradle is unrestored, having had a single repaint since new. It is still fitted with its original 1300cc engine and a limited-slip differential. The 445 DCOE Weber carburetors have recently been rebuilt, and it has also received anew clutch and Koni shock absorbers.

The car was originally delivered in Hawthorn White. It was refinished in the signature Rosso Alfa of the period-correct Autodelta livery, and it features the quadrifoglio, the hood serpent, and a white stripe running along both sides. The interior, including the dash, upholstery, and headliner, remains original.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2014