Single ownership for 30 years, only five owners in total, Known ownership from new
One of 12 GTA’s produced in 1969
Documented in the GTA bible, Alleggerita
Maintained by GTA specialists, regardless of cost
The final year of development for the Giulia Sprint GTA
SOLD
Chassis no. AR 848003
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA:
The Giulia
Sprint GTA was Alfa Romeo’s out-and-out competition version of the Giulia
Sprint GT road car with only 501 examples being manufactured for homologation,
making them one of the most collectible Alfa Romeo’s in today’s market.
The ‘A’ at
the end of the name stands for Alleggerita, Italian for lightweight. The cars
were put on a rigorous diet with Alfa Romeo engineers swapping the glass side
windows for Perspex, adding various aluminium suspension components, even
fitting lightweight door handles! By the end of its weight-saving programme,
the GTA weighed in at a spritely 740 kilograms, with its engine producing
upwards of 170 BHP in full race specification.
Autodelta,
the racing department of Alfa Romeo, focussed on the 1600cc engine which was
developed with a new high-flow head and twin spark plugs, a larger oil sump, oil
cooler, high-compression competition pistons and sportier cam shafts. The
drivetrain was also developed, receiving a lighter flywheel, close ratio gears
and a limited-slip differential.
Of the 500
examples required to obtain homologation, the majority entered competition, as
a result, today these cars are highly eligible and competitive across historic
motor racing.
On the 1st
January 1968, a new chassis number sequence starting with *848001* was
homologated, featuring ATE front and rear brakes, a brake servo, 6” X 15” rims,
as well as the two new rear axle ratios, 6/41 and 7/43. Furthermore, a new
intake port diameter of the cylinder head was homologated. This change
permitted a more efficient volumetric filling of the combustion chambers at
high rpm, allowing the engine to create more power.
This Giulia Sprint GTA:
This Sprint
GTA completed manufacture on 19th February 1969, and delivered new
to the German market on 17th June, before being sold new to Mr Bernd
Fischer, an amateur racer who had his competition cars prepared by the Alfa
Romeo Dealer from Mannheim, Helmut Hähn. Chassis 848003, offered here, is
noted in Tony Adriensens GTA bible, Alleggerita,
as participating at the AvD/ACS Hockenheim race on 25th August 1973
where it was driven by Bernd Fischer and entered by Alfa Romeo Hähn, finishing 3rd in class. Also noted in Alleggerita was
another competition outing, this time in March 1974 at the Auto-und
Motorradsalon Ludwigshafen in Germany where it wore race number 389, again
entered by Alfa Romeo Hähn. There are also two images from
this event showing 848003 in the paddock at this event in Alleggerita.
Sadly, in the
race at Auto-und Motorradsalon the car retired with engine issues. Mr Michael
Heine, an enthusiastic researcher of Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA’s, who wrote
a book dedicated to the GTA’s of Herbert Schultze, bought the car at the
circuit from Bernd Fischer. During his ownership, Mr Heine rebuilt the engine
and kept the car in his collection until 2005 when it was sold, at which point
it was still wearing its original competition livery.
The cars
next owner was Mr Frank Strothe who embarked upon a mechanical restoration with
Stein Sportwagenservice. Strothe competed
with the car at various historic events across Europe, including
Spa-Francorchamps, with Marcus Niestrath of Romeo Racing preparing the car.
The fourth
owner of 848003 was Mr Peter Praller who bought the car in 2012. Praller is
best known for his company, Formula GT, and the superb engines they build for
competition cars. Since taking ownership a few years later, the current owner
has maintained the car regardless of cost at Formula GT in Munich, regularly
participating in various historic competition events across Europe including Hockenheim
and Monza.
The GTA is one of the most iconic racing cars of the 1960’s, experiencing huge success at International levels around the world, with only 501 examples built. As in period, the GTA is one of the most versatile competition cars, suitable for the Tour Auto, Spa 6 Hours or U2TC series, this car offers the next owner a fantastic opportunity to compete at a variety of events.
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