alfa 101300 stepnose junior

[johntrav]

looking at purchasing a 1300stepnose coupe in reasonable condition, are these cars worth restoring, engine looks okay,interior need to be re done, little rust on bonnet , boot and bottom of passenger door. Alfas are new to me. Also what would be a fair purchase price.
1 currently have:
pininfarina azzura 1983 spider
fiat 130 sedan
lancia montecarlo
any replie will be appreciated

[rowan_bris]

If you don't know the cars you need someone to look at it who does is the best advice I can offer.  They are not a model that is the most sought after although people do like step front cars these days.  It is really all about condition, history and what you want to do with it.

[Pseudonym]

All of those series have appreciated in value over time - it really depends on condition, originality and purchase price from what I've seen. Looking on carsales will give you an idea of the market, and while the cars might not sell for asking prices how long they spend advertised is a good indication if they were high or low, but as said definitely get some input from a classic valuations mob etc, and I'd find a qualified restoration workshop and have them quote repairs. If it's worth it to you personally that doesn't matter too much, but if investment is a consideration there's little point purchasing at 25, spending 40 on restoration then selling at 60.

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[ItalCarGuy]

People are starting to pay silly money for a project stepfront lately. I shouldn't say silly, but I guess I remember what I could pick up a project for not too long ago...  If its complete, and under 20k then I think it could be a good buy if there are no hidden surprises, and thats a big if! Get an Alfa guy to have a good long hard look at the sills as they are usually rotten on a car that shows rust anywhere else. Also the radiator support crossmember is worth checking. the original engine number should be 00530 as the prefix I think if its a 1300. Most of the stepfront Juniors have been 'upgraded' over the years with a 1750 or 2L. I would find it refreshing to see a stock 1300 Junior, and they rev high and make you feel like you are going fast even though you probably aren't!
If you haven't checked out the availability of repro parts, check out Alfaholics(UK), Classic Alfa(UK), Turin Imports(AU), The Spare place(AU), OKP (germany) for a start.
I would definitely say they are worth restoring. A properly restored 1300 stepfront can command 60k+
many have been turned into GTA replicas as well, since they are a little cheaper to acquire than a Sprint GT or GT Veloce.
All my opinion only of course.

[GG105]

You can't properly restore a 105 coupe, any 105 coupe, for less than $60k, unless you can do almost all of the work yourself, even then...Stepnose 1300 Juniors have their own appeal, the attractiveness of the stepnose body with the nicest dash, from the 1750.

These cars are all 50+years old now. Mechanicals aren't hard and a lot of parts are being reproduced, though some not very well. I put a 1600 in mine because the 1300 was stuffed, that was over 20 years ago, today.. maybe I would rebuild it. I don't think a larger engine in these  is necessarily a negative, lets face it the bigger the engine the better they drive. Particularly since the rest of the mechanicals, even the brakes, are up to it.

As with most 60s cars rust is the issue. With 105 coupes, the biggest issue is the sills. Repairing these properly is a big job, they are three layers deep, have no internal rust proofing and rust from the inside out. Early stage rust is usually evident at the bottom of the gront guards and rear quarters forward of the wheels. As it progresses, the central sill section goes, evident along the base and around the jacking points. These are often bogged up because  of the complexity of repair and need to be inspected very carefully, preferably at eye level. The factory sills are convex along their length as well, a give away is when the sills are straight and don't line up with the lower door edge.

Other common problems are front sway bar mounts, floors are usually rusty as they leak, boot floor around the fuel tank and spare tyre well and the rear guard box section on the drivers side. If there's rust in the bonnet, boot lid or under the rear side windows, it probably means it will be much worse elsewhere.

As always, buy the best body you can find. They are lovely little cars, I've owned mine for over 25 years. Apologies for the diatribe, but I hope it helps.

[aggie57]

For sure the 1300 Junior is a nice Alfa, as GG105 says in Australia you got the step nose with the later 1750 dash which is a lovely combination.  In Europe there was an earlier series with the 1600 style dash but that was not sold, or if it was then not many were sold in Oz.  Then in '72 or thereabouts we got a batch of 1600 Juniors which were basically the same but with the later style nose.  Again, in Europe that shape was also sold with the 1300 engine.

In terms of cost and time to restore, it's going to be much the same as any other 105 coupe but they are worth a bit less in the market.  So really it comes down to how much do you want invested in the car overall.  To drive they are of course a little slower than the bigger engine cars, you have to rev them more and the gearing is lower but they're just as much fun.  Really one of the unsung sweet spots in the range, I'd be more than happy to own one.

[Aussie105]

Pretty sure a car can be restored for 60k as not as 'restorations' are bare metal, on a rotisserie nut and bolt' jobs. It really does depend on what you start with. Sills, new paint, engine refresh and interior are very achievable. It Always comes down to the body on a 105. That's the money pit. Got any pics?

[Citroënbender]

GG105 - as a casual reader, what a great post - thank you!  Full of passion, enthusiasm and encouragement.

I'm curious now about one thing, is this becoming a bit like XY Falcons, where it's the "smart move" in terms of retained value vs capital outlay, to make any sedan shell into a full-on GT? Meaning, if one were to restore said stepnose would the market actually desire it more afterwards as a faithful GTA replica?

[GG105]

Citroenbender, there was a time, if you can believe it, when V12 E Type Jags were more expensive than Series 1s. Now, in equivalent condition a Series 1 is worth double or more than a Series 3. 105 Coupes are a bit like that, once upon a time everyone wanted 1750s or 2 litres. Among the non-compettition cars, now the one to have is a Guilia Sprint GT Veloce. I couldn't find one when I bought my Junior, but then I did only pay $5k for it, registered and running.

As to values, I suspect making a 1300 Junior into a GTA rep will devalue it unless you spend a great deal of money in making an Alfaholics GTA rep look alike, or just buy one

105 coupes were ridiculously cheap for a long time, now they're not. Buy whichever one you like, there is no wrong 105 Alfa, Berlinas included. My view is that its generally safest to buy at either end of the spectrum, a resto project or the best you can find, its the mid priced tarted up cars that are financially dangerous.

Its a matter of deciding what you want and setting your budget.