WTB - 1976 Alfetta GTAm (tipo 116) 2litre SPICA

[Cool Jesus]

Guys I'm in search of a long lost family alfa. Does anyone know of where I may find a 76 Alfetta GTAm.

The story behind my quest.
In the early '80s my father in law unwittingly purchased a odditty of car so that his wife, whom was confounding medical science in her longevity with a congenital heart condition. Believing she had a finite life span, he purchased a little red Alfetta after having seen the perfomance of a mates fiat, so that they could have some fun in what time they had left. He constantly recounts the story of how he had the car tied in a bow as he presented it to his wife when a gust of wind toppled over a home made steel netball hoop onto the roof line, arghh. Anyway, after many years of irr responsible driving, confounded mechanics with the SPICA injection and a growing family he finally decided to trade it up for a larger (non Alfa) vehicle. I know, blasphemy.

I came into the scene in the late '80s, chasing one of his daughters just before he traded it away. (regret No. 63 - not having bought the Alfetta). Now, after 21 years of marraige I've been given carte blanche to occupy myself with a car restoration project after successfully pimping up a 2001 Ford KA for my own daughter as a learners vehicle.  Anyhow both my in laws are still here, mum having survived 2 heart valve replacements, cancer and septicemia from a perferated bowl due to her chemotherapy. They're about to hit retirement and it would be a perfect retirement gift for them if I could produce a GTAm.

So, here I am seeking insight and direction. Better still a fellow Alfista that is willing to part with there Alfetta GTAm that may or may not be rusting away in the back corner of their property. Any suggestions welcome.  

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Good luck with the search, there were only ever 25 I believe?

Since the SPICA would be extremely rare on an Alfetta, I would be talking to any of the specialist mechanics that were around in the area it was sold (which you don't mention) at the time.  A rare car like that would have been talked about for sure, and possibly kept track of, but more likely changed to carbs at a later date.

Let us know the area, someone may remember it.

Hope you find it though, sounds intriguing. 

[Cool Jesus]

Intrige is my nature Sheldon. After her first heart operation, as we all thought she wasn't going to make it, I found and reunited her with her long lost father that she hadn't spoken to in over twenty years. He was in a retirement village not 5K's away. He got to see his daughter again and 3 young grand kids (mine and sister in law) before passing away from cancer only 12 months later.

Anyhow, the car was used in the Sutherland Shire (Hurstville, Sydney). It was traded in '88 or '89 and ended up at a car dealership in the Balmain area with rego plates OUF288 or similar.

I can't say with any certainty, however a particular difference with it, which I've yet to come across on the web was that I recall the c pillar vents had the letter GT cut out in the diagonal vents. The wife thinks I'm going senile and making it up, but my mother in law also recalls this feature.

Thanks for the reply. It's still early days in my search and I'm not holding my breath in locating the actual car, so any GTAm chassis would suffice. I'm covertly getting the in laws to dig out any photos they have of the car under the guise of curiosity, now that we'e driving around in an Alfa. I'll post them on once I get them for general interest in the photo section of the forum when I get them.

[Mike]

Hmm..rusting away...I doubt it...sitting in a shed accumlating value in the hands of speculators more like.  The last time I discussed purchase of a GTam Alfetta I was told 50k would do it...I passed... 

[Davidm1600]

From memory, and Mike would be better placed then myself, I am sure to comment on this, the Alfetta GTam that was received here in Aus, was actually nothing too special, beyond some relatively minor differences and the Spica. So unlike say the 105 GTam, of which I suspect there are probably no real ones here and were purely intended as race cars.   

From memory, there was a lengthy and pretty knowledgeable discussion about the Alfetta GTam model on the BB sometime last year.  So yes, while I suspect the remaining examples out here are rarish and hence undoubtedly more valuable than say an Alfetta GT/GTV, the asking price as quoted seems a little disproportionate to the level of specification.  But obviously a seller can ask whatever price they wish.

As I understood it though, in Europe there was a version of the Alfetta GT (I think also designated GTam) which had some relatively substantial mechanical (engine/suspension) modifications but as I recall these were strictly cars designed from the outset for racing.

I more than happy to be advised otherwise if my memory is incorrect on this.

[aggie57]

Here is the link to the discussion on the Alfabb you mention David:

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/giulia-gta-gta-1300-jr-gtam-1965-1975/50543-type-116-gtam.html

In summary these 25 cars were bought in by Alfa Australia to homologate the 2 litre Alfetta for touring car racing in Australia.  They were essentially RHD build to US spec so SPICA injection, 2-litre engine, GTV6 style fuel tank and so on.  Slower than the earlier 1.8 GT's by all reports....and most definitely not to be confused with factory or Autodelta prepared competition cars.

[Davidm1600]

Ok, so further to my last post. I thought I would try and dig up a little more info to clarify my previous comments.  I found the link to the topic on the GTam on the BB I mentioned.  The discussion was held between 2005-2007, and the most knowledgeable comments came from one of our own (Paul).  What he stated was that there were 25 such cars brought into Aus, having been derived from the US spec Alfetta GT 1.8, and fitted with the Spica, but due to the US smog restrictions they were actually down on power (HP) say in comparison to a stock 2L GTV.  

They were brought into the country for homolgation purposes to be eligable to run at Bathurst in 1976 etc.   From what Paul mentioned a number of them were converted into race cars.  I assume this may have possibly included the one Peter Wherret drove Foleys apparently worked on a number of the cars here in Aus.

Now apparently a few of the racing modified GTams have survived and would be worth sufficient, and perhaps a number of the normal road ones have as well, but they would be pretty thin on the ground.  Paul's view mirrored mine inasmuch as he reckoned they really are not worth any more than a conventional Alfetta GT 1.8 and condition being paramount.  So for my money the guy trying to sell his for $50k was dreaming.

As mentioned, I was aware that in Europe there was a further version of this model and it came equipped with flared guards, and a full race specs, engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension.  But to the best of my knowledge none of these came to Aus.

[Davidm1600]

Cheers Aggie, that is precisely what I found also.  I wish Cool Jesus lots of luck in finding such a car today, and/or even more so the one he referred to. I do understand the sentiments very well.

[Paul Gulliver]

Aggie is right about them being slower than the 1.8 GT's , but suprizingly they were also slower than the 105 GTVs that ran at Bathurst in 1977. (last year the 105's ran)

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/bathurst_1977.htm

[Evan Bottcher]

Never been so frustrated as when those posts about the Alfetta GTAm came up on the AlfaBB.  Lots of people chiming in excitedly without reading each other's posts - and the message kept getting lost that this was NOT a special valuable autodelta racing car, but simply a pretty boggo-standard homologation special with a confusing name.  Why can't people just listen?

Oh right yeah - it's an internet forum.  I should get over it.  

Should say - good luck to OP finding an example.  I definitely understand the sentimental value thing.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Hmm..rusting away...I doubt it...sitting in a shed accumlating value in the hands of speculators more like.  The last time I discussed purchase of a GTam Alfetta I was told 50k would do it...I passed... 

Was it one that had raced at Bathurst, that would be the only possible reason for that price, surely?

Aggie is right about them being slower than the 1.8 GT's , but suprizingly they were also slower than the 105 GTVs that ran at Bathurst in 1977. (last year the 105's ran)

http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/bathurst_1977.htm

But they were quicker than the 105s in 1976.... http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/bathurst_1976.htm

[Evan Bottcher]

The Evan Green book on Alfa Romeo has a picture of Marie-Claude Beaumont from when they ran the Alfetta GTAm in 1976.  Only loosely related to this thread, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.  Nice picture.

Interestingly this page says they DNFed due to fuel injection problems.

[Davidm1600]

Never been so frustrated as when those posts about the Alfetta GTAm came up on the AlfaBB.  Lots of people chiming in excitedly without reading each other's posts - and the message kept getting lost that this was NOT a special valuable autodelta racing car, but simply a pretty boggo-standard homologation special with a confusing name.  Why can't people just listen?

Oh right yeah - it's an internet forum.  I should get over it.  

Should say - good luck to OP finding an example.  I definitely understand the sentimental value thing.

Evan, As I said initially, I am no expert on this model, hence I referred to what appeared pretty authorative advice.  From all I have read on this topic, and that includes a range of books, and other website information, the model that was sent to Aus was clearly not an Autodelta prepared model but rather simply a 'special" model to enable homologation for racing in Aus.  That is simply a GT 1.8, with Spica and lower
compression engine.  In appearance it was exactly the same as any other GT, apart from some badging, and no where have I read that the gearbox, diff, brakes or suspension were anything but standard.

All the information I have seen on this topic, including on the BB and there are plenty of historically versed Alfisti there too, have noted the same information.  As I noted there were factory prepared/autodelta Race Alfetta GTs and may have been labled GTam but this is not what we are talking about here.

So unless you have any other and more authorative advice, perhaps the information as stated is in fact correct ?  As I said I ham happy to be advised otherwise.  I am pretty sure in the past that Vin Sharp too has commented on this topic and is in aggreeance with this information.

[Davidm1600]

I have a copy of the book too, and know the picture you mention.  From memory and perhaps I need to re-read the book, the car was a euro spec Altodelta car, not an Aussie GTam.  But perhaps I am wrong ??

[Evan Bottcher]

Evan, As I said initially, I am no expert on this model, hence I referred to what appeared pretty authorative advice.  From all I have read on this topic, and that includes a range of books, and other website information, the model that was sent to Aus was clearly not an Autodelta prepared model but rather simply a 'special" model to enable homologation for racing in Aus.  That is simply a GT 1.8, with Spica and lower
compression engine.  In appearance it was exactly the same as any other GT, apart from some badging, and no where have I read that the gearbox, diff, brakes or suspension were anything but standard.

All the information I have seen on this topic, including on the BB and there are plenty of historically versed Alfisti there too, have noted the same information.  As I noted there were factory prepared/autodelta Race Alfetta GTs and may have been labled GTam but this is not what we are talking about here.

So unless you have any other and more authorative advice, perhaps the information as stated is in fact correct ?  As I said I ham happy to be advised otherwise.  I am pretty sure in the past that Vin Sharp too has commented on this topic and is in aggreeance with this information.

Hi David, I meant no offence to you, nor was I questioning anything said in this thread here.  I was referring to the linked thread on alfabb.com in 2007 where every second post mixed up the subject with the 105 GTAm or a rally-prepared Alfetta GTs and it was difficult to sort out the real information.  Wasn't helped by the original post talking about the 25 Aussie GTAm road cars, then showing a picture of the Evan Green rally car!

Back to present day, I believe the information you and Alister posted in this thread to be true.

I believe there is an Alfetta GTAm owned by a Perth club member, and I saw one on ebay sold very cheaply in Brisbane in 2006 - so there must be a few left?