With a total production run of 1,000 units between 1965, when it was launched at the Geneva Salon, and 1966, the Giulia GTC Alfa was an exclusive 2+2 convertible derivative of the Bertone Giulia Sprint GT coupe.

Visiting the new Arese plant when the Giulia GTC was introduced, the British magazine Autocar commented that “despite the high rates of manufacture, all Alfas are still largely hand-built, and every engine is stripped for examination when it has been run at the factory before being passed to the assembly lines.”


The convertible conversion was carried out by Carrozzeria Touring, with reinforcement applied to the floor pan to ensure that there was no loss of rigidity. Features of this disarmingly pretty convertible include a disappearing top and rear quarter windows winding fully into the body sides to give the appearance of a roadster.

The GTC was one of the last cars to be built by Touring, which was in receivership when this model was launched, and was finally wound up on March 1, 1965, though it continued to fulfill outstanding orders until 1967, when the factory was converted to make soap powder and boot polish.

Powered by a 1570cc twin-cam, all-alloy, four-cylinder engine, the Giulia GTC had a top speed in fifth gear approaching 112 mph with the top up. Disc brakes were fitted to all four wheels.

This car has had only two owners since new, and has been in its current ownership for the past thirty-one years. The odometer reading of 125,000 miles is said to be genuine.

In 1997-1998 it was the subject of a six-month total body restoration, in which the body shell was stripped to bare metal and all dents and rust were eliminated before the body was refinished in red. It has been fitted with new taillights and lenses, door glass and bumpers, and the rubber gaskets have been replaced. Interior trim is in tan. Additionally, the engine has been completely rebuilt at a cost of almost $5,400. This included a cylinder head rebuild, new crank, pistons and sleeves. Since the completion of the rebuild, the vendor stated that the car has covered approximately 100 miles.

{analysis} This car sold for $11,500 at Brooks’ Quail Lodge Auction in Carmel, California, on August 19, 2000.

This price is at the low end of the auctioneer’s estimate, reflecting the unfinished condition of the car. The engine rebuild and body work probably emptied the bank for this restoration, leaving some very visible but easily correctable faults to rectify: the center tunnel carpeting behind the front seats is worn bare and the decorative metal flashing across the top of the windshield is badly damaged.

The faults are especially unfortunate because Alfas are relatively inexpensive cars to maintain and restore. For many collectible cars, $5,400 would hardly buy a ring job, let alone a new crankshaft, pistons and liners. Moreover, it is probable that the preceding 124,900 miles on this GTC were covered with its original engine and only regular maintenance. When you’re speaking of an Alfa, the terms “usable” and “collectible” are not mutually exclusive.

The appeal and utility of a four-place Alfa convertible may set owners of Alfa GTV coupes dreaming about “chop-top” conversions. Several Giulia Sprint GT coupes have been converted to GTCs. It is not a simple conversion, requiring careful engineering to provide a good fit and finish for the top, and inventiveness in designing roll-up rear quarter windows. Most importantly, the steel top of the Giulia coupe is a structural member of its unit body. Touring’s conversion added cruciform strengthening to the floor pan to offset the loss of the structural top. Aftermarket conversions that have not been similarly reinforced will have unacceptable cowl shake and may eventually sag so much that the doors cannot open.

This GTC is powered by a later 1750 engine. Though the 1750 is considered even more reliable than the Giulia engine, an original engine would have made this collectible car a more attractive investment.

There’s a lot to like about a GTC Alfa: a short production run when the car was still mostly hand-built, open-air motoring with room for four, an easily maintained powertrain and a distinctive body. The new owner got a solid driver at a good price.

The danger is that, if it remains just a driver, this GTC will eventually disappear. At this point in its life, the non-original engine and lack of detailing give cause for concern. A little more money invested now will elevate this car to a condition that makes it truly worthy of conservation, and much less liable to being driven into oblivion by a subsequent owner.

GTCs in brilliant condition can bring nearly $20,000, but they are far and few between. Assuming that there was no rust under the carpets, in the rockers or the structural crossmembers added by Touring, at $11,500 the new owner can do a little freshening up and have a nice car at a fair price. And unless you’re thinking about cutting the top off of your 164 (wouldn’t that be an interesting project), the GTC is the only way you can take the family with you and simultaneously enjoy an open Alfa sports car.—Pat Braden{/analysis}

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