![\"Alfa](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/AlfaRomeoGTJunior-22-800x480.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHave Alfa Romeo ever made an ugly car? Renowned for designing and producing heavenly bodies the Italian firm has consistently given us beautiful vehicles, from the GTA and Spider to the 8C and everything in between, and the GT 1600 Junior is certainly no exception. They didn’t break the mould here and it has become a firm favourite in classic car circles. With its Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned lines and petite proportions it was an innovative design for the time and still looks amazing to this day.<\/p>\n
Based on a shortened version of the Giulia the GT Junior (initially offered with a 1.3-litre engine and aptly named the 1300) was the entry-level model for the 105 series of cars produced between 1963 and 1977. While still being a Gran Turismo coup\u00e9 the ‘Junior’ moniker was used to denote this smaller-engined version that differentiated it from the more sporty GT and GTV models. More sporty also meant more expensive though, as is invariably the case and the paired-back, reduced capacity Junior was a big hit with the public as it was a cheaper and more accessible way to still drive an Alfa Romeo coup\u00e9.<\/p>\n
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It wasn’t until 1972 that the GT 1600 Junior was introduced. Ostensibly the same car it came equipped with the larger 1.6-litre, twin cam engine producing a little extra grunt over the 100 or so bhp of the 1300. Released to bridge the gap between the GT 1300 Junior and the 2000GT the GT 1600 Junior was just as popular as its little brother and retained the almost perfect, rear-wheel drive handling characteristics that those initial models were celebrated for.<\/p>\n
This particular Alfa<\/a> is a later GT 1600 Junior model from 1975 which means it not only has the 110-ish bhp, 1.6-litre, all-aluminium, twin carburettor engine but it was also produced at a time in its four-year production run when manufacturing was streamlined. The result of which means it shares all of its exterior and interior bits and pieces with the top-of-the-range 2000 GT Veloce. A five-speed manual completes the package as this was the only gearbox available for the entire range, which is a good thing.<\/p>\n It’s a right-hand drive South African import that according to the advertiser is \u201cremarkably complete\u201d. Whether or not this means it is 100% complete or not is unclear, however, but the photos do paint a pretty good picture and there are a lot of original parts included. The car does run and apparently sounds healthy but you will obviously need to draw your own conclusions after seeing and hearing the thing. We must say the body does look tidy, if you can ignore the rather crude primer, but there are some issues to contend with, including the floor pans and sills. Aside from that it looks to be an unmolested example that would pay dividends if restored properly and you could potentially be the very proud owner of one of Alfa Romeo’s magical GT coup\u00e9s. Imagine that.<\/p>\n It’s obvious to anyone with an eye or two that the car needs paint but it shouldn’t need too much body work as the owner states that the wings, doors and body are in great condition. The only areas of concern are the floor pans and sills, all of which will need to be replaced. The result of corrosion we would assume, so unless you want to go full Flintstones then this would need to be addressed.<\/p>\n Most of the exterior trim pieces have been removed but it looks like they are included in the sale so it would simply be a case of tarting them up and sticking them back on. It’s a running car but what condition is the engine really in? What work would it require to give you that all important peace of mind before running it regularly once more? There is no mention of the remainder of the running gear or the suspension so there’s a bit of an unknown quantity there. As stated, it is an import but the necessary paperwork is included for it to be registered here in the UK. Most parts are readily available though and so there shouldn’t be any major road blocks to a successful resto and at less than \u00a313,000 it’s certainly worth more than idle speculation.<\/p>\n 1) Rust<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The 105 Series’ biggest enemy. Many have been consumed by it unfortunately and this particular car seems to have its fair share. According to the blurb though it is confined to the floor pans and sills and luckily the bodywork remains untouched by the dreaded tin worm. A competent bodyshop or specialist Alfa garage can sort the problem areas and repro panels are available for decent money but it would still be wise to go over the car looking for any other potential problem areas as well as signs of any accident damage. Areas to scrutinise for rot include the front and rear screens, where the steering box mounts and in the boot underneath the spare wheel.<\/p>\n 2) Engine<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n It’s running and sounds \u201chealthy\u201d apparently, which is good, but one person’s healthy is another person’s Covid 19 so be sure to give the motor a thorough going over as the mileage is not stated. The four-cylinder engines in these cars can sound a bit rattly but is nothing to worry about. The main concern is head gasket failure and although not a particularly complicated job it’s still worth checking. The dual-carb setup is generally robust but rebuild kits are available should they need some fettling.<\/p>\n 3) Interior<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The interior actually looks pretty good from the photos. Yes the door cards are off but they are included with myriad other parts and so bringing the insides up to scratch shouldn’t be too taxing. The first job would be to give everything a damn good clean and then see where it stands with regards to replacements parts. If there is anything missing then trim bits and bobs are all available.<\/p>\n 4) Brakes<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The GT 1600 Junior is pretty simple, mechanically speaking but there are a few things to eyeball. The brake servos (yes, there are two, one for the front brakes and one for the rear) can fail and are expensive to replace. The master cylinders are mounted underneath the car which makes them incredibly vulnerable. Check the pedal for any sponginess and make sure nothing is seized as repair bills can be hefty.<\/p>\n 5) Trim\/Parts<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The brightwork looks to be complete, albeit not attached to the car and is mostly stainless so reviving any shabby parts should be a doddle. Again, if there are any bits and pieces missing everything is available so it shouldn’t put you off, with companies like Alfaholics<\/a> being a great source for all things Alfa. Generally speaking it would seem that it all just needs a tidy up and then re-attaching to the car, once the paintwork is sorted of course.<\/p>\n The way we see it you have two options with this Alfa Romeo GT 1600 Junior<\/a>. You can go the full resto route and bring it back to original, factory standard spec or you can go down the hillclimb\/sprint car route. Now this isn’t as difficult or involved as you may think and there are plenty of websites that can help with regards to kitting out the car for competition. The Hillclimb and Sprint Association<\/a> is one such body. With its revvy 1.6-litre engine and sublime handling this is the option we are leaning towards and you could still use it as a regular classic too. The best of both worlds.<\/p>\n![\"Alfa](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1975-alfa-romeo-gt-60b3b3ccea2e4-800x480.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhy is it a project?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nFive things to look for:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Alfa](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1975-alfa-romeo-gt-60b3b36cb547d-800x480.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1975-alfa-romeo-gt-60b3b36cb815a-800x480.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Alfa](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1975-alfa-romeo-gt-60b3b36cb76db-800x480.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.co.uk\/magazine\/app\/uploads\/2021\/10\/1975-alfa-romeo-gt-60b3b36cb6c27-800x600.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat should you do with it?\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n