Description
It is 1966, and something extraordinary is about to happen at the Geneva Motor Show. A new model that no one has seen yet. Unlike today, there are no leaked images on the internet or computer generated images circulating. In 1966, the excitement on the showroom floor is palpable as a new car is presented to the general public. The curtain is raised, revealing the Alfa Romeo Spider, later known as the Duetto, and it immediately left a lasting impression. Nowadays, it is one of the most well-known classics. The model remained at Alfa Romeo dealers for almost 30 years, through four different series.
What you see here is a particularly lovely 1969 Spider ‘Duetto’ 1750 Iniezione, with the most beloved finish: Rosso Alfa. The Spider was given a respray in the past, considering it originally comes from America; we suspect the respray was mainly due to the paint becoming dull. The bodywork looks beautifully straight and original. There are some minimal signs of use on the paint, but they are only noticeable upon closer inspection. The doors close very easily, indicating a well-built chassis. Areas that often show weakness, such as the rear edge of the trunk and contact points where the front bumpers are welded to the chassis under the hood, are all in a very healthy and neat condition. The rear of the Spider still sits very nicely horizontally, whereas many early Spiders tend to have a somewhat “sagging rear” due to rust or poorly repaired damage, but not this one, even at 54 years old.
Looking at the interior, we are pleasantly surprised once again. A beautiful dashboard, mostly finished in body colour. Lovely Veglia meters that are, of course, fully functional, and tidy carpets adorn the Spider. The reupholstered seats, which are comfortable and offer good support, look very neat. The seats show no signs of damage.
The convertible top is certainly not original, having clearly been recently replaced. This is only beneficial as you won’t have to worry about it anytime soon.
Continuing from where we left off with the exterior, the interior also exudes originality, with the exception of the beautiful sports steering wheel and matching gear knob. The colour-coded steel dashboard is a characteristic feature of early Spiders. Unlike many of its counterparts, which often have holes cut into the dashboard for the installation of a radio, this one remains intact. The floor covering appears to be original, while the seats were reupholstered at some stage in the past, with the only minor flaw in the entire interior being a small damage on the driver’s seat cushion. The seats are very comfortable and provide ample support, as is typical of all seats in Alfa’s 105 series, to which the Duetto also belongs.
We’ve talked about the convertible top; now let’s move on to what’s under the hood. In this case, there’s a 1750 injection engine, indicated by the ‘Iniezione’ letters at the back. Combined with a so-called free-flow exhaust, almost a standard recipe for a 105 series Alfa, this Spider delivers an incredible amount of driving pleasure. Few cars offer as much driving enjoyment as an Alfa Romeo 105 series, and the Spider adds a generous dose of wind in your hair with top down.
