Penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro at Bertone, the 105s clean and distinctive design made it one of the most attractive small coupes of the 1960s and 70s and the earlier Stepnose cars were the first of that body shape and seen as the most desirable. Of the Stepnose shape the earliest pre Veloce type are seen as the most sought after and this is one of those examples.
Our car was produced in 1965 and delivered new in August to London and this is confirmed by the Alfa Romeo Centro Documentazione which accompanies the car. There are UK records confirming previous owners with records showing mileage in 1981 was a mere 26,833 miles. The current reading is at just 28,513. The car remained in the UK until 2004 when it when it was bought into Brisbane and was found to be in remarkably good and original condition. The current owner acquired the car in 2020 and commissioned an exacting and full restoration which has been recently finished with less than 1,000 kms use since.
The current owner is offering it for sale due to lack of use and a wish to thin down his collection. This presents a great opportunity for the next owner to purchase the car at a fraction of the cost of the initial investment. Invoices which accompany the car total in excess of $90,000 which excludes the purchase price of the car itself.
The quality of body is just perfect and was subject to a full strip and paint by one of the best in the business. Once the paint was removed the shell was found to be in incredibly good condition with very little metal requiring replacement, this reflecting the sheltered life the car has benefitted from. It was decided to repaint the car in the period correct Medio Grigio Metallizato rather than its original Verde Muschio. This brighter colour looks absolutely stunning with the original interior colour of Choio. It suits the car very well and is very appealing to the eye. The paint is flawless, and the work to the body is documented and comes with the car.
Turn the key and the engine fires up with a familiar Alfa Romeo growl. It has been rebuilt and running without fault. Out on the open road this car is superb and its easy to understand why its handling humbled many sports cars of its era (and for many years later).
The gearbox has been disassembled, inspected and where necessary any parts replaced. As a result it is easy to use and everything performs as expected.
Once inside, the cabin feels light and airy and a nice place to be. The dashboard is like new and is a real feature of the car. Everything works as it should with every guage completely restored. The seats still retain their original fabric except for 2 replacement panels. They are in excellent condition and the interior is a real feature of this car. The owner has had desirable box weave carpets made and these look stunning adding a real quality finish. The boot has a replacement light grey rubber mat as fitted in period. Like much of this car it is as new.
The headlining has been replaced and is the correct type.
The wheels are the original and have been refurbished. All the brightwork has been polished at great expense and works beautifully with the metallic grey paint. The engine bay is pin sharp and presents as new. Even the correct stickers have been traced and used for items such as the radiator and brake booster.
As you would expect the underside of the car presents is as clean and fresh as it is on top.
Overall, this represents a spectacular first series Stepnose with a huge amount of work done and significant investment made. This would be a perfect buy for someone considering restoring a car but wishing to avoid the wait or costs! A wonderfully attractive car and definitive classic Alfa Romeo.