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During the period between 1969 and 74 between three and four hundreds Alfas were bought, sold or dismantled by E.B.Spares, that adds up to an amazing cavalcade of Alfas.

David Edgington's first privately owned Alfa was a Giulietta Sprint fitted with a 1600cc engine with GTA modifications, the engine being prepared by an Italian mechanic at Rob Walker's garage. Some forty years later his 19th Alfa is a RHD Giulia Super built by Car Distributors, East London, South Africa in 1967.

Like so may cars built in South Africa it is a mishmash of whatever parts were available at the time, in fact a nightmare for students of originality. In 1969 it went to Mozambique (a Portuguese colony) and in 1975 it was taken to Fafe in north of Portugal where it belonged to a lady who gave it to her lover---but retained the paperwork herself. The owner then subsequently sold it to long-time Alfa enthusiast Fernando Vaz Pinto who then had the arduous task of locating the woman in order to acquire the essential paperwork.

Although a Giulia Super in terms of both engine and chassis numbers as well as log-book, the interior is reminiscent of a much earlier Giulia TI, whereas the Super has separate speedometer and tachometer here we have a TI dashboard with ribbon speedometer and 'robin's beak' tachometer (so called by Alfisti because the stubby red needle persistently bobs up and down !). Presumably as a cost cutting exercise individual front seats, generally a standard fitting by 1967, have been substituted for the cheaper bench front seat of the older 62/63 Giulia which incidentally used a column gearchange. Further cost cutting seems to have been achieved by not fitting a brake servo to accompany the notorious Dunlop braking system which comprised discs all round but with hydro-mechanical rear callipers----fortunately Vaz Pinto converted the system to ATE, and a period Benditalia servo has just been added. One is left under the impression that this car was assembled using a conglomeration of remaining parts.

The engine was rebuilt and modified a few years ago by Vaz Pinto working under the auspices of Snr.Baggioli a well-known engineer, who works closely with Alfa Romeo in Italy, preparing engines for Giuliettas for Scuderia Del Portello. The camshaft cover finished in blue is typical and carries Baggioli Elaborazione Sportive sticker.

Incidentally, anyone worried about the reliability of using a 1960s tax-exempt Alfa should consider that Fernando Vaz Pinto drove this car from Portugal to Westbury in the UK, some 2000 miles in 3 days, and it never missed a beat !

Kevin Abigail served his apprenticeship with Alfa Romeo specialist Ben Alfa Cars of Westbury, Wiltshire, during which time he owned a succession of three Alfa Suds. These were followed by a pair of 105 series Bertone GTs---starting with a 1300 (with a 2000cc engine) before moving to a 1600 GT which was used as every-day transport during a particularly bad winter. At present he has a 2000cc Spider dismantled and awaiting a rebuild, plus the Alfetta GTV featured here.

Having been involved with Alfas all his working life Kevin is in big demand when it comes to offering advice, a great advantage when it comes to fitting some of the more complex parts !