Vehicle Description
Alfa Romeo has a rich history in motorsports and has produced some
of the most iconic and celebrated cars in automotive history. The
company's success on the racetrack has not only helped to establish
its reputation as a performance-oriented brand, but it has also had
a significant influence on the design and engineering of its road
cars. Alfa Romeo, better than almost every other mainstream
automaker, has injected its motorsports DNA into virtually every
road car they've built. Alfa Romeo's racing heritage dates to the
early 20th century when the company began competing in various
motorsports events, including Grand Prix and endurance racing, with
legendary drivers such as Antonio Ascari, Tazio Nuvolari, Juan
Manual Fangio, and for close to 20 years, Motorsport legend Enzo
Ferrari. Alfa Romeos feel alive with history, and that intangible
quality and passion have endeared the Milanese firm to generations
of fans. Alfa Romeo's understatedly pretty Duetto (Italian for
Duet) was launched at the 1966 Geneva International Motor Show and
immediately became popular all over the world due to both its
elegant styling and its brilliant handling, which made it a true
Italian sportscar icon. The Duetto even became a film star due to
the long sequences in which a young Dustin Hofmann anxiously drives
it against the clock in the final scenes of the 1967 film "The
Graduate". It was a basic and svelte two-seat roadster based on a
shortened version of the highly successful 105-series chassis,
shared with the Giulia coupe and sedan. The British dominated the
sports roadster market at the time, but Alfa set to change that
with its stylish and technically sophisticated Duetto. Initially
offered with a 1600 cc all-alloy twin-cam four cylinder fed by a
pair of Weber carburetors which produced 108 horsepower, it came
standard with a 5-speed gearbox, disc brakes, and of course, the
indefinable quality of Alfa-ness that made it a hit with buyers.
Rather than utilizing their more frequent design partner Bertone,
the Duetto's design came from cross-town rivals Pininfarina and
bore no resemblance to its Alfa stablemates. The Duetto was the
last project that the company's founder, Battista "Pinin" Farina,
had a personal hand in, and he was rightfully proud of the results.
The beautiful design is characterized by minimal chrome, distinctly
sculptured body sides, two-piece bumpers to emphasize the familiar
Alfa badge in the middle, and the signature tapered tail treatment.
To many enthusiasts, the Duetto is the purest expression of the
Spider formula and the most desirable variant from the series' 27-
year production run. This 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider is a
fantastic example, combining the highly desirable 1750 twin-cam
engine in the classically styled 'round tail' body. This car left
the Milan factory as a 1600 model, but was later fitted with a
punchier 1750, a fairly common upgrade. Among Alfisti, this
iteration of the venerable alloy twin-cam four is considered one of
the very best. Balancing the light and rev-happy character of the
smaller versions with the power output of the larger 2-liter, the
1750 hits the sweet spot, particularly in the lightweight Duetto. A
well-detailed but not overly fussy engine bay is home to this
twin-cam, equipped with Euro-spec dual carburetors and factory
correct air box and, of course, a five-speed gearbox. This car
clearly shows the benefit of consistent care and maintenance, and
is a marvelous example that encourages driving at every
opportunity. The white paintwork is excellent, and the body is
impressively straight, exhibiting consistent, even shut lines, and
brightly polished stainless bumpers and brightwork. This car also
wears the stylish and protective Euro-spec Perspex headlight covers
and the correct offset angled exhaust. Riding on Vredestein Sprint
Classic tires mounted on period-correct steel wheels with hub caps,
it sits nicely on the road with an appealing and authentic look.
Duettos are built on a robust unibody platform giving lively yet
balanced handling thanks to the well-located rear axle, independent
front suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. This car features
uprated springs and dampers to further enhance the experience, and
the undercarriage is tidy and clean, with a driver-focused, honest
appeal. The cockpit is sparse yet stylish and functional, featuring
dark red vinyl on the seats along with red and contrasting black
door cards. The dash top and bottom are free of cracks and
shrinking and the instrument panel is correctly finished in
body-color. The folding soft top is upholstered in durable black
vinyl and is in fine condition. Red carpet on the transmission
tunnel, proper rubber mats on the floors, wood-rimmed wheel,
period-correct Blaupunkt radio, Jaeger gauges, and original
switchgear are highlights of the cozy interior. This lovely and
charming Alfa Romeo is ready to carve up your favorite winding
ribbons of tarmac and represents a wonderful opportunity to add
Alfa's sophisticated, stylish, and eminently enjoyable slice of La
Dolce Vita to your stable. Offers welcome and trades considered For
additional details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/7454-1967-alfa-romeo-duetto-spyder/
