Vehicle Description
Alfa Romeo seems to have something in its DNA that few other
manufacturers have managed to capture. There's an emotional
connection, a sensation through the steering wheel and gearbox that
lends even the most basic Alfa the feeling that it is somehow
directly connected to the spirit of the great Vittorio Jano
designed sports and grand prix cars of the 1930's. Even after Alfa
Romeo shifted to its focus to mass production in the years after
WWII, they still managed to keep that passion and sporting heritage
alive - a spirit that lives on even in today's Alfas. The Duetto
first appeared in the mid-1960s as a basic and svelte two-seat
roadster based on the highly successful 105-series chassis that
formed the foundation of the Giulia/Giulietta coupes and sedans.
The Duetto was initially offered with a 1600 c.c., all alloy
twin-cam four-cylinder with a pair of Weber carburetors that
produced 108 horsepower. The fairly conventional chassis returned
excellent handling thanks to finely honed damping, a well-located
rear axle and independent front suspension. Unlike the Giulia
Coupe, which wore a body by Bertone, the lovely Duetto was penned
by Pininfarina and bore no resemblance to its siblings. The Duetto
was actually the last project that the company's founder, Battista
"Pinin" Farina had a personal hand in, and he was quite proud of
the results. The beautiful design is characterized by minimal
chrome, distinctly sculptured body sides and that signature
tapering, rounded tail. This is the purest expression of the Alfa
Spider, and considered by "Alfisti" to be the most desirable of all
Spider models in its long 27 year production run. This lovely
example is an early model from 1966. It wears a beautiful
restoration that was executed on a solid, high quality foundation.
Finished in red with a tan leather interior piped in red, black
carpets and a tan top, the paint and finishing are done to a very
high standard - well above what is typical for a Duetto. Recent
history at the Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance and a class
award at the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance attest to its quality.
�Along with lovely paint, it wears new rubber seals and gaskets and
excellent bright work. The original steel wheels with dog-dish
hubcaps are the correct, and in our opinion, best choice for the
round-tail Duetto. Their simple design only serves to highlight the
elegant and sparse Pininfarina styling. To complement the fine
exterior, the cabin has likewise been restored to a very high
level. Leather and trim work have been done to a similarly high
standard as the rest of the car. The color combination looks great
and adds to this example's unique charm. The iconic twin-cam 1600
c.c. inline four has been properly detailed, and the restorer
resisted the common urge to polish everything in sight - it is all
refreshingly simple and clean under the hood. Much the same goes on
in the boot, which has been trimmed in black carpet as per
original, with an original jack and correct spare residing inside.
Standard on all Duettos was a five-speed manual gearbox and disc
brakes. It is rare to find a truly great Duetto - one with good
bones and such a quality restoration. This is a beautiful early
example that is ready for show, but also happens to be
exceptionally well sorted to deliver an outstanding drive. The name
"Duetto" simply means duet in Italian - perhaps for the simple fact
that there's just room for you and a passenger, but perhaps the
name implies something about the magical interaction between driver
and machine - the true essence of the Alfa Romeo Experience.