Alfa Romeo Alfetta, GT, GTV and GTV6 (1972 – 1984) Review

Alfa Romeo Alfetta, GT, GTV and GTV6 (1972 – 1984) At A Glance

4/5

+Great handling, lusty engines

-Indifferent built, rust and rarity

Alfa Romeo chose a two-pronged attack for replacing the legendary Giulia. The first of two cars, the Alfetta (the other being the Giulietta), being launched in 1972, and being pitched at the lucrative executive car market.

The mid-sized saloon was something of a departure from its predecessors - boasting a new platform (Type 116) that would last for well over two decades, all the ingredients were there for a great sporting follow-up to the Giulia: a range of twin-cam engines and a transaxle gearbox for perfect weight distribution.

Build quality was variable, with the earliest cars the most solidly assembled, but a bigger problem was corrosion. Rare today, not fully understood, and perhaps more deserving of its own accolades than being known as the saloon that begat the GT and GTV.

It was left to Bertone to create a suitably handsome coupé out of the Alfetta's excellent underpinnings. It was originally launched as the Alfetta GT in 1779cc twin-cam form, and a 1.6GT joined the range in 1976 – along with the GTV 2000 a year later. With a full 2.0 litres under the bonnet, it delivered effortless performance, accompanied by the rorty soundtrack you would expect from an Alfa twin-cam. 

In 1981, the GTV then received the wonderful Busso V6 from the Six to crate the GTV6. Running a new Bosch fuel injection system, the V6’s power was up to 160bhp, giving the GTV6 a very useful power hike, as well as one of the most sublime soundtracks in motoring history. Like the Alfetta GT and GTV before it a good GTV6 was a phenomenally good car in the bends – especially as it finally had the power to exploit it.

Buying an Alfetta or GTV now should be relatively painless given that the surviving examples should have been properly rebuilt. As ever, rust and flimsy build quality are the main enemies.

Ask Honest John

How can I track down my father's old Alfa Romeo GTV?

"I am trying to source my father's 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV. I've been on the DVLA web site and found the car by its plate, however the car has not had an MoT/Tax since April 1983. Is there any way of finding out who owns the car, if it's scrapped or SORN? I know this could be tricky with data protection but any help would be great."
One option worth trying is the Alfa Romeo Owners' Club (https://www.aroc-uk.com/). If they know the car, they may be able to pass on your details. Failing that, social media is a good way of highlighting your story - if you encourage people to share the post and include a photo of your father with the car, you might find someone who knows someone who knows the owner. But it is a long shot.
Answered by Keith Moody

My car has been off the road since 1992 - what documents do I need to get it back on the road?

"I have a 1983 Alfa GTV which has been off the road and garaged since 1992, well before SORN came in. I have the old style V5 logbook What do I need to get the car valued and sold? Would i need a new style V5C? What else would I need to do?"
If you're looking to sell the car, it's good practice to swap your old logbook for a new one. To do this, send it to the DVLA, Swansea SA99 1BA with a covering letter - it's a good idea to make a copy of the documents before posting the originals and if you're worried about them getting lost you can always send them to be signed for. Alternatively, call 0300 790 6802 - you will need to have the registration number, make and model of the vehicle and the document reference number. If it's been stood since 1992, and get it running make sure you turn the engine over by hand first - remove the spark plugs to make this easier. You'll also want to drain all the old fuel out. As well as getting it valued, you really need to make a decent assessment of what it'll take to get it back on the road. Make a list of all the parts you'll need and their prices. Budget for the worst and hope for the best - it could easily be the case that the parts required quickly add up to the price of the car. If you can do the majority of the work yourself, you'll at least be able to keep labour costs down.
Answered by Keith Moody
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