There is something special about Italian motor cars.

Be it a Lambo, Maserati, Ferrari, Lancia, Fiat or Alfa Romeo, there is a certain ‘something’ about them – especially their sportier models.

Maybe that ‘something’ is to do with their cool design, or their performance, or maybe it’s in the name – anything Italian just sounds cool, doesn’t it?

Take this Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV, for example. The ‘GTV’ stands for Gran Turismo Veloce, which sounds infinitely cooler than its English translation of ‘Fast Grand Tourer’.

Whatever that ‘something’ is, the Italians seem to have the knack for making stylish motors, and the 1750 GTV certainly fits into that category.

Built between 1967 and 1972, the 1750 GTV is a two-door, four-seat, rear-wheel drive coupe. Though called the 1750, it actually had a 1779cc four-cylinder motor – an an updated version of the company’s excellent double overhead cams engine that was so successful it would be used, in modified forms, for 40 years.

Good for a top speed of 190km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 9.3 seconds, the 1750 GTV was a nippy beast and popular too, with 45,000 of them being built.

Though you don’t see too many on the roads, with Alfa Romeo’s wonderful motor racing history – the company has been involved in motorsport since 1911 – it’s no surprise to find that there are plenty of GTVs to be found on race tracks around the country, including this one, a 1971 model owned by Bob Bear.

And this one has seen plenty of racing action. Over the 8 years he has owned it, Bob has competed in more than 60 events, from track events at Morgan Park, Lakeside and Queensland Raceway, to on-road events at the Noosa Hill Climb and the Leyburn Sprints (Bob finished second in class at this year’s Leyburn event).

Bought as a racing car from a friend, Bob has given the GTV a decent tuning up – including replacing the 1750 engine with a 2-litre motor from a later-model Alfa – and has spruced up other areas of the car too.

“The car was driveable when I bought it, but I have changed it quite a bit since then,” he says. “I had it for about 12 months, then refreshed the engine, but then built a 2-litre engine which has a lot more torque and is a lot better.

“I’ve put a 2-litre’s limited slip diff in it, modified the suspension, and upgraded the brakes too. I haven’t changed the box or the syncro, which is a bit weak, but I really only do circuit work so it’s fine.

“I had some brake issues at the beginning – they were pretty lousy – and changed the pads and a few other things, but eventually found t had put the wrong size cylinders on the boosters. When we put a gauge on it, the pressures weren’t right, so we played round and now the brakes are maybe too good!

“A lot of race guys throw the boosters away because it can save about 14kg, but I am happy with them. I’ve put thicker vented rotors on the front, spacers in the calipers and they’re working well.”
Though a car and motor racing enthusiast – and a mechanic by trade – Bob, now retired, never was an ‘Alfa Romeo guy’, although he did have a run-in with an Alfa as young fellow that left an impression.

“I remember my aunt bought a brand new 1964 EH Premier Wagon but only had it for 12 months before she bought an Alfa Guilia Ti,” he says. “And she loved that car. It was terrific, had disc brakes all round and it was one of the best stopping cars I have ever come across.”

Still, it wasn’t until his friend put this 1750 GTV up for sale that Bob considered owning one.

“Why did I buy it? Because I liked it and the memory of my aunt’s car had always stayed with me,” he says.

While Bob has been racing the Alfa for the 8 years he has owned it, his racing history goes back quite a way, and he has owned and raced other classic cars too.

“I had an MGB into which I put a 3.5-litre Rover V8 and that was a very quick car – it ran 13.5s over the quarter mile, which made it quicker than a GTHO Phase III,” he says. “And I also had an LC GTR Torana – into which I put a 308 because the 253 that was in it was a bit fumey – and I did hill climbs in that. I’ve had a few good toys over the years.”

The GTV, perhaps, is as good a car as he has owned and raced. It is, he says, a brilliant drive.

“It’s like a go-kart, it is fantastic. Some people do bag the Alfas and say they break down alot and so on, but it has been very reliable. It is a great little car.”

Source: Motor Trade E-Magazine (October Edition)

8 Oct 2018