FEATURE: The Alfa Romeo Giulia GT 1300 Junior – The Love Story between Man and Machine – Zerotohundred

A car is a machine that has given mankind the freedom to roam about the world in 4-wheels – and over a lifespan, cars come and go but there is always ONE. This story is more than just a feature. It’s a love story between a man and his 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia GT 1300 Junior. It was love at first sight when he first laid eyes on the Alfa 105 Series – dating back in the late 80s when he was still a school boy.

The first encounter with the Giulia GT was when it first belonged to his best friend’s father in high-school and it was like meeting an angel sent from heaven. Designed by Giugiaro at Bertone – the 1300 Junior kicked-started the enthusiasm of enthusiasts that never went away. After many years of studying abroad – the man return to his homeland and was not willing to settle for anything less than his dreams of owning a Giulia GT.

As with all classic gems – finding the perfect example is never easy. This very example began life in 1967; and when the current owner found it – it was left uncared, for a number of years. Despite the frightening condition – the challenge to restore it back to health was accepted and it took an enduring 22 months; stripping it to its bare chassis and working the shell from ground up. Rust was imminent at start, but nothing stops love from the completion of this Red Dagger.

It was not a love for Alfas that began this story – but it was the intoxication of affection towards the Giulia GT 1300 Junior. For most enthusiasts – the main idea is to restore it to its original condition.. however, this owner took a different approach. Whilst abroad – he exposed himself to classic racing and was astonished by the Alfa GTAm racecars turning up on umpteen circuits. From the moment of acquisition – he knew it was the only way to go.

Unlike most builds – many parts on this project were custom hand-built by the owner himself. Exterior details like the custom Alfa GTA grille which defines the frontal fascia of this very example was specially crafted by this true petrol-head, spending 3-days to create the perfect weave in his home garage. Other items like the Datsun 120Y door handles and buttons were retrofitted to match the looks of the car.

Although some enjoy the bliss of originality – a special piece of automotive art like this 1300 Junior requires the defining touch of blood and sweat by its own caretaker. Nothing spreads the word love like building a car with one’s own bare hands.

Despite the personal touches – there are certain things that can’t be homegrown. The heart runs on an aluminium Alfa Romeo Nord engine, just like the GTAm racecar. This fine example runs on the 2.0-litre 8 valve – double-overhead camshaft engine that is good for around 200bhp.

Nothing defines a racing breed more than a stripped out interior. Weighing just under 900kgs – this 1300 junior is absolutely light on its feet. The car felt agile around corners and very eager on the straights. It was not difficult to achieve this raw-feel from an already light car as it also feature a custom aluminium floor, Recaro bucket seat, matched with lightweight dashboard and door panels, making the whole experience an absolute hoot every time.

After months burning the midnight oil in the garage – the ‘Red Dagger’ project was completed back in 07′. Since completion, the car has spent most of its life as a daily driver, bringing a smile to the owners face everyday to work. Builds like this are never completed overnight – and it is this particular Alfa Romeo Giulia GT that has amazed all of us at Zerotohundred.

For someone like myself – it has absolutely restored my love for classic machines, and urge the feeling to start a project similar to the Red Dagger. It takes more than just money to restore a classic, because passion counts for 70% of the build. Meeting this petrol-head has been one of the great joys of being a journalist.

It may not be the best restoration project that we’ve encountered – but it is definitely the most involved of all.