Alfa Romeo Duetto 1600 Ivora

This beautifully restored Alfa Romeo Duetto 1600 has seen much of the world. And not just because of the wonderful journeys made over the past 26 years by its former owner. Its first delivery took place in its birthplace, Italy, followed by a journey to the US when the original owner moved to Alabama. In 1997, the Alfa Duetto found its way to Dutch ownership, where a thorough restoration was carried out in 2001. The engine, gearbox, exhaust manifold, ignition, and of course, the bodywork were all addressed, overhauled, and meticulously restored. The Ivory paintwork is the Duetto 1600’s original color—better known as the “original Spider.” Recent work on this ultimate open-top Alfa classic ensures the car is perfectly prepared for a new adventure. Who will take the honor?

History
This special find from *la bella Italia* has only changed hands a few times. The first owner drove it across two continents. After the Alfa Romeo Duetto returned to Europe in 1997, a Brabant family took on the charming Italian. A lack of skills and especially time (due to raising children) led them to call in the help of a father-in-law to work on this predecessor to the Alfa Spider. However, this couldn’t prevent the family from ultimately deciding to pass their classic project on to another enthusiast. That turned out to be the former owner: the third and, until now, final one. He found the Italian with various loose parts in a Brabant barn. The heater and sealed-beam headlights, for instance, were in a box, but his Alfa-loving heart had already skipped a beat. From then on, car and owner were inseparable for 26 wonderful years. Interestingly, his wife was the primary driver in the early days. If that’s not true love… The Duetto was used for short commutes, which exposed its shortcomings—there were some. Rusty wheels with sharp edges around the valve holes regularly punctured the inner tubes, leading to the installation of Cromodora wheels. A 6,000 km classic rally in 1999 from Bilbao to Granada and Calpe was then completed without any issues. The love endured, and during a 2001 vacation in Normandy, the decision was made to strip, blast, conserve, repaint, and fully rebuild the car from top to bottom. And so it happened.

Exterior
Any enthusiast knows the romantic story of the iconic Alfa Romeo Spider began with the Duetto in 1966. This particular example was built a year after its introduction. Unlike its immediate successors, the Alfa Duetto is recognizable by its steeply sloping, “cuttlefish shell” rear end—not the most functional design for trunk space, but oh so beautiful. The round headlights behind teardrop-shaped covers, the slim and sleek silhouette, and various characteristic details such as the chrome trim along the windshield remained virtually unchanged through the final series built in 1993. This says much—if not everything—about the timeless Pininfarina design. What a beauty it is, and remains! The creamy Ivora paint applied to our Duetto 1600 after 2001 is the original shade in which this car left the Italian factory in 1967. It is said that the classic roadster was red at some point. However, for those who prefer red, the best solution is to quickly step into the cockpit.

Interior
During the restoration, the interior was also addressed, resulting in Rosso seat and door upholstery in stunning condition. The Ivora body color is reflected in the painted dashboard, while the door handles, window cranks, the trim of the many analog dials and gauges, as well as the interior mirror, feature a classy chrome finish. Characteristic toggle switches, matching ventilation controls, and of course, the wood accents on both the steering wheel and gear knob reveal the era in which this Italian beauty was passionately built. And the legendary Pininfarina badge on the dashboard? Naturally, we gave it an extra polish!

Engineering
The list of work carried out on the Alfa Romeo Duetto 1600 is endlessly long. For now, we’ll stick to the key updates and upgrades: all bolts, nuts, and brake lines were replaced with stainless steel. Mounting holes for items such as a rectifier, horn relay, and exterior mirror were drilled out and fitted with rivet nuts. Other additions include Koni shock absorbers all around with new springs, a Class 4 alarm system, a 1-2-3 electronic ignition, and a new wiring harness. The exhaust manifold has been metallized. The alternator, gearbox, and engine have been completely overhauled—including new pistons, a balanced crankshaft, and a lightened flywheel. A painter and bodywork specialist handled the cosmetic aspects. The most recent work took place in 2023 and 2024, during which the center section of the exhaust was replaced, the T-bar and carburetor were overhauled, and the driveshaft, intake rubbers, and heater fan were renewed. An interesting detail: the radiator indicates that the 109 hp 4-cylinder Duetto 1600 has a history in Alabama. Since the restoration, the Alfa’s travels have been shorter, with the original Spider only used for the most enjoyable drives and short vacations. Does that sound like something you’d enjoy?

Kind regards,
Team Prins