75 (Type 162) 1985 - 1992

A friend of mine owned a white Alfa 75 in the 1990s and I was hooked. I'm not normally a fan of white cars but it suited the angular 80s look of the 75. It was at a Brooklands Auto Italia event in 2000 that I spotted a white 75 for sale. The rest, as they say, is history....

I've owned my Alfa Romeo 75 since 2000! I purchased it for just £1,100 but it needed a bit of mechanical work to get it up to scratch. I bought it as spare car to take the load off a 164 TS I owned at the time as I was doing a fair bit of mileage back then. Needless to say, the 75 soon became the cherished car - well all my Alfas are really!

The car has always been cherished and has recently undergone some essential maintenance to get it up to spec including a new clutch, gearbox rebuild, all new suspension bushing and powder coated components. A misfire was fixed and I sourced a set of 16-inch Speedline alloys which were sympathetically restored. The car is pretty much as good as it can get now. I'm extremely fussy and, following some very poor treatment from a so-called Alfa specialist (who shall remain nameless), the brilliant Wayne Ellett at EMC racing rectified everything to a very high standard.

The car has always been dry stored and it's had a few cosmetic repairs over the years to keep it in top condition. I love the way it drives, handles and feels on the road. It's as tight as a drum and a real head-turner!

I've sourced some very rare replacement parts over the years including NOS headlights and tailights as well as the 'rare as hen's teeth' rear boot reflector strip and keep a spare just in case!

The car has the upgraded Recaro interior as well as a Momo wooden steering wheel and gear knob. The car gets used and, after a fair bit of time off the road, will be used for the occasional track day!

There's always something that needs doing - as a friend of mine and I say, an Alfa isn't an Alfa without a list!

I'm not 100% sure on the mileage as it had a new instrument panel fitted when I got it but, working back, it must be approximately 120,000 miles now although, as mentioned, it's had a lot of ongoing maintenance since then so probably drives better than the day it left the showroom!

The chain-driven 8v 2.0 Twin Spark engine is a delight. Very revvy with short gearing it feels very solid and robust. Regular oil changes are paramount but it's never given any grief over the years.

I am fastidious about my Alfas - I also own a restored 156 2.0 Twin Spark in Proteo Red and a Giulia Veloce TI in Etna Red. I love them both but they all keep me busy!

The car is much smarter underneath now having been treated and fitted with reconditioned, powder-coated components, new bushes and underside treatment along with Koni adjustable shock absorbers. This was all part of a major overhaul including a gearbox rebuild and new clutch.

Fortunately the car has been garaged during most of my ownership since 2000 so it's a very solid example with no nasty tin worm!

It looks scary but now feels very nice after a full gearbox overhaul and rebuild! The clutch had gone following some 'enthusiastic' driving at Goodwood so it was time for a full strip-down. Second and third gear synchros were replaced along with many other ancillaries. A new first gear also had to be sourced as the original one was broken.

It turns out the car still had the original Sachs clutch fitted. Not bad for over 30 years' use

Originally fitted to the 164 Cloverleaf, the 16-inch Speedlines set the car off nicely and really improve the handling! I still have the original 15-inch Revolution alloys the car was fitted with safely tucked away!

I just love the lines of the 75. It's not to everyone's cup of tea but it's a very rare sight on the road these days. A bonefide classic Alfa, more 75s seem to be getting discovered and are being treated to the restoration process. Long may it continue!

I love the rear quarter view of the Alfa 75 - really shows off the 'wedge' appearance and stance of the car. Love it or hate it, it's a shape that certainly gets a lot of attention these days!

My restored Alfa 156 2.0 Twin Spark.

My daily driver - a 2022 Alfa Giulia Veloce TI