Giulia (Type 105) 1962-1993

BGU 683G originated as an Italian home-market car, sold to its first owner in Rome on 13th February 1969, unfortunately, the original number plate is unknown, but the car eventually made its way to the Netherlands, where it underwent a full restoration and was presented as a Giulia Super before arriving in the custody of journalist Nik Berg in 2016.

During Nik’s time, the car took him on many trips that helped from content for Nik’s Detour Road Trips site, traveling to France, Switzerland and Italy, Wales, and North Yorkshire, to the Goodwood Members' Meeting and Revival.

Here, the car also began to evolve, with the addition of an Alfaholics stainless steel exhaust system, new ATE fitment calipers, braided hoses, and a Nardi Classico wheel to the car, which already sat on Koni sport suspension and rare Campagnolo alloys.

Nik’s journey with the car ended in 2021, with Ray Armes, the ex-British Touring Car Championship driver, taking over custodianship. Ray, an instructor at Goodwood Circuit, added its now distinctive racing roundels and the blue flash on the near front corner to create a GTA-inspired look.  

Peter Smart Motorsport was commissioned to refresh the engine to fast road standard. A complete rebuild was performed, with twin 40s and 2-ltr cams added to the mix, providing a modest power and torque increase. New suspension springs, bushes, and a 29mm front anti-roll bar were also fitted to improve the car’s on-track behaviour.

Inside, the car had remained standard since its restoration in the Netherlands. Ray refreshed the carpets and fitted 916 GTV seats to provide extra support and comfort. While enjoying the car, Ray, interested in participating in historic racing, decided to sell it to make way for an FIA-papered car.

In August 2024, I became the new custodian of BGU 683G. I was interested in the car, particularly because of its slightly unique model history and its evolution away from its pure originality, which would make it suitable as a project to evolve further.

During the remainder of 2024, my wife, Alice, and I enjoyed the car as it was when we purchased it while discussing how we might improve it in the future. I intended to keep the ‘weekend racer’ theme, using the car for European trips and track days, so versatility is essential.

While it was tempting to begin a full bare metal retro mod, we liked the patina and felt the condition externally represented its use and age honestly. So initially, we planned only to freshen up the interior over the winter, but as 2025 plans grew, the scope increased. 

We decided to tackle some of the interior ourselves, fitting new door cards, chrome work, retrimming the dashboard top, and replacing the veneers while working with Peter Smart and Alfaholics to get the right combination of specs for the driving characteristics we wanted. 

The car is designed not only to have the ‘weekend racer’ look but also to deliver with its performance to match. Utilising modern technology to sympathetically create a car that takes its cues from the spirit of the GTA’s, and Alfa’s  ʻQuadrofoglioʼ principles. 

Engine – Alfaholics GTA-R Stage 5 1600 Nord engine built by Peter Smart Motorsport

• Ported & Polished 1600 Nord head
• Race Crankshaft Rifle Drilled Camshafts
• Lightweight CNC machined cam sprockets, aluminium verniers, and castellated locking bolts/nuts
• 38.5mm Exhaust Valves
• 46mm Race Inlet Valves
• Racing Valve Springs
• Lightweight Forged Race Pistons
• Race Conrods
• Race Bearings & Chains 
• 1600 Race Crankshaft
• High Compression Liners
• Spesso Race Head Gasket
• Windage Tray / Block Strengthening Plate
• Lightweight Flat Flywheel
• CNC billet long carb mounts
• Weber 40 DCOE Carbs
• “Trumpet” GTA Ram Pipes
• Modified lower sump including oil temp sensor
• Electronic programmable 123 distributor
• Uprated electric fuel pump
• GTA-R Radiator & Oil Cooler 
• CNC billet aluminium remote thermostat housing
• Thermostatic Sandwich Plate with spin-on Oil Filter block
• JIC oil cooler lines with aluminium unions
• Electric slimline fan
• Silicone radiator hoses
• Stainless Steel Sports Exhaust System

Transmission – 

• Standard 5-speed gearbox
• Alfaholics-R fast road LSD
• Junior Zagato 41:10 crown wheel and pinion 

Suspension  – Alfaholics-R Adjustable Suspension setup

• Aluminium Double Adjustable Track Day/Race Dampers with titanium shock pins
• 29mm front anti-roll bar
• Rose Joint Drop Links
• Fully Adjustable 1/4 small springs and titanium pivot pins
• Rose Joint Centre Drag Link
• GTA-type adjustable top arms
• CMC billet caster and quick steering arms
• Aluminium T-Bar
• GTA-R trailing arms
• Rose jointed outer track rods
• Pre-machined pins that remove bumpsteer 
• Shock extender pins
• Polyurethane bushes throughout, new track rod ends and ball joints

Wheels & Brakes – 

• Alfaholics 7×15 GTA Veloce Wheels and GTA wheel nuts
• Yokohama AD08RS 195/55 tyres
• Front ATE Sport/Large calipers, Sports drilled & grooved discs with Ferodo pads
• Rear ATE calipers, Sports drilled & grooved discs with Ferodo pads
• Goodridge braided hoses 

Body – 

• Giulia Super Headlight Inner Mesh Grilles
• Lightweight 7″ plastic headlights and headlight bowl
• LED headlight conversion 

Interior –

• New inner door panels and arm rests
• Refreshed inner door handles, window winders and early quarter window winders 
• 1970 GRUNDIG Weltklang compact stereo with Bluetooth integration
• Alfa Romeo 916 GTV seats
• Nardi Deep Corn steering wheel
• VEGLIA BORLETTI Oil temperature and voltmeter
• Alfaholics-R CNC machined billet aluminium pedals and footrest