In 1965, the Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint GTA was unleashed into the world of international motorsport. The crucial final letter added to the model name stood for alleggerita, Italian for lightweight, and revealed the Milanese firm’s key development to the Giulia platform. Much of the car’s steel body panels were now composed of aluminum, and the rear and side windows were replaced with plexiglass. Additionally, the interior was stripped with only essential equipment remaining. Under the hood, the 1,600-cubic-centimeter four-cylinder engine received hotter camshafts, a revised head, and a pair of two-barrel Weber 45 carburetors.

These developments resulted in the GTA racking up over 200 victories throughout the 1966 motorsport calendar alone, making it one of the most successful Alfa Romeo race cars to wear the famed badge. Production lasted until 1969 with 500 total units leaving the factory according to Stellantis Heritage.

This 1966 Alfa Romeo Sprint GTA was purchased by its current owner all the way back in 1986, as shown on the purchase agreement on file. Soon after, the car was shipped to the United Kingdom in order to perform a complete nut-and-bolt restoration. A collection of photos detail the process of stripping the entire car down to bare metal and rebuilding it to a superlative standard. Shipping documents indicate the car was imported to the United States in 1987, where it has remained since. The racing logbook accompanying the car reveals the Alfa Romeo was thoroughly enjoyed at numerous vintage racing events into the early 1990s and beyond.

In early 2008, the Guilia Sprint GTA was refreshed again and received a comprehensive mechanical restoration at the Newman Wachs Racing facility by SCCA champion and mechanical engineer, Horst Kwech. A collection of invoices from this project is also present within the accompanying files. In addition, a certificate indicating the completion of this rehabilitation shows an engine number separate from the unit currently in the car. Engine number AR00502 15828, now under the hood, appears to have been sourced from a Giulia GTC built in 1965.

A spectacular example of Alfa Romeo’s lightweight champion, this 1966 Alfa Romeo Sprint GTA has benefited from singular ownership back to the mid-1980s and has been dutifully cared for since that time. This Italian wonder will no doubt eagerly accompany its next lucky driver to any number of racetracks.