The 1960s marked a second golden age for Alfa Romeo competition cars, as the firm enjoyed major international success across prototype, sports car, and touring categories. Central to that effort was the Giulia Sprint GTA, a lightweight homologation special developed by Autodelta, Alfa Romeo’s in-house competition department, under the direction of Carlo Chiti. Designated “A” for alleggerita, the GTA employed lightweight aluminum bodywork and specialized performance components, creating a formidable dual-purpose machine capable of winning races while remaining road-going. Among the various GTA iterations produced, the original 1600 variant remains the most coveted for its purity of design and competition pedigree.

The GTA offered here is an outstanding example, benefiting from a known ownership history, impressive documentation, and a high-quality professional restoration. According to its accompanying Alfa Romeo Certificato di Origine, chassis 613247 was completed on June 7, 1965, finished in Rosso (Red) with black vinyl upholstery. A road-going 1600 Stradale model, it was delivered new to Fernand Maria, proprietor of the Alfa Romeo dealership Garage Maria in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France.

Prepared by the famed tuning firm Conrero & C., this GTA was reportedly entered by Maria in French rallies including La Ronde Cévenole and the Rallye des Lyons. Ownership later passed to René Ricord, brother of noted Alfa tuner Jacques Ricord of Grasse, before being acquired by Louis Chrétien, president of the Alfa Romeo Club de France, who campaigned the car with his son.

In the late 1970s, the GTA was sold to Jean Marc Aubert, and subsequently to John Brodman, an American living in Paris. In 1979, Brodman entrusted the car to Garage Maria for servicing and repairs, and several years later commissioned a restoration overseen by Belgian specialist Rudy Pas. When Brodman relocated to Washington, D.C., the GTA followed, remaining in his care until 2000, when it was sold to Mark Leonard of Grand Prix Classics in La Jolla, California.

Alfa Romeo specialist Scott Gray of Orange, California, acquired the car in 2004 and undertook an extensive restoration. This included installation of a rebuilt tipo 00536 engine with 11:1 pistons, magnesium cam cover, oil pan, and bell housing, along with a rebuild of the gearbox, differential, brakes, and suspension. The body was stripped and refinished by Gary Todisco of GTA Auto Metal Works in Santa Ana, California.

Upon completion, the GTA was sold to François Castaing, the well-known automotive executive and Automotive Hall of Fame inductee, who campaigned it in historic events throughout the West Coast from 2005 to 2015. Since 2022, this GTA has been a fixture in Tommy Trabue’s extensive Alfa Romeo collection.