Re: step-nose illlogic

[Dana Loomis <dloomis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Responding to my statement that the "step-nose" configuration of the
Bertone coupe was phased out at different times for different models, John
Hertzman wrote: "I would guess it incorrect that "the GT's original
step-nose design "went away" in stages". 

I take John's disagreement with my chronology to be a claim that the
stepped nose was eliminated  at the same time for all of the Bertone coupes
across the board.  But earlier he had written: "But Fusi on the 1300
Junior, p.639-640, contrasts the versione 1966 with the versione 1971,
which shows the flush nose. On p.642 Fusi shows the interiors of the
versione 1966 and the versione 1971, with a 1750-style dash but no console.
Fusi does not mention the sheet-metal changes, but does list a group of
improvements which were introduced in 1969- sound-proofing, instruments and
instrument panel, steering-wheel lock, various mechanical changes,
suggesting that in a great many respects changes were made in one fell swoop."

The first sentence seems to concur with my recollection that the change in
the junior occurred when the 2000 was introduced, which could be said to be
1971 or 1972, depending on how you want to date it (some 2000s were built
in 1971, but it's not clear what model year designation they had).  In the
following sentences, however, John seems to suggest that the smooth nose
must have been introduced in 1969, rather than 71/72, since other changes
were made that year "in one fell swoop,"  and, he says, "it would be
extremely unlikely that two sets of front-end sheet metal would be handled
on a production body-line unless there was a compelling reason to do so."

I believe this to be incorrect.  Fusi, John's reference, is not, in my
experience, the best source of information about the late Bertone coupes.
The book was originally published in 1972, and although it was updated
subsequently, my copy (currently in storage) gives data only to 1972 for
most, if not all, models that continued after production after that year.
Pignaccia's informative book on the coupe (also in storage) gives a
detailed chronology of visual and mechanical changes.  Like Fusi, Pignaccia
lists significant changes that brought the junior more into line with the
current 1750 in 1969, but his text and photos show clearly that the nose
sheet metal was not among them.  This change occurred at the next and final
update of the junior, which occurred around the introduction of the 2000,
that is to say around 1971-72.  If my memory of late juniors I have seen is
correct, they not only got the flush hood, but are visually identical to
the 2000 GTV, with four headlights, a cast grille, aluminum snake badges on
the C pillars, a console, carpet, and the rest.  However unilikely it was
that "that two sets of front-end sheet metal would be handled on a
production body-line," I believe that this is exactly what Alfa Romeo did
with the production GT junior and 1750 GTV.  

Turning to the racing coupes, I wrote: "in looking through a large number
of photos I could only find GTA juniors with the old-style nose, although
some of them were clearly late cars, and the photos were taken in the
'70s,"  to which John responded: "But there is little to suggest which of
the photos taken in the '70s were of freshly minted cars."  This is true,
but there is equally little to suggest that they were not.  

John then goes on to cite data from Fusi suggesting that production of the
GTA 1300 junior ceased in 1972, thereby advancing the argument that the
racing and production juniors were "harmonized" with the big-engined cars
at the same time.  Again for the racing cars, I believe that Fusi is not
the best source.  Adriaansens's "Aleggerita" is probably definitive, but my
copy is inaccessible.  Tabucchi's "Alfa Romeo GTA" is ambiguous about the
junior's dates.  

Clearly, the 1600 GTA was always a step-nose car, while the 1750 GT Am,
which indeed had the same steel body as the production 1750, always had a
smooth nose.  The question is whether  GTA juniors continued to be built
after the production junior was updated around 1971/72, and, if so, whether
they had stepped or smooth noses.  Here, I suspect that John is right; the
logic of building semi-custom aluminum bodies versus production-line steel
ones probably dictated what was done.

Dana

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