GTV-6 variants, and second-series Alfettas

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

In AD7-381 both Nathan Wong and Bill Magoffin added to the complex tale of
second-series RHD Alfetta and GTV-6 variants, and Robert Jones wrote to me
off-digest with still more interesting information, adding "Alfetta Nuova" to
the concepts to juggle; he wrote "I was under the impression that the new
instrument panel came in with the second series Nuova, circa 1984?  I.e. Nuova
series 1 (with split instrumentation) was from 1981-1983 and Nuova series 2
(with single instrumentation dash) was from 1984 on." He also added "AFAIK,
the Australian
Grand Prix edition was to commemorate the first (modern) Formula 1 race held
at Adelaide in 1987". He also added that he "guessed that the body work was
installed in Australia, adding time to build and shipment from factory in late
1986 would account for the 1987 compliance."

The Fabrizzio Ferrari book on the Alfetta and GTV-6 (in the Nada series "le
vetture che hanno fatto la storia) seems quite thorough, and is interesting
and perhaps useful both for what it includes and for what it omits. The
Montreal-engined V-8 Rally gets thorough coverage, and there is the shovel-
nosed, high-wing turbo variant built in Germany for Group 5 "silhouette'
competition, ("con appendici aereodinamiche veramente 'esagerate'") as well as
the Autodelta GTV-6 Safary (with raised suspension and sturdy-looking 'roo
bars). It may not be Gospel but I find it convincing and assume it is fairly
complete.

On the dashboards, in one column describing the original Alfetta split dash he
finishes with "nei modelli successivi al 1980 questo particolare verra
eliminato a favore di una soluzione piu tradizionale"; in another column on
the "GTV 2.0 seconda serie (1980'1986)" he writes "internamente si nota
sopratutto la scomparsa della strumentazione divisa in due blocchi", both of
which put the dashboard change (from the Italian point of view) in 1980. I am
still guessing that the divided dash lasted on RHD cars, both 2.0 and V-6,
long after the unified dash was adopted on the 2.0 cars in continental markets
at the same time that the other second-series changes were made. 

Nathan Wong writes of "the GTV6 Grand Prix. I believe that this was a
worldwide model". As far as I know the "Grand Prix" name was not used on any
of the many "special editions" sold in the USA, although I may have missed it.
The add-ons sounds a lot like those on the car sold here as the "Maratona", a
rather baroque elaboration the appeal of which eluded me completely. Personal
limitation, I guess.

Cordially,

John H. 
Raleigh, N.C.

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