Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina (1970) – Clock around

Some readers may know Roel from his recently published book ‘Canal Classics’ with photos of parked classic cars in his hometown of Amsterdam. It typifies Roel’s predilection for cars from days gone by, which is why he almost always goes out armed with his camera. “I now know just about every classic in a large part of the city, but every now and then I come across a stranger. Sometimes from a new resident, sometimes from a visitor. But unfortunately it is a dying species in Amsterdam, due to environmental regulations. Although I have nothing against the old diesels being banned, especially the many delivery vans.” Roel has driven all sorts of things over the decades, he admits. “Even before I had my driver’s license, there was a Peugeot 104 at the door. It didn’t end well with that, I drove it into ruins.” Other French cars included the Citroën 2CV, the DS and a Renault 16. The DS was a 23 injection with a semi-automatic. Roel: “On the one hand it was a perfect and beautiful car, but I hated that transmission. The garage where I serviced the DS was interested in it as it needed a good chassis for the restoration of another example. That ended the DS chapter for me and sometimes I still miss him.” Fortunately, the Berlina more than compensates for that. The question he often gets: why didn’t you buy Giulia? “I understand that question, you see it more often and it is a beautiful car. The Berlina is less known. After looking at a 2000 that was very disappointing, I ended up with this 1750. I fell in love instantly. It is a chic and at the same time sporty car and after the yellow Fiat 124 Coupé a very serious one. I am the second owner in the Netherlands.”

Adjustments to the chassis

We understand that Roel fell for the 1750. It is the first series of the Berlina and the front in particular is slightly more elegant and finely cut. The Alfa was not bought just for cleaning, storage and occasional use. No, it is Roel’s daily car for most of the year, who drives a 2004 Twingo in the winter months. If there is no brine, he occasionally takes the Italian sedan to keep the engine running smoothly. “I especially want to enjoy it as much as possible and you do that with the Berlina every ride. That starts when I walk to the car and after getting in, starting and steering I remember why I love being on the road with a classic. The sound, the feel, the way the car communicates with you; you won’t find that in a modern, perfect car.” Because of that love, you learn to live with the imperfections, says Roel. Although, he wouldn’t even call it that. “What I mean is that a car like this doesn’t offer the convenience, comfort and quietness of a new one. Still, we had a fantastic trip through France this summer, despite the heat. Only back roads and enjoy the landscape and technology at a speed of around 90 km/h.” Roel calls every corner a treat. All windows slightly open and behind his back a kind of woven rack that provides a little cooling. This way you don’t stick to the chair. According to Roel, the fact that it steers so well is due to the adjustments to the chassis that he has had made over the years. “Immediately after purchase, Bilstein shock absorbers were installed. I suddenly had a new car!” A while later a thicker anti-roll bar was added. According to Roel, that meant another world of difference. Not so long ago, he had the front lowered slightly and, according to the owner, the handling has improved even more, without compromising comfort. “Now you have to be extra careful with speed bumps, given the huge oil sump.”

Motor revision

When we go through all the details of the dark blue Berlina together with Roel, a sticker on the inside of the boot lid catches our eye. He had not yet discovered it himself and it evokes a very special memory. In addition to the fact that the Alfa carries the color ‘Blue Olandese’, we read that the paint comes from the company Sikkens. “My father used to work at Sikkens in Sassenheim. On my way to school I cycled past the factory. This detail makes the car extra special to me. I also only discovered the brand logos in the exterior mirrors a year after purchase. They hardly stand out.” He has replaced the original steel wheels for the set that is now underneath and earlier this year he tapped the Carello spotlights on the head. “The engine now runs better than ever, after a complete overhaul. The chain rattled. After just under two hundred thousand kilometers, that is not surprising. I leave that operation and the rest of the maintenance to the same garage, the well-known Alfa Romeo specialist Van Neerijnen in Utrecht.” After the test drive, Klokje Rond technician Dennis Koldewijn has flawlessly noticed that the Alfa is well taken care of, and this is confirmed when we take a closer look at the technology and study the chassis up close. The condition is remarkably good for a classic over fifty years old that is used daily. “I can understand that Roel likes to be behind the wheel. The Berlina is a bit more comfortable than the Giulia, but still sufficiently sporty,” he says. Roel can be satisfied, after the opinion of the professional. “The Berlina has become more popular over the years and is at the same price level as the Giulia. I can say that it is the nicest car I have driven so far, so it will be around for a very long time.”

History

In the classic world, the Berlina is actually always in the shadow of the Giulia, the 1750 GTV and the Spider. Admittedly, the Giulia GT Bertone in particular is of unprecedented beauty, but the four-door Giulia is also still a very attractive sedan. But for Alfa Romeo it is high time to come up with a successor to the older 2000 and 2600 Berlina in the mid-1960s. The Giulia serves as the basis, the wheelbase of which has been extended by six centimetres. The carriage itself is 23 centimeters longer, while the width, height and track width are identical, which makes the Berlina a slender appearance. It will therefore not surprise you that the Giulia and the Berlina have exactly the same windscreen. But they don’t share the engine. The drive is provided by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder, which previously made its debut in the 1750 Spider and 1750 GTV. Indeed, the engine has the designation 1750, with which the brand refers to the famous, pre-war 6C 1750. Even from the last Giulietta there is the 1750 TBi in 2010. The 1750 Berlina makes its debut in 1968 and if we look at the competitors in the year of construction of the Alfa van Roel, we see the BMW 1800, the Audi 100 and even models with a six-cylinder engine, such as the Triumph 2000 and the Opel Commodore. A Lancia Flavia 1800 was almost three thousand guilders more expensive. From mid-1971, the Berlina gets a makeover and from then on it goes through life as 2000, with a larger engine, a different front (the four headlights have the same size and the grille is black) and a modernized dashboard. In 1972, the Berlina was joined by the more modern Alfetta (with the same 1,779 cc four-cylinder, now called the 1800) and production did not stop until 1977, with the counter stuck at about 192,000 units.

The opinion of Carrec Technocenter

“This Alfa is a nice car, the engine runs well, the gearbox shifts well, the brakes work well and the chassis feels good. All this ensures that you enjoy your journey. The fine four-cylinder that breathes through two well-functioning, double Weber carburetors sounds very nice, which raises the driving experience to an even higher level. A parking light that does not work and a non-original belt buckle do not harm you and a clock that does not work does not matter at all. Who cares about the time when you are on the road with such a beautiful classic?”