1988 Alfa Romeo 75 3.0 V6

Being a first generation Alfa Romeo 75, it has the amber rear light strip and cloth interior with orange dials and switch illumination. It has the rare factory option of electric sunroof, rear reading lamps and rear electric windows. It is fitted with the factory wheel arch, sill and bumper extensions (the same as the later QV spec cars), headlamp power wash, a fully functioning Alfa Control centre, Blaupunkt stereo, electric passenger mirror, front fog lamps, central locking. A very well equipped car for 1988!

There are only around 25 of these cars remaining in the UK, so they are becoming increasingly rare and collectable. 

This UK car spent around the last 10 years of it’s life in the south of France, where the warmer climate had been kind to its body. The previous owner reimported the car ahead of Brexit and sold it to a classic Alfa Romeo specialist who in turn sold it to us at Fostering Classics. 

The full detail of the restoration activity can be seen below:

Body

• The body was fully disassembled, including all suspension, powertrain and trim. 

• The rear wheel arches were replaced, and new sections for the front and rear sills were fabricated, along with localised repairs of the floor. All fabrication and welding were professionally completed, and the whole underside of the car was undersealed with a wax-based underseal to protect it for many years to come. 

• The wheel arch and sill extensions are correct for the car, but some parts were replaced due to crack damage. 

• The upper body, including under bonnet and door shuts, were very carefully prepared and painted with several coats of two-pack paint (913 Nero Pastello as original). It was machine polished to produce an amazing deep lustre. 

• The sunroof assembly was changed as there was a fault with the mounting bracket and the bonnet was also renewed. 

Trim

• The headlining was removed, and the adhesive renewed. 
• A very rare set of window draught excluders were sourced and fitted. 
• The seats were replaced for a set from a very low mileage donor car. 
• New genuine pedal rubbers were fitted. 
• Replacement headlamp washers were fitted. 
• All exterior trim was carefully painted to the original Nero Opaco colour. 

Powertrain

• The engine was disassembled and carefully checked. Wear was extremely low, which aligns with the odometer reading of 57000 miles. The main and big end bearing shells were renewed along with timing belt tensioner and pulley, water pump, exhaust cam followers, belts, cooling fan, engine mounts and all gaskets and seals. 
• The engine was reassembled to the manufacturer’s specification and then cosmetically restored to original condition. 
• A new 3 piece clutch was fitted along with master and slave cylinders and all clutch lines
• The transmission was partially stripped to check condition. Once the restoration was completed, it was noticed that 2nd gear syncro was weak, so the transmission was removed and sent to an expert to be rebuilt. 
• The propshaft was replaced from a donor car and all 3 doughnuts changed along with the centre bearing and mount. 
• The fuel tank sender was replaced along with the fuel pump, filter and all fuel lines. 
• A brand new exhaust system was fitted. 

Suspension and brakes

• The brake discs and pads were changed. 
• A rear caliper was changed, the other 3 serviced. 
• All new brake lines and flexi hoses. 
• A new handbrake cable was fitted. 
• All new polyurethane bushes fitted to the front and rear suspension. 
• Front and rear dampers renewed.
• Front wheel bearings renewed.
• Front ball joints and track rod ends and steering bellows renewed. 
• All suspension components were stripped, primed and painted. 
• The Speedline alloy wheels were refurbished and new Toyo Proxes tyres fitted. 

Electrical system

• New genuine front fog lamps fitted. 
• Dashboard bulbs changed. 
• Faulty warning lights on Alfa Control unit resolved. 
• Passenger electric window motor renewed. 
• Rear door central locking solenoids replaced. 
• Wiper switch fault rectified. 
• A period Blaupunkt stereo was sourced and upgraded for hands free, Bluetooth, Spotify etc. 
• Interior lamp circuits repaired to allow rear seat reading lights to work. 
• Rear electric window switches serviced. 
• A new black electric aerial was fitted.

View our other Alfa Romeo projects

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