Having gained silver screen fame with movie use (and abuse) as driven by Dustin Hoffman in the smash hit movie The Graduate, Alfa Romeo's Spider Duetto was hailed by Britain's Motor Sport magazine as "A true sports car of impeccable manners and considerable performance." A true modern classic sports car with beautifully styled bodywork co-designed by Battista Pininfarina and Aldo Brovarone, the Spider Duetto would be the last influenced by Pininfarina, the revered Italian coachbuilder. The Spider Duetto enjoy worldwide acclaim and almost constantly evolve with steady upgrades and improvements, including several name changes and styling updates along a number of distinct series throughout its long production run that carried on through 1994.

Underneath, the Spider Duetto's mechanicals were essentially those of the contemporary 105-Series Giulia sedan, riding on a shortened chassis mounting independent front suspension, a coil-suspended live rear axle, and 4-wheel disc brakes. Power was supplied by a 1.6-liter version of Alfa Romeo's excellent DOHC four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Giulia Sprint GTV. Performance matched the Duetto's fabulous looks, with 0 to 60 mph acceleration in 11 seconds and a 116 mph top speed. Production of the original 1600 cc Spider Duetto lasted just two years before the advent of the 1.8-liter '1750' Spider Veloce.

This very special 1967 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Spider Duetto carries wonderful single-family history, beginning with its purchase new from Rambo Motors of Portland, Oregon on March 11, 1968 by Dean and Dianna Hanson. The Alfa was cherished and faithfully maintained as another family member by the Hansons for the next 56 years and as now offered, it shows just 43,800 miles and remains highly original, including the verified original engine, which benefits from a recent overhaul. Finished in Ivory over black upholstery, the Spider Duetto was specified with a dealer-installed Motorola radio, plus a set of 4-spoke American Racing mag wheels, which apparently arrived after the car was delivered, explaining why the earliest photos of Dean with the new Alfa show it on the factory wheels, although the American wheels had been fitted since practically new, and they currently mount a set of reproduction Pirelli CN36 radial tires.

As related by Mr. Hanson, a chemist by profession, the Spider Duetto participated in Shell Oil's Research Laboratory Mileage Marathon in 1968 and 1969, achieving an impressive 42.62 mpg and winning its class both times. Otherwise, the Alfa was enjoyed as intended, as a daily driver in its early days, and then for casual drives, covering under 44k miles along the way. Expert maintenance through the years included the care of Dan Sommers, proprietor of Veloce Motors and a former factory mechanic and Service Manager from Ron Tonkin Alfa Romeo-Ferrari of Portland. In 2021, Mr. Sommers overhauled the original engine using OEM parts wherever possible. Details of this work are documented by paperwork on file. Since the rebuild, limited mileage was accumulated, and the car is fresh and ready for continued enjoyment by a selective new owner. Excellent details include the original jack and original spare wheel, mounting an original and unused Pirelli tire, plus the original upholstery, radio, and correct rubber floor mats.

In addition to the aforementioned records from the engine overhaul, documents include the excellent window sticker, which was never affixed to the car, plus the original sales invoice, original handbooks, factory service manuals, and a factory parts manual. Thanks to the inclusion of the engine number on the window sticker, we know this to be a numbers-matching example, making it a rare exception to the norm, since even Alfa Romeo's archival records typically do not include engine serial numbers for Duettos and Spiders. Highly original and exceptionally well maintained with single-family prior ownership until mid-2023, this wonderful first-series Spider Duetto represents a singular opportunity for collectors of Alfa Romeo's beautifully styled and spirited driving machines. Be sure to ccontact us for further details and viewing arrangements and get ready to make it yours today!