Alpine A110 1300G | Spotted

Restomod it, revert it back to standard or keep it as is. What would you do?

Finding the right basis for a new project car can be tricky. For our PH Project Car series, we went for the best Mk5 Volkswagen Golf GTI that we could get for our money, ensuring that whatever cash we had left from our £10,000 budget was spent on making it go faster rather than patching up all the bits and pieces that didn’t work. Understandably, not everyone will be happy that we hacked away at a perfectly decent GTI - but for a reliable track car build on a budget, it was perfect.

Not all projects are the same, though, and there’s something hugely appealing about giving some old, lightly patinaed metal a new lease of life. On that note, I’ve spent more time than I’m proud to admit staring at this glorious Alpine A110 1300G, daydreaming about what its role in my fantasy car collection would be. Clearly, this isn’t concours-grade and it’s undergone some considerable work since rolling off the production line in Dieppe back in 1969. But in a world where barely-run classics in pristine condition command stratospheric sums of money, it’s refreshing to see a well-used example with an asking price that’s more than a little tempting.

So, what are you getting for £49,995? Obviously, you’re bagging an iconic sports car (the first to win a World Rally Championship) at a considerable discount. The Giovanni Michelotti design has aged like the finest Pinot Noir and with an engine slung over the rear axle, the little Berlinette is about as close as you can get to a French 911. A cliché, sure, but it’s that very mindset that brought on the A110 reboot in 2017 and, hopefully, will see production continue for many more years to come – whatever powertrain it might have. This is where it all began, though, and while the new A110 is magnificent, the original does at the very least allow you to swap cogs yourself.

This one is a 1300G, which means it features the 1.3-litre Renault R8 Gordini motor. Power figures are all over the place for cars of this era, so we’ll take the 105hp quoted in the advert as gospel. However, a stainless-steel exhaust system may have unlocked a few extra ponies, while recent carburettor and fan belt work is a handy bonus. The brake callipers, handbrake and electrics have also seen recent tinkering, so while there are a few signs of patina here and there, most of the effort put in by the previous owner – who had the car for 33 years – has been squarely focused on keeping it in good mechanical order. So much so that the car continues to be MOT’d (which it recently passed with no advisories, according to the ad) even though it has long been exempt.

While it’s mechanically stock, the same can’t be said for the exterior. At some point in the car’s life, it underwent a full Group 4 body conversion, complete with ‘ailes bulles’ wheel arches and a very tall ducktail spoiler, along with a colour switch from the original blue to the red you see here.

Which is precisely what makes this A110 such an exciting proposition. You could keep it in its current condition, drive it like you’re Jean-Claude Andruet on the Col de Turini without worrying about picking up the odd stone chip. You could return it back to its original factory spec, too, or perhaps even use it as the basis of a rally or restomod build. Whatever you do, please snap this one up at your earliest convenience, because I’m going to be staring at it longingly until it finally sells.

SPECIFICATION | ALPINE A110 1300G

Engine: 1,255cc four-cylinder
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 105@6,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 86@5,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
Year registered: 1969
Recorded mileage: 89,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £49,995

See the original advert here

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Taz73

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