Description

1988 Renault Alpine GTA Atmo 2+2

Rare manual RHD car; recommissioned mechanicals, wiring, chassis with UK specialist John Ashley; some £8,000 spent in last 18 months

The first Alpine to be produced under full Renault ownership, the Alpine GTA came in naturally aspirated 160bhp, or 200bhp Turbo forms and made use of lots of lightweight glass-fibre panels. Sold through the Renault dealer network, they were a mainstream model, although were made in limited numbers, especially so in RHD.

This 1988 RHD non-Turbo model was first registered in June 1988 and has had just five owners from new.  

Back in 2004, its second owner had a bit of a moment, spinning the car off the road and through a bush which resulted in a Cat C listing on the Insurance Register. It was repaired and correctly inspected in 2005 and back on the road.

Now showing some 142,000 miles, it is no longer as cosmetically sharp as it could be, but it has had lots of recent work on the mechanical aspects, ensuring that it is now on the button. All electrics work as they should - a rarirty in itself and bills on file show considerable expenditure in the important areas. We are told some £8,000 has been spent in total, two key bills from August and October on file accounting for some £5,250 of this. 

John Ashley - Classic and Sports Car Specialists in Rotherham fitted a new steering UJ, four new coil springs, wishbone bushes and refurbished the dampers. The engine and transaxle were removed and the rear subframe shotblasted and treated. Subsequently, the car was rolling road checked and the exhaust repaired. It also had a new clutch master and slave cylinder, a new battery and four new Toyo tyres.

The investment has been spent in the areas needed to make the car reliable and good to drive. The interior is good too bar the expected wear to the driver's seat but the paintwork and lacquer could do with some attention in due course.

MOT'd until September 2022 with just two minor advisories, it is ready now to use and enjoy as is or improve cosmetically.

For more information - contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com