1978 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Convertible 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider

Nice condition throughout, this Alfa is wonderful to drive, with a tight feeling chassis, great gearbox, and strong engine. It is simply a joy to cruise around in this car! The Chocolate Brown exterior combined with beige and black interior is a classy and beautiful throwback to the 70s. If you've never driven an Alfa Romeo Spider, you won't believe what an elegant and rewarding motoring experience it is. These cars are seriously undervalued in today's classic car market but they will steadily grow in value in coming years, making them a great buy right now.

Exterior:
The body is very straight with only a few small dings and dents. There is zero rust on the car, having spent its pampered life in California and New Mexico. The Chocolate Brown paint is an older re-spray of seemingly good quality, but is now fairly tired with staining, scratches and discoloration on the hood and upper fenders. The trunk has checking. The paint on the sides is still very good, helping the car to look great out on the road.

The brightwork is very good, with only minor scratches in some areas. There is no corrosion and no missing pieces.

Both bumpers are in good condition and sit evenly on the car.

The wheels are period-correct Western Turbinas that have been refinished. They are in excellent condition. The tires are brand new with full tread depth. There are wheel locks on each wheel along with the proper lock adapter.

The car has a brand new black vinyl top that functions very well. Though the cable tensioners are not installed (new ones come with the car), it lifts and stows smoothly and seals up nice and snug. A top boot will come with the car, though it has a few seam splits and some broken clips.

Interior:
The interior is in good condition. The black dash is nicely preserved but with a couple of cracks by the vents. These are mostly only visible looking in from the windshield. The door panels are nice, though the plastic chrome trim is pealing and there is minor warping on the passengers side. The door handles and window winders are in good condition and work properly. The original brown carpet is still in very good condition except for a hole from the driver's heel by the gas pedal. The seats have some staining on the headrests and a few tears. The seat foam is still in very solid and the seats function properly and are very comfortable. The factory Personal steering wheel is in great shape, and with its smoothly polished wood rim and nice aluminum spokes, it's a great interface to the driving experience. The shift knob has the typical Alfa patina, worn but smooth to the hand. The shift boot is new. Gauges and trim are in very good condition. The steering column controls are a little loose and there is a missing switch in the center console.

Mechanical:
The twin cam two liter Alfa Romeo engine in this car runs great, with the smooth revving character and flexible power band that makes them legendary. It is very healthy with even and consistent compression numbers (150, 156, 155, 155) across the cylinders. We inspected the cam lobes and lifters when we had the valve cover off and they are very good with no obvious wear. The engine has new NGK spark plugs, valve cover gasket, new alternator belt, fresh coolant, and new oil and filter.

The Spica fuel injection is in good condition, though it could probably benefit from some professional adjustment. It starts the engine quickly and reliably, hot or cold, but idles high until warmed up. Once at operating temperature, it idles normally. Please note: this engine was de-smogged at some point; it has no smog pump or related emissions plumbing.

The exhaust system is a non-factory custom job that sounds great!

The five speed gearbox is wonderful on this car, with smooth, strong gear selection and no slop in the shift action. It is a pleasure to row through the gears. The clutch operates well and feels good.

Suspension and Brakes:
The suspension on this Alfa is in good working condition. The shocks are older Spica (!) units that feel a little tired, but the car is tight and responsive going down the road. There are no shakes, shimmies, or excessive play.

The brakes work well, except that they do pull a little to the left under hard braking.

Overall:
This Alfa Romeo Spider is an absolute pleasure to experience, whether driving and or just looking at. It has a wonderfully vintage look with the color combo, and though it is not show quality (new paint alone would put it very close), it would be a hit at any local car show or Cars and Coffee. Everywhere the car goes, it attracts admirers. It is a car that is ready to enjoy as is, and is also an exceptional base to restore to a high level. Call