1988 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000 *Sold £4,500*

Description

• Repainted
• Very solid rust-free body
• Imported from Japan
• New petrol tank and filters
• New plugs, leads, dizzie cap and rotor come with the Spider

The Alfa Spider was originally made famous by its appearance in the film The Graduate starring Dustin Hoffman. The Spider was a huge success for Alfa Romeo with production spanning almost 30 years. With its distinctive Italian good looks and a four cylinder twin cam engine everybody loves, it’s easy to see why the Spider has become such a desirable classic.

There is not a lot known about this Alfa Spider other than it was imported from Japan in 2016 and has one previous owner since it was imported.  Our vendor is the second registered owner, having purchased the Spider around a year ago from one of his neighbours.

With all intentions to use the car sparingly he found that it was just too uncomfortable getting in and out, being used to big American Chevys, he has two, he did not quite realise the issues a man of mature years would have getting in and out.  Unfortunately, it meant it has sat on his drive since with the odd trip around the block to keep it running well.

Knowing it is going to waste and not wanting such a solid car to deteriorate he has decided to let it go to a new home.

Supplied with the V5 in our vendor’s name, a couple of old MOTs since its import and the current one that expired on 19th July 2023, the mileage then was showing 53,054 km (roughly 33k miles) and the mileage now is 53,064 so we confidently expect it to pass again.  Unfortunately, this will be left to the new owner to renew.

Exterior

Alfa Romeo Spiders are incredibly pretty cars whether that be the early “Boattail” or a series 4 and everything in between, this S3 has some strange quirks which we feel adds to the appeal.

Not knowing much about the car due to its importation we can only assume the rear, which has no Kammtail and Series 2 rear lamps was purposely changed for aesthetic reasons.  We love it and almost wonder whether it is some rare changeover model.  Who knows.

What we do know it that it has led a very easy life, believed to be a European model due to it’s LHD and KPH odometer it was at some point imported to Japan.

Wherever it was prior to Japan it was a warm climate as the body is rock solid everywhere with no signs of the Alfa Romeo disease.  If you don’t know what that is you must have been hiding under a rock for fifty years!  Every Alfa I have owned eventually succumbed to the dreaded rust, in fact they pretty much dissolved if you parked them in a puddle.

To find one as solid as this you would definitely need to travel to warmer climes, no need in this case because it is here and ready to be won.

A good eye will spot that this car was once silver and has been repainted a classy blue black shade, now showing its age with some areas that could do with a thorough polish and a few small areas of micro blistering it is not without issues.  Like we said it has not really moved for a year so it will need a little elbow grease to bring up to scratch but we would accept that for its “solidness” any day of the week.  The shuts, inner bootlid and inner bonnet are all painted so the only real evidence of the colour change is the engine bay and if you lift the boot carpet exposing the silver floor.

The bumpers have some minor scratches but are all true and straight.  The folding roof is in remarkable condition with just a couple of areas showing any wear, The rear window is extremely clear with none of the yellowing usually found on these plastic rear screens.

Interior

Open the doors and you will notice the door cards present surprisingly well for a 35 year old car but keep looking and you will notice that the grey leather seats are starting to show their age a little, it is not to say that they won’t improve with some leather treatment but they will definitely need some love and attention.

The steering wheel has been replaced with a smaller Sparco model at some point, the original steering wheels are pretty large so we expect it was changed to aid entrance and exit of the Spider.

The dash has succumbed to the hotter climes with a couple of cracks along the top, confirming the Alfa Spider has had a previous life in a warm climate, again another nod to the rust-free bodywork. Our vendor has shared that everything works as it should although the clock in the centre consul has been shown a heavy hand at some point, currently glued in place

The contrasting red carpets are all in good condition and work extremely well with the grey interior.

Engine and Mechanicals

Despite Alfa’s use of a steering box instead of a more modern rack and pinion it’s still a pleasure to use. The controllability of the RWD Alfa, with that twin cam bellowing out such happy tunes is an experience that one should have at least once in their life. The suspension is set up on the comfortable side of sporting being softly sprung but well damped.

The gearbox is delightfully mated to the jewel in the crown, don’t get me wrong any of the smaller displacement twin cam engines are a pleasure but the 2.0 litre version is what made Alfa the driver’s car that every petrol head refers to.

This example has benefited from a little bit of love from our vendor, even though he has hardly driven it.  He had meant to fit the Spider with new plugs, leads and distributor cap and rotor but given his health challenges, they come new and boxed for the new owner to fit if he doesn’t get chance before auction end.

He advises that it did recently find itself running poor, likely due to the old fuel and lack of use but has since been recommissioned and is now running as it should.  The brakes and suspension work as they should with no obvious issues, even without much mileage.  Although it would probably be prudent to give them the once over just to be sure.

The wheels all match, including the fifth one, but would benefit from new rubber as the tyres are showing some ageing rather than tread wear.  Either way, that would be your choice as they would likely get through an MOT.

Our View

It was through its Spiders that Alfa Romeo, and to a certain extent Italy itself, exported la dolce vita to the rest of the world.  Styled exclusively by Pininfarina and powered by perhaps the finest in-line four-cylinder engine of the classic era the Alfa Spider certainly left its mark.

Finding a Spider that has not succumbed to the dreaded oxidisation is becoming increasingly rare so, although not perfect, this has to be a find of the decade.  Add to that the fact this has the jewel of a 2.0 litre engine fitted and the extremely unusual S2 rear panel it is a find indeed.  Spend a little time bringing this up to scratch any you have a fantastic little gem of a Spider.

Vehicle Location: South Woodham Ferrers, Essex CM3– it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.