Spotless Survivor: 1976 Alfa Romeo GTV
Alfa Romeo has a history of producing some of the most rewarding driver’s cars to ever grace a road anywhere on the planet. Their offerings rarely produce enormous amounts of power, but what they have, they give willingly. Finding an excellent older example can be challenging, but that appears to be what is on offer with this 1976 GTV. Its presentation is first-rate, and it doesn’t flatter to deceive. The owner has decided to part with the little Alfa, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. Located in Huntington Station, New York, the bidding has reached $9,600. The reserve hasn’t been met, so there is still time to jump on this little classic if it ticks the right boxes for you.
The GTV is finished in a color that the company imaginatively named Alfa Red. That is one of the few criticisms that I can level against this classic because it presents superbly. The paint holds an impressive level of shine and doesn’t appear to have any significant flaws. The panels are straight, while the external plastic has no noticeable deterioration or discoloring. That brings us to the inevitable question of corrosion because Alfas have developed a reputation for dissolving like a soluble aspirin in damp or humid environments. That is not a problem with this one because the photos show no indication of issues in the usual trouble-prone areas like the engine bay or floors. The alloy wheels are free from stains and damage, and the enormous areas of glass are clean and clear.
While some enthusiasts will focus on the V6 version of the GTV, there is nothing wrong with the 4-cylinder version. The 1,962cc twin-cam might only produce 111hp, but its lighter weight, compared to the six, makes the Alfa a more balanced vehicle when the going gets twisty. Thanks to an overall weight of 2,381lbs, it can still deliver a sub-17-second ¼-mile ET, and the aerodynamic body allows it to top 120mph. A 5-speed manual transmission backs the engine in this car, and the presentation of the engine bay is impressive for a classic of this vintage. It isn’t merely about the appearance in this case because the GTV is said to run and drive exceptionally well. The owner purchased it many years ago, and it appears that he has been meticulous about its care. He claims that the car has a genuine 21,900 miles on the odometer. He doesn’t indicate whether he holds evidence to verify the claim, but if appearances count for anything, it does appear to be plausible.
While the bodies of these little cars may have been prone to rust, the interiors could have their own assortment of issues. The plastic trim can be brittle, and it isn’t unusual to see broken or faded pieces in an Alfa of this age. That hasn’t happened here, because apart from some visible wear on the carpet near the driver’s left foot, there’s nothing to fault. The dash shows no issues, while all of the remaining plastic and upholstered surfaces are free from wear and other problems. The car features its original AM/FM radio/cassette player, and there have been no aftermarket additions. One quirky feature of the GTV is the gauge layout. If ever you needed evidence that Alfa Romeo designed these to be a driver’s car, you only had to look at the dash. They made the tachometer the most crucial gauge, placing it directly in the driver’s line of sight. Every other dial, including the speedometer, was rated less important and placed in a single binnacle in the dash’s center.
This 1976 Alfa Romeo seems to offer a lot to potential buyers. Finding an example that is as original and rust-free as this one is a rare treat, and if the mileage claim can be verified, that makes this one a pretty special vehicle. The bidding hasn’t been frantic, and I expect that the reserve won’t be met below $10,500. If the right buyers come along, it has the potential for bidding to push beyond $14,000. If you are searching for a classic Alfa, this one looks like a little gem. It would be worth monitoring this auction because if the bidding doesn’t increase in intensity, there’s a chance that you could score a stunning Alfa at an affordable price.
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Comments
Absolutely gorgeous car especially impressive when you consider what so-called sporty American and Japanese cars looked like at that time. I wonder if Alfas from this era were as unreliable as those of the 1990s to today.
As a former Alfa owner I can attest to the fact, that these cars despite having been marvelous drivers, are extremely unreliable, shoddy built using lousy quality materials. Which brings up the question – how on earth has this car survived in its original state of glory for so long? As far as dashboards go, the dashboard of the 1967 Glas 1700 GT and the one of the original Studebaker Golden Hawk and the Avanti are vastly superior in terms of aesthetics as well as having been ergonomically correct-
I have owned a couple of these and they are really great driving cars. That 5 speed transmission is in the rear of the car so the front to back balance is near perfect. Just be sure to check the guibos (rubber doughnut “universal” driveshaft joints) as they deteriorate over time. Maint is about the same as any older car providing there are no rust issues. One of the few cars I really miss….
The Alfa Milano/ 75 was built from this chassis as well. Besides the excellent chassis balance offered with the rear transaxle location this series also had inboard rear disc brakes with a DeDion rear suspension and watts links which gave it a real delicate feeling with the low unstrung weight. Hard to describe but those who have driven would understand. I truly believe once you own a classic Alfa you will cherish fond memories and desire to own one again. I sure miss mine.
“When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen.” I was waiting for you (alphasud) to comment and you didn’t disappoint. Thanks.
Euro
I had an earlier steel bumper, metallic gold / copper in colour which had been tuned by South Africa’s legendary tuner Roger Taylor. It would more than keep up with the 2.5 L GTV6. I retrofitted Cromodora mags but kept the original steel rims.
The only bugbear was the gear linkage to the point that I would set off in first and then upshift straight into third, but with the torquey engine really no hassle. It was eventually sorted out. I terrorized the early Golf Gti’s particularly uphill. Unfortunately I totaled it and it became an engine donor to my ex 1982 Alfa Guillietta which now belongs to my nephew.
But the title of best handling Alfa must go to the Alfasud – simply marvellous.
If this example was in South Africa, it would have no problem in fetching $20K
It only needs a Nardi steering wheel to replace to make it perfect.
This is a girly man car.
Real men can only drive in a straight line.
Had a ’75 GTV for a while, and while I loved the looks I did not enjoy driving it as much as either of my Milanos. For one thing, I am in California, and the CA-only version was strangled to a pathetic 85 hp or so, with either poor cold starting or loud backfires, pick one. It also came to me with lovely but too-wide Ronal wheels and wide tires, plus a tiny 11″ aftermarket steering wheel … and NO power steering! Well, the PO was built like a wrestler, and I am not. I did get a stock wheel for it and a set of proper Turbina alloys, both very cheap, and sold it to a fellow who’d moved to Colorado, away from the EPA Attainment zones, and he had that Alfa performance shop in Santa Ana (I think) make a very healthy 49-state car out of it.
The upside for me was that I’d paid $750 for the car and $250 for a box of parts and a spare engine, plus about $150 for everything else … and for my first time ever got not quite twice that in the sale. The first time I’d ever actually made money on any car!
Looks like a very nice car but saying that the 4 banger GTV has better balance than the V6 powered GTV6 ignores the fact that they are both transaxle and even the GTV6 has perfect 50/50 weight distribution. With the Busso V6 delivering an extra 50hp and being recognized as one of the best sounding V6 ever built, it s hard to even consider the GTV
Pascal: You may be right about that, but I can’t help remembering that the Twin Spark version of the 75 (Milano here) was generally acclaimed as the better all-around performer, putting out only five or six HP less than the V6 but something like 200 lbs lighter. There was a driving school operating at the Nurburgring using TS 75s as the trainers … and that was the only time I’ve truly wished I could spend a month or so in Germany!
when i was just a kid….sometime post 1980 i drove a used one of these from a used car lot.
not a lot of alfa’s in my little WV town for sure.
i pulled over and looked it over, noticing the inboard rear disc brakes etc. but also the rust, oh dang the rust :-(
i was not prepared for fixing it, monetarily or otherwise so i returned it after the test drive.Evidently no one else was either as that salesman hounded me to buy that car for months.
always loved the looks of these, and wish i could have found a good one
Ended:May 15, 2021 , 9:00AM
Winning bid:US $13,000.00[ 20 bids ]
Ended:May 15, 2021 , 9:00AM
Winning bid:US $13,000.00[ 20 bids ]
Really more of a ‘restomod’ than a survivor, combining ‘80s Euro-spec bumpers and air dam with ‘70s USA-spec everything else.