Texas Toast: 1959 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider
Why is it that the Italian brands seem so susceptible to wreckless abandonment despite being expensive cars to buy at almost any point in the model’s lifetime? In other words, a vintage Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider is not like a Porsche 924. A 924 may have cost a few bucks to buy new, but quickly because a cheap used commuter within a few years. This rare drop-top Alfa was always a sought-after specimen, but that didn’t prevent it from being left for dead on a Texas ranch starting in 1984. It’s now listed here on craigslist with its rare factory hardtop for $7,000.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find. It’s amazing how much Ferrari influence you can see in the styling from this angle, especially with the hardtop mounted. It could be a trick of the lighting, but I want to say those rear fenders have been flared quite a bit, and given the arch is hardly a smooth line, I’m guessing it was done in someone’s dimly-lit garage after a few glasses of moonshine. The fat rare tires and wheels may have just been throw on for the purpose of rolling this carcass around the lot, but it also suggests that this Spider was never destined for the Concours circuit after the last owner got his hands on it.
Despite residing in Texas, this sad Alfa still has plenty of rust issues to contend with. The floors are just gone – there’s nothing left – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the nothingness contained within. The interior is gone; the soft top is extinct; the floors are MIA; the transmission was probably turned into a clever mailbox post; the glass is sitting in thousands of pieces on the ground of whatever holler it was dragged from; and so on. Despite commanding a strong price when in restored condition, there’s a decent chance you’ll eclipse that number if any aspect of this restoration will rely on a high-end Alfa Romeo specialist to get the job done right.
I believe the 2000 Spider would have left the factory with a 2.0L, four-cylinder mill making just a hair under 100 horsepower. Equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox, front double-wishbone suspension, four-wheel aluminum drum brakes, and of course, gorgeous styling courtesy of Touring of Milan, this was a top-flight driver’s car when it was new. What happened to send this special roadster so far down the slippery slope of deferred maintenance and wanton neglect? The best cars to trade in the six-figure range; is there enough potential left in this hulk to justify complete restoration?
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Comments
Must have been a great looking car at one time.
Whoever let this happen deserves a mighty butt-whoopin.
Justify complete restoration?? There’s nothing here to even start a restoration! It may as well have been consumed in a garage fire.
In the event of a garage fire, the engine would still be there.
I would buy it and use it for target practice. pow pow!
Very informative writeup for the benefit of you readers still lusting after a Maserati, Lancia, Ferrari, et al. As for this Alfa, a Christian burial might be in order.
perhaps some zeros were added by accident?
Fritz,
Over the last 5 or 6 years, the selling prices for fully restored Spider 2000 cars, even without the hardtop, are averaging well over $100,000, and a few have sold for almost twice that Price.
An accomplished restorer with a knowledge of Alfa Romeo cars like this one, can restore it to a high level of quality without losing financially. It’s a lot of hard work, but they final payout might make it worth the effort.
I suspect the factory steel hardtop, with it’s glass intact, is worth more than the asking price for the entire car.
Fritz, I saw your reply about the value of Alfa Touring cars totally restored in my Email, yet, I do not see it posted here. Yes, a lot of Dough to do it right. I helped contribute to the restoration of an Alfa Touring having a Ghia Body that competed at Pebble Beach, and won 1st in its class recently. Many parts we had to scratch fabricate. In the end, he WON !
They had better be in the $100 grand camp, because it simply costs a lot! Many parts for Touring still available at Classic Alfa in Europe. We restored and scratch fabricated over 25 components that are otherwise NLA.
This is a 1900cc Alfa Romeo Turing very slow car but nice cruising. The steel hard top made it a nice coupe. The buyer will need a good donor car …. Will take forever to put it on the road in my opinion. Bertone made it with 2600cc much better car. Good luck
A
The Alfa 2600 Sprint was bodied by Bertone. The 2600 Spider retained the Carrrozzeria Touring body of the 2000 Spider. Both employed the new 3 carb 2584cc DOHC I-6 rated @ SAE 165Hp @ 5900 rpm (redlined @ 6500 rpm) based on Sata’s successful Giulietta I-4 engine.
Yard Art!!!
Funny thing in ad it says I can’t read odometer for the miles?😂🤣
If you look at the speedo picture in the ad, you will “see” why he can’t read the odo.
A rare Factory Liteweight?
The 1959 Alfa 2000 Spider had a cast iron block 1975cc DOHC that was rated @ DIN 115Hp / SAE 131Hp @ 5900 rpm.
I have a set of the rare chrome plated “Air Scraper” wheel covers for this relic, if the new buyer is interested. They have louvered air suction for left and right side wheels, and covered by a second central piece “like a baby moon hub cap” that covers the louvers and allows turbo venting under the dome to cool the huge brake drums.
So rare, in fact, we had to spin them from bronze sheet, punch louvers, and chrome plate the two-piece wonders using an original as a model. Yet, likely no need here, as the ventilation shown already will likely keep those finned drums in the air without need of our covers! I wish I could post a photo here. It would look exceptional with our wheel covers on it.
It has a little too much paint on it
There’s a picture with gravel in the trunk, that and the condition makes me think it got in a flood when the creek overflowed, too bad.
sad :-(
Parts Car with most of the parts MIA. $70.00 would be more what this one is worth. When they say it needs every thing they mean everything!!!!
Good as donor for the chromed parts. Why left peoples rot
such cars instead of selling the trash as it was recognisable
as a car?
The result of lack of a recycling law?
Actually there is a fellow in Australia (Bernard) goes by the handle touring63 on the Alfa BB who could restore this to better than new and come out on top.
I had a 63 2600 spider parts car that was just as bad if not worse, sold it to a friend in Vancouver who in turn sold it to Bernard in Austria who restored the car to such a high standard that OK parts in Germany a leader in the Alfa Romeo parts world bought it from him.
Done by Bernard the car would easily fetch over $200,000.00 US
The work he does is outstanding, truly an old world craftsman