{vsig}2002-8_1360{/vsig}
As described by the seller on eBay Motors:
This rare Alfa is a complete car. All bits and pieces are intact. No alterations or modifications have been made, inside or out. It has been well kept and always garaged. It is in daily-driving condition, and is rarely driven except in dry weather. The car has an excellent interior with new rugs. Both front seats have been restored, not just recovered. All gauges are functional. Overall, the car is in very nice shape.
A former California car, it is currently in Portland, Oregon. As the car is mechanically tip-top, the next step is paint. Known issues include rust at the right fender bottom (two very small bubbles), five body dings and a fixable crease in the rear bumper. Mechanically, the car has no problems and will require regular maintenance only. This second-owner car is a cherry and way neat. Treat yourself to a fine Italian car with a historic racing lineage.
{analysis} This car, item 1837631059 on eBay Motors, sold for $7,300. The sale received 32 bids from 15 individuals, and ended on June 27, 2002.
A classically simple and durable design that can be maintained with easily available and inexpensive parts is an almost irresistible combination. And that describes the 1600-cc Alfa GTV.
There's a lot to like about the GTV. First, it is ultimately simple-it is one of the last of the Alfas that can be maintained with a standard set of hand tools. The alloy dual overhead-cam engine is a classic design, and the dual Weber carburetors make an impressive visual and performance statement. The fully synchronized five-speed gearbox was considered the benchmark of its time. And though Porsche enthusiasts sneered at Alfa's solid rear axle, it nevertheless provided more predictable and forgiving performance than the independent rear suspension of the German car.
In spite of its compact exterior dimensions, the interior of the GTV is surprisingly roomy and its front bucket seats provide excellent lateral support during heavy cornering. There are small rear seats, a feature that allowed the cars to run as sedans in the US, where the competition in the Trans-Am between GTVs and Pete Brock's Datsun 510s was fierce.
Virtually every Alfa advertisement mentions the marque's racing history. In the case of the GTV, the link is not overblown, since the hugely successful GTA competition cars are based on this model. The GTV was introduced in 1966 as a slightly revised version of the Sprint GT. The world had fallen in love with the hatchback styling of the Giulietta and Giulia 1600 Sprints, and initial reaction to the new notchback was lukewarm. Alfa came up with the competition GTA to promote the new body style. There is no doubt that the outstanding success of the GTA ensured the popularity of the GTV.
The selling price of $7,300, slightly below SCM's Price Guide range of $8,500 to $12,000, probably reflects the fact that some repairs are still needed by this car, including a paint job. Thirty-two bids are a lot, but the fact that the bidding competition failed to push the final price into SCM's price range is evidence of the essentially penurious nature of most Alfa owners. Bidding started at $100, and it took 13 more bids to break $2,000. A serious bidder entered at $5,250, and kept bidding to $7,200. With a minute left in the auction, the new owner entered his only bid. The action revealed a good e-bidding strategy: stay out until the last moment so as not to drive up the price needlessly, then just top the high bid. This presumes you know what you're willing to pay and have enough discipline not to "bid with your heart" as the auctioneers love to urge.
However, you have to wonder some when this GTV is described as "rare"-more than 14,000 were made-and its most appealing feature is that it is "complete." Admittedly, the car is going on 35 years of age, but there are plenty examples of this model still around.
In any event, for the money, the new owner got a potentially trouble-free, supposedly two-owner car with only 100,000 claimed miles. The blown head gaskets that plagued later 1750 and 2000 Alfa models are almost unknown on the 1600-cc Giulia, and the car's mostly California history has managed to stave off serious rust. The corrosion mentioned on this car is nominal and common. This was an era when rustproofing was in its infancy, but Alfa had not yet begun buying the rust-prone steel from Eastern European countries that led to tin-worm disaster with later models. Even if the new owner is confronted with an unexpected mechanical drama, a good used engine and transmission can be had for about $1,500, keeping the overall investment still within SCM's Price Guide range.
If there are no mechanical surprises lurking, the rust is as minimal as described, and the car is in decent driving condition, this should be considered a fair deal for seller and buyer both.-Pat Braden{/analysis}