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After the two Alfa wagon sightings, we did a little digging and actually found one on the market! Strangely, the owner has listed the rear door handles on eBay for $150, but mentions in the listing that the car may also be available for an Alfa aficionado to restore. We would buy the door handles and ask them to throw in the rusty parts car for free! It is located in Florida and the humidity has obviously not been kind, but we hope that this rare wagon can still be saved.
Go on Jesse. Will take a while to restore, but……
Yeah, that is going to be a big project! I would love to have one of these, but after owning a GTV for a while I think it would be better to leave this one to the pros.
the seller is parting out a lot of high end cars. worth looking at their ebay store. as rare as this wagon is i hope someone will save it. surprised the seller does not have the whole car up on ebay as a listing, instead of just the handles.
Sorry, after studying the other listings I have concluded that this is another car unfortunately in the wrong hands.
This guy breaks up sets of brake pads to get more money.
BTW did anybody else see the top rear corner on the passenger side.
I think part of that back hatch is totally gone….pass
Another sad rusty Alfa that I suspect would be near impossible to save.
How much would they have to give you to take it off their hands?
It’s an Italian tragedy that someone could let such a special Alfa corrode unprotected outdoors for decades. Why?
Certainly more has been done with less. Jesse, how in the heck did you find this ?
There is no point lamenting on why someone could leave a seemingly rare car to corrode..that is its history. Which shows it was once an old banger , may not have been worth putting in a shed when it first became unloved..
Lets face it most cars become “old bangers” in their life…and I cant see any reason why this type of car didnt too…its not as if this is a cutesy car adored by non car people. no offence to the styling but just honest guessing here.
it certainly to most people wouldnt prompt a lot of ..”that old car’s so cute lets save it” stuff
“special” is in the eye of the beholder…and most back in its death days didnt have space to save an “old banger..urr “special” car
lets just rejoice that it was saved this long and may become parts for a better one…or a daunting but cherished project for a “special” lover
I respect a car that lasts this long and may give up its organs to keep a fellow “special” on the road or even get restored. Who cares what sort of person left it in the rain….fortunately not the type who would scrap it when an old banger i guess. hee hee
Maybe worth scrolling down the Barnfinds homepage a bit to gauge the significance of this old banger. Even as a ‘Lincoln’s Axe’, this is worth saving.
yes of coarse.. i’m not disputing significance now, plus I did say great for a sympathetic restorer not just parts…but people always lament on all these find sites about previous owners doing bad bad things [how many cars did any of us throw away when they got old.]…
lets face it if every car was to be saved we would be living in a garage to garage world..its impossible to save every “special now” car which in this case I doubt in the past was significant to the normal car saver..
presently looking at sportscars here in Aussie..and recent spiders [only 10 years old] can be had for as low as $4000Au old banger prices and they still look good [i think around $70,000 when new] ….and in 40 years times people would be saying why didnt someone look after these better..the fact is an old cheap car/alfa back in its death days was just that an old cheap car..its only now that we covet them…
why are people not covetting current alfas..same deal…they are old and people are scared to deal with foreign car ownership/repairs..simple it was an old car…it wasnt considered covetted back then. An old wagon thats all.
I am not bagging it at all…just trying to be realistic in appreciatring whats in front of us here…a treasure to someone not a history to be lamented about at all.
Rusty, I’m in Melbourne, where are you?
The Alfa 159 is a fantastic looking sedan/wagon, shame they’re stopping it. Have a lot of loyalty to Alfas, Dad still drives a Sud Sprint. The main problem with Alfas now is the front wheel drive conundrum; if you can live with it, then you have the next problem of finding a fully sorted car. The GTV was also pretty with roof or rag, but FWD too. Good luck with your search.
Hi Don
In Sydney..
yes by coincidence looking online at spiders or other modernish sportscars as we speak.
I have very rare aussie vintage sportscars [basket cases], only 7 made of one, 13 made of another and 30 of another etc etc so thats what I consider rare. Compared to my rare cars this wagon looks like a million bucks condition wise…if someone should lament about a cars storage history its I…but no I dont, if my cars were in better condition I might not have been able to buy them. Optimist and usually I am a pessimist hee hee my glass is usually empty.
tried out an MX5 but didnt enjoy it. Looking at all 10 year old options…I like the alfa but the dreaded Aussie repair stories scare me….hee hee damn nice looking cars and cheap $8000 get a good one i’d imagine …even the $4000 ones look nice..but old banger it is over here. [our car prices are higher than cars in US]
This wagon to me is wonderful..a survivor..a day to celebrate…hee hee. Love as found cars.
It would be really interesting to know what Aussie specials you have. Maybe a bit of push from Jesse might prompt you to share some pics.
Yep, a ten year old car has bottomed out of it’s depreciation. New cars are not worth the paper they’re financed on. There’s bargains galore out there. I’m surprised the MX5 (Miata to US folk) didn’t appeal, it got great press. Sounds like you want a rag top, but the Peugeot 405 coupe is a great looker, if a bit of a meh driver.
Would strongly recommend a w107 Mercedes – bit older but bulletproof or a 928 – sadly underappreciated and a nightmare if something goes wrong, but so so nice to the eye (and as a driver I hear).
I’m sure the learned readers of this site might be able to suggest others…
correction. 406 coupe.
BMW E30 (convertible), Fiats from the 70ies and 80ies, even other Mercedes sedans, 70s, 80s and 90ies, Saabs and old Volvos.
Bargains (comparatively speaking) to other cars (Nissan, Honda Toyota VW), more exclusive and reliable, virtually foolproof long run investments
Hi Don..well in sportscars a rough Buchanan Cobra [7 made a 8th possible?], rough J & S Hunter [13 made? ], good survivor Lightburn Zeta Sports [30 odd made up to the 50 engines imported], a restored by me Goggomobil Dart with rare hardtop [700 made] plus a Bond Equipe [english 244 made]and a NSU Prinz sports. Someone asked previously if I’d put photos up but I’m a little reluctant.
The Alfa convertible interests me but I’m figuring no autos in them???..as health has deteriated i prefer an auto now. So not sure where I go here. MX5 I was expecting to like didnt dislike..but it felt like my old MGB..looking for more luxury now…hee hee. Also the auto was sluggish up hill. [imported version] but I felt the car was not what it was sprouted as by seller..so I left it.
I do have a car I know I want/love but importers are artifically keeping prices up here a Nissan Figaro which in england under the same Import deal are a dime/penny a dozen.
regarding this wagon..I have a passion about cars in as found condition..hence my positive stance that it survived regardless of its storage history..I was building up an as found museum until health hit me down.Hence a barnfind site appeals.
Nice selection, particularly the Buchanan. I too have a passion for as-found wrecks and long for the day I can buy a spread and start a museum. Have been reluctant to say so on this site as I don’t want to be whacked with the naughty stick. I couldn’t watch this beauty moulder, however. It would break my heart.
Everything over here has become too expensive, not just the cars. Partly because the manufacturers know they can get away with the prices in such an isolated territory. Not sure about the Figaro, but new Fiat 500s are getting cheaper. They made one with a neat rag roof/rear window. Dunno if they came in auto.
Keep well rusty!
Don…someone has to save the cars as there simply isnt enough restorers to save them…less and less new blood but more and more cars languishing year by year.
A good custodian knows when the right person should get his/her car. Not all collectors/hoarders live by “I’ll restore that one day” many are wiling to pass on treasures. I have lived by that decree..pass it on when the emotion/timing is right.
But I’ll agree there are many who will die with them. But very few have taken them with them [‘cept some burials]. Separate the two types and you’ll thank the custodians. I do. But without the custodians and the “die with them” hoarders there would be few unrestored vintage cars and parts cars to find. Its the attraction of survivor cars. History.
hee hee.. Don ..the naughty stick..what even on this site ..damn its a barn site
Well before they threaten me with the naughty stick, bugger em’ To prove I act as I speak I have let just less than half my collection go in the last 3 years..but I am hoping to keep my sportscars as my last vestige of my car passion..and hoping some of my other cars to go might fund some chassis work on these. I have passed on my cars I hope they pleasure the new custodian..
copies of my speaches can be obtained in the foyer….hee hee
Naughty stick is just the red button on each comment. BF has a well informed opinion, but lets everyone else air their own as long as it doesn’t get personal. I can’t stand electronically mediated social interaction, but this site is good people.
Hey, “rusty” has arrived !
I once stood up for you on the ‘other’ site (BaT) and I can tell you two things.about BF:
The crowd here is much more forgiving and much more enthusiastic about old cars., period.
Whereas over ‘there’ is just a bunch of hoytty toytty car flippers and dealers at best, (in other words money grabbers).
Your comments get deleted (over there) when you say what you think (I thought the whole idea behind this format was the different opinions).
AND dare NOT say a bad word about ‘their’ (BaT) sponsors, (which is every other ‘BaT exclusive etc…).
To me that site is a sell out to the old car scene.
Welcome here, Buddy.
I like everything you’ve said.
.
About this car and my post above:
the owner did not specifically list this car (as Jesse mentions above), but my guess is that when he hints $150 for rusty door handles, you can imagine the total price tag, (no?).
.
You’ll like it here:
Jesse and Josh are cool.
Thanks Raddish appreciate the Hi. And heads up that this is truley barn find lovers.
Yes I remember hee hee..and I had a post deleted because I innocently said another site beat them to astory…gosh.
Like this site..barn finds are truley wonderful…We call em sheds in Aussie..chook sheds, Shearin’ sheds, Farm sheds etc…I have heaps either garages or sheds…some recently threatened by bushfires but property owner is ex fire chief so no probs in the 10 years i have rented storage, and they are just my spare parts or rough cars and my old art studio thats now storage.. my good ones are home in suburbia.
Will try to be less monumental…I do lurk a lot here actually, been lurking for a long time.
cheers
I’ll second the comments about that trailer site.
Critical comments about their most beloved vehicle, the early 911 (one of the site owners drives one), trigger serious rage. The amazing thing is, these guys don’t seem to know that Porsche has changed everything that needed changing about the early 911 except the engine location, and that it’s become the car it should have been in the beginning but wasn’t. Since rage like that is something I don’t need in my life, I have never gone back to that site.
BF is a site where the readers actually like old cars and don’t use them to display their personal wealth or macho. Good for Jesse and Josh. They have a really good thing going.
I don’t think that you guys need to bash BaT. I enjoy both BaT and BF for different cars and different perspectives. I don’t think that they are sellouts either. They just happen to be very knowledgeable and connected car guys–so what? Good for them. I enjoyed following their Vette project, and currently their Alfa purchase.
I’m hoping that Jesse picks up a beater project soon so I can follow that project too!
Let’s enjoy both of the sites for what they are–pure car porn for us car fanatics!
Hey, Rusty and Horse Radish! I, too, lurk over here. Still like BaT, but I like the cars with “age” more and more. (which is good, because my collection is “aged”). Google Rusty’s cars, I did that a long time ago when I first saw his roster. Quite a few neat things there.
Dutch is right. The Buchanan is like a mini-svelte ACCobra, the J&S is like a mini 410 Superamerica and the Bond is like a mini Gordon Keeble. This is a really nice selection rusty treasures.
penguin,
Sorry that you thought my comments were meant to bash another site. That wasn’t the intent. I think almost everyone who has commented on BarnFinds welcomes different views on cars, even when they differ from their own. Unfortunately, there have been people on the other site who don’t always welcome views/opinions/preferences that are different from their own, especially about certain Porsche models. My comments about handling etc were from my own personal experiences and weren’t any different from lots of other comments on the rear engined Porsches. Just have a look at Sam Posey’s and Peter Egan’s comments in the recent Road & Track issue on the 50th anniversary of the 911 and you’ll get an idea. The fact that Porsche have acknowledged the problems and limitations and have made lots of changes to the 911 over the years to fix them makes this point even more. But some people were pretty angry anyway, and I think the site owners were a bit too tolerant of some nasty personal comments. That’s OK. It’s their site and they need to run it as they see fit. Likewise, it’s up to people to decide whether it’s worth their while to spend time on that or any other site.
I don’t think it’s bashing to point these things out. It’s just the facts about what happened.
‘Tis an old trick to avoid ever more greedy ebay fees
List a part (free listing, unlike a whole car listing) when you really want to sell the car…include lots of “non-ebay” contact options
More power to ’em!
Interesting.
The thing about these old Alfa’s is while they may look odd, some do some don’t, they drive great are very balanced handling characteristics even these wagons, there gearboxes are a delight as well as there jewel like twin cam motors. I am a big believer that built by humans can be fixed be humans however there comes a point when too much rust, structural rust, has away of reaching a point of too much effort so you move on.
Too true Paul. Never enjoyed a gearbox more than I did in my 105 series, even if I had to feather it into second. The 1750 was so sweet, apparently sweeter than the 2000.
a trick I learned early on with Alfa’s & there second gear syncro’s is before sliding the gear shift into first to move forward or reverse always move the selector to second then move it to first or reverse this helps to align the gears & syncro’s, it works I owned 7 over 35 years.
“List a part (free listing, unlike a whole car listing) when you really want to sell the car…”
—————————–
Yes, exactly what I thought was going on.
Seller has updated the listing, it’s now $150 for the rear door handles, not the whole car.
Typical eBay shenanigans. *groan*
Just to be clear, we never said the listing was for the whole car. Someone just needs to contact them and find out what they want for it.
If we ever let BF turn into BAT…………….I will call in Tuco’s ghost from Breaking Bad and give the lot of you a tune up……………
Don Andreina said “The Buchanan is like a mini-svelte ACCobra, the J&S is like a mini 410 Superamerica and the Bond is like a mini Gordon Keeble.
Thanks Don..wow I love the comparisons…love what others compare cars to.
I might correct one which is half correct…The Buchanan Cobra really is not like the famous Cobra..infact it was named Cobra before “the cobra” existed.so was infact the original cobra but.its an unfortunate name as I need to explain its nothing like a Cobra..
where I think you are slightly correct is I believe you are looking at Buchanans first design simply called the “Buchanan Body” [100 + or so made] , …this would be considered a kit car outside of Australia but in Aussie they were sold as “body” only to be plonked on any chassis..it was an Aston Martin flopped/modified body..it does look Cobraish, easy to compare it,..but I concede some might glean Cobra from my Cobra with a squint?? but I dont.
my car [cobra] is Buchanans only production car..hence only 7 or 8 made…it was too expensive for aussies…it is a design of its own..it has no car I can compare it to in shape. It runs Standard Ten [triumph] running gear later ones herald motor. I say its a typical competitor to the current then Bugeye but with later AH or midget proprtions.
But i love your comparisons of the others , I’ll have to have a look myself…infact I never considered the Hunter looked like anything else so wow..Yes thinking of 410 Superamerica it.. perhaps, but i need to double take that.
and the Bond [triumph herald based but full production car] I always considered was my mini Aston DB series car [coincidentally called Bond after its founder not the silly movie.].. yet secreted in its shed and only seeing the rear people often asked is it a porsche although bearing no similarity to one..modern.Aussies are very limited in their knowledge of sportscars as we never took to sportscars as much as other countries. But I can see the Gordon Keeble in it without looking it up.
And Dutch ..how ya’ going.
Ps Don if your in Sydnety come for a visit. We are easy for interstate as we are on the City to City bypass.
hi don did a quick google..ok..Bond [yes the makers of the 3 wheel cars]..yes gordon kebble has design similarities to the next model Bond GT4S [revised with twin headlamps and taller roofline], And the flat front keeble lookish likeish the last model Bond..
now my Bond being the first model GT4 [2 + 2] has single headlamps..more [to me] like an Astonish front [my preferance of all Bonds] and an Astonish rear. But yes keeble definately on the next models of Equipe. Interesting thought.
I can see similarities in the Hunter to the America..the roofline has similarities a few other things..of coarse we are not looking at anything resembling these up market cars but you can see styling similarities..just put ish on the end of any similarities hee hee…cool to hear what people interpret.
dont you love how threads can go all cockeyed…hee hee on this Alfaish thread.
Hey rusty, couldn’t decide between the 410 and the 250 PF for the J&S. Settled on the 410 for that extra exotic flavour. Yep, we’ve definitely hijacked this post. Funny where conversations take you…
Am I the first one to think…Alfa Ute?