Classic Italian sports cars can be one of the most rewarding vehicles on the planet. They rarely possess mountains of horsepower, but what they have, they offer willingly. If you pointed this 1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce at a ribbon of twisting bitumen, you would end that journey with a smile on your face. This Alfa is in sound mechanical health, and the owners feel that the time is right for it to find a new home. Located in Brattleboro, Vermont, you will find this little gem listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has been nothing short of frantic, and the result has seen the price rise to $8,600 in this No Reserve auction.

I sometimes find it hard to be critical of Italian sports cars because they tend to possess an indefinable charm that makes them endearing. This is particularly true of anything that emanated from the design studios of Pininfarina because those cars also managed to appear elegant. The Spider took elements of several Alfa concept cars from the late 1950s and early 1960s and successfully melded them into the first Spider that appeared at the Geneva Motor Show in March of 1966. The Spider remained in production until 1993. While its styling evolved during those decades, the last cars to roll off the line bore the unmistakable family resemblance of those original Spiders. Our feature car is painted in Porcelain White which is nicely contrasted by a Black soft-top. The paint shines beautifully, while the top looks tight as a drum. The alloy wheels are slightly discolored, and I suspect that this could result from long-term exposure to brake dust. The panels are straight, the trim is in good order, and there are no issues with the glass. At first glance, all appears to be sweetness and light. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that this Alfa may have a darker side.

The owner admits that there is evidence of prior repairs in the Alfa’s floors and the rockers. The floors generally look okay, although it looks like there might be one small area that will require further attention. That isn’t uncommon in Spiders of this age, and treating it sooner rather than later would be a wise move. However, it is the repairs to the rockers that cause me concern. As you can see in this shot, the finished product looks pretty rough. It raises some doubts in my mind about the quality of the work and is one area of the car that is worthy of a careful inspection. If that shiny paint and textured finish are hiding something unpleasant, fixing it could be an expensive undertaking.

Turning our attention to the Spider’s interior, it appears far better than many that we’ve seen over the years here at Barn Finds. It isn’t perfect, but none of its needs seem urgent. The carpet is looking pretty faded, but it doesn’t appear that there is any significant wear. I would be inclined to investigate the viability of dying the existing carpet because a new set exposes one of the pitfalls of these little cars. Trim can be extremely expensive, and with a high-quality complete carpet set costing around $650, reviving what is already there would seem worth the effort. The owner also notes a broken section on the left side of the console. If the broken section hasn’t been lost, I would be tempted to see if someone could perform a plastic weld repair. Console components for later Spiders aren’t hard to find, but the early Series 2 cars pose a challenge. I performed a brief internet search with no luck, but some more intensive work could produce results. The owner has installed a CD player, but the rest of the interior is unmolested. Apart from the identified faults, the upholstered surfaces, the dash, and the wheel are in excellent condition.

With its 1,962cc DOHC four-cylinder engine producing 129hp, the Spider should be a lively performer. With those rampant Italian stallions finding their way to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission, it gives the Alfa the ability to romp through the ¼ mile in 16.4 seconds. If the driver is willing to keep the pedal to the metal, this little classic should go close to nudging 120mph. When you consider the size of the engine, those figures help explain how a classic Alfa can win friends so readily. It seems that our Spider is in sound mechanical shape. The owner says that it runs and drives well, the transmission is smooth, and the brakes feel solid. It seems that this is one aspect of this classic that will require no attention.

When I look at this 1974 Alfa Spider, I want its rust issues to be of no consequence because the rest of the car shows so much promise. If you have never had the chance to slip behind the wheel of one of these classics, you have missed out on one of life’s great automotive treats. These are engaging vehicles, and they are at their absolute best plying a piece of snaking bitumen. It seems that I’m not alone in my beliefs because, with plenty of time left on the listing, this Spider has already attracted an impressive forty-nine bids. I suspect that the fiftieth won’t be far away, but will you be the person to submit that bid?