Alfa Romeos suffer an unfortunate reputation for rust vulnerability, and finding older examples with steel consumed by the dreaded tin worm is not unusual. However, this 1984 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce breaks that mold. It is a rock-solid survivor… more»
Italian Classic Cars
Topless Beach Car! 1969 Michelotti Shellette
Everything sounds better in Italian, and spiaggetta (literally “little beach” aka beach car) instantly sounds like fun. This 1969 Michelotti Shellette wraps Fiat mechanicals in a whimsical open body, and this project-level specimen seeks a new owner with an… more»
1-Of-401: 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta
Before the Pantera, Italian car maker De Tomaso produced this gorgeous Mangusta. The name is Italian for mongoose, an animal known for dispatching cobras. Draw your own conclusion on the origin of that name! This 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta… more»
Driver-Quality Exotic: 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona”
In the mid-1960s, over at Pininfarina, Lionardi Fioavanti was sketching a new car. The result emerged in days and met with approval from his boss as well as Enzo Ferrari. The new two-seat grand tourer was a successor to… more»
34k Original Miles: 1989 Chrysler TC by Maserati
Lee Iacocca enjoys a reputation as one of the giants in American automotive history. He championed sales successes like the First Generation Mustang and devised strategies that helped drag Chrysler back from the brink of bankruptcy. However, his bold… more»
Bertone Masterpiece: 1959 Fiat-OSCA 1500 Aerodynamica Berlinetta
Fiat began its earnest pursuit of aerodynamic designs in the 1930s. Using mechanical platforms developed for more pedestrian cars, the company either styled its creations in-house, or outsourced work to coachbuilders. Occasionally, the impetus reversed, and coachbuilders purchased Fiat… more»
BF Auction: 1968 Fiat 850 Spider
“Frugal fun wrapped in beautiful Italian styling” is how the Lane Museum describes the Fiat 850 Spider and that description seems to fit pretty well. Entering the market in 1965, a year after the introduction of the 850 models,… more»
Gorgeous in Green: 1982 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce
The color Green is definitely having a moment. After years of being overused, on everything from sports cars to family sedans, it seemingly went very much out of style to the point that we didn’t even see it used on even… more»
“Personality Issues”: 1979 Fiat X1/9
Bertone designed dozens of more illustrious cars than the X1/9 – including the Lamborghini Countach, Alfa’s Giulietta Sprint, and the Lancia Stratos – but none more ubiquitous in the US than this little wedge-shaped Fiat. About 60% of production… more»
Upgraded Engine: 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale
Alfa’s Sprint Speciale punched above its weight on several metrics. While the 1900 series gave Alfa a toehold in the mass market – where success was a must if the company was to recover from the war – the… more»
A Hupmobile Aerodynamic and a Car ID Test
It is almost a given that when archaeologists stumble upon the remains of a literate society, they have a limited number of written words to decipher. To be fair to our ancestors, carving symbols into stone or making your… more»
Italian Survivor Sedan: 1973 Fiat 124 Special
Despite sitting out in the snow in the Boulder, Colorado area, this 1973 Fiat 124 Special Sedan appears to be a very solid and nice-looking car, cosmetically. I believe this color is called Fiat Yellow, but hopefully, a Fiat… more»