A good friend of mine is a total gearhead and a British, Italian and German sports car gearhead to boot. When we were in high school and college, he’d take a gamble on a Fiat, a Triumph, an MG or an Alfa Romeo (or as I erroneously used to call them an “Alfa Romero” fracturing and confusing the name with the actor Cesar Romero). Alfa Romeo ceased exporting cars to the U.S. in 1995 and it escaped my notice. I didn’t realize they were gone until I learned that FCA was going to start importing them again just a few years ago. To me, an Alfa Romeo was just a “hotted-up”, higher-brow version of Turin’s infamous “Fix It Again Tony” engineering. My friend tells me, “No, you got it all wrong, they’re great driving, competitive cars, just a bit temperamental.” Well, this barn find is a bit beyond temperamental at this point but perhaps it can be brought back to good favor. While the GTV 2000 is a desirable model, there were over 31,000 produced between 1976 and 1978 so they’re not exactly rare. This 1976 example is located in Gladstone, Michigan and is for sale here on craigslist for $3,000. A nod of the hat to Dan B. for this tip.

The 1976 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 is based on the Alfetta model and was designed in-house. There is no denying its very Italian bearing and lines. This particular Alfa probably doesn’t show its best. It has been sitting inside for the last 24 years but it’s the time prior that has caused much of its wear and tear. The description for this GTV is thin but let’s take a closer look at what we do know.

Powering this Alfa is a 2.0 liter, in-line, DOHC, four-cylinder engine. The power rating is somewhere between 120 and 128 HP, I can’t get a good read on this particular example as it’s not mentioned and the research is not clear. If any reader can opine on that subject, it would be appreciated. The listing does mention the familiar claim, “Ran good when parked 20+ years ago”. The posting also indicates that this Alfa is equipped with a five-speed manual transmission which is actually a trans-axle as it is located in the rear of the car. Curiously, I can’t find a gear shift lever inside so I’m not sure how that’s going to work out.

The interior, what can be spied, looks OK but dusty and worn. No description is given regarding the condition of the floors. As is typical, the rear bucket seats look really good, probably due to lack of use.

The real concerns with this Alfa are with its body due to the obvious work of dreaded tin worm. It has a lot of rust and some is in places that will be challenging to fix. There is no mention or images available of the underside so that would need follow-up.

I was surprised when I read that FCA was conserving capital on established big selling models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee to develop the new line-up of Alfa Romeo’s. I have to admit, I haven’t seen but one or two new Giulia’s or  Giulietta’s in the wild so I’m not sure of the overall health of the brand. I do know older models, like this Alfa, especially the GTV, have a devoted following but this particular example has many unknowns. So, at this price point, and knowing the vagaries of older Alfa Romeo’s, do you think this one warrants a closer look?