In years past, owning a classic Alfa Romeo meant waging an ongoing war with rust. Today, advances in paint technology and rust prevention techniques mean that this no longer has to be the case. This 1972 Alfa 2000 GTV is a car that is now rust-free and is in need of someone to take it on and restore it to its former glory. It is located in Stanton, California, and has been listed for sale here on eBay. The BIN price for this little Italian classic has been set at $14,900, but there is also an option available to make an offer.
So bad was Alfa’s reputation in the past when it came to rust issues that I well remember a press release for a new model that hit the market in the 1980s. This release made quite a fuss about the company’s latest rust prevention technology, stating that 52% of the model in question was constructed from galvanized steel. One journalist replied to the effect that this meant that this only left 48% of the car that was certain to dissolve at some point in the future. This little GTV has been parked since 1986, but at least some headway has been made when it comes to restoration. Any rust issues have now been addressed, and the car is said to be solid once again. It will still require a full restoration, and the next owner will need to pay careful attention to areas such as the battery tray, the rear valance, and the rockers to ensure that they are completely clean before applying a fresh coat of Rossa Cina Red paint. The body panels appear to be nice and straight, with no sign of significant dings or dents. All of the glass is present, and this appears to be free of major flaws. It also appears as though the vast majority of the exterior trim and chrome is present, and while most of it seems to be in good condition, the rear bumper has some damage that will probably mean that it will require replacement. Unfortunately, this isn’t a cheap exercise, because a rear bumper can run out to around the $700 mark. It might be worth hunting round for either a good secondhand one or a straight one that is in need of a trip to the plater.
One thing that Alfa Romeo has always been renowned for is the ability to produce really wonderful engines. The GTV was no exception because occupying the engine bay is a 1,962cc DOHC 4-cylinder engine, complete with SPICA fuel injection. This produces a healthy 129hp, which is sent to the limited-slip rear end via a 5-speed manual transmission. Arresting the speed of the GTV was left to a powerful set of 4-wheel disc brakes. Straightline speed wasn’t the strength of the GTV, but point it at a piece of twisting road and this was a car that truly came alive. This little GTV is going to require some work before it is once again in a roadworthy state. Having last seen the road in 1986, there is a high probability that it will require some work on at least the fuel system and brakes before it can be pointed at a piece of tarmac once again. The good news is that given a dose of starter fluid, the engine in this Alfa will kick back into life. The car currently rolls on a set of 14″ OEM wheels, but the buyer will have the choice of retaining these or swapping them for a set of period-correct Gotti alloy wheels.
The owner is pretty candid about the fact that the GTV’s interior is going to require a complete restoration. Apart from the driver’s door trim, which is missing, the interior is said to be complete. The dash cap is in good condition, but it would appear that the majority of the upholstered surfaces will require either restoration, or quite possibly, replacement. This is not going to be a cheap undertaking, because while seat cover sets are available, they will lighten your wallet to the tune of around $770. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, because if the next owner chooses to replace the door trims and rear trims, then they can add a cool $1,200 dollars to the equation. The steering wheel is looking pretty tired, but hopefully, this can be restored. This would be an option worth investigating because even a good secondhand one will cost in excess of $350. I know that all of this is sounding pretty expensive, but it is worth remembering that as is the case with most restorations, this will be an investment that should last for a good many years.
Restoring this 1972 Alfa 2000 GTV is not going to represent the cheapest of projects, but it would seem as though it would be worth the effort. These are a glorious little car to drive, and the reality is that if you were to go out into the market today with the intention of buying a reasonable example, then you would need to have around $40,000 in your wallet. If you would prefer a pristine example that has been meticulously restored, then you should probably stuff another $40,000 in there for good measure. Yes, restoring this one has the potential to cost some money, but given the car’s potential value at the end of the exercise, it should be well worth the effort.
Why do these little jewels have to be so expensive? As a 13-year old I spent a summer smitten by a 750 Double Bubble, not knowing its value then and not being able to afford it now. These Alfas are the same old story – as beautiful and as unattainable as Sophia Loren and Gina Lollabrigida.
The Chinese may have invented noodles but the Italians gave the world Pasta. The Germans may have invented the automobile, but the Italians gave us Ferrari, Maserati, & this gem.
I can rest assured that someone is going to snag this siren and make it perfect once more.
How does that website work? I see cars but no prices.
@Redwagon – You have to read the post. We put the info in the first paragraph.
@Jesse yes, I know to find any info on price and/or media locaiton (eBay, Craigslist, etc) in the first paragraph or so.
My question was in reply to a different post that appears to be gone (along with my initial reply). ccrvtt was lamenting that Alfa’s are so expensive. That post is here. Someone else responded that ccrvtt should look at 2420cars.com and maybe he could find a used Alfa inexpensively. Since I’ve never been there I investigated 2420cars.com and found it interesting but there was no obvious pricing for the cars listed there. Some are listed as no reserve so I assume it is an auction site but no obvious way to place a bid. There is a box for “placing an order” (IIRC) but is placing an order a bid? Who knows.
That’s why I asked my question. Now I see that initial post that mentioned the website AND my question are gone. But you did respond to my question as if I was asking about this ’72 Alfa. Weird.
As the owner/moderator if you can explain any of this I’d love to hear it!
Sold already, which doesn’t surprise me. Prices for these are really all over the place. The later cars do not seem to be able to pull the prices of the early cars and I have seen a few pretty nice 72 to 74 GTV’s going from the high 20’s to low 30’s. The earlier cars are going for mid 40’s to high 70’s, and to pull 70k the car must be perfect with the right buyer.
I think there are still to many starry eyed buyers of projects that think they can save money on buying a project but it just cost to much to restore unless you do it yourself, which is not a bad thing if you enjoy it.
I had a 1974 GTV for about 10 years and 120K+ Miles and it only got sold because I needed a car quickly after it was vandalized and all the glass broken out. At the time it was my only car and I needed transportation to get to work and I needed it fast. These cars get under your skin. They transmit the feel of the road very well and are small enough to go just about anywhere.
They ARE NOT 2+2’s unless you are very short or the rear passengers do not have legs. but for a single person driving into the mountain West of Denver it was amazing. In the winter time that SPICA fuel injection system would start first time every time and most of my ski trips were paid for by me jumpstarting Mercedes, BMW’s and all the rest after I got mine started. I think I also sold a few while doing that.
There are faster, roomer, better handling cars now and there were some even then but the smiles per miles factor was about as high as you could get. It never let me down ever it just worked and did what it was asked. Abuse it and you could trash it easily but give it the care it needed and keep it dry and you had a real jewel on your hands. Mine still exists as it has been owned for over 30 years by the Architect I sold it to and he is not selling. His first was totaled by a drunk driver and now he has mine. But it is cared for and that helps.
Sold for:US $14,900.00
A definite bucket list car for me, even if that means only being able to drive one. Seems like a lot of money to me though, given the work and parts required. A quick troll on Kijiji showed this in Ottawa, Ontario:
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/ottawa/1972-alfa-romeo-2000-gtv/1480836646
$35,000 Canadian($27k US). Sure, the steering wheel is on the wrong side, but it gives an idea of what is available.
The rust repair/prevention is worth it’s weight in steel on these..
A buddy of mine who is all Alfa, all the time is constantly fighting rust on his Berlina.
And well-bought. You can´t get a like for like project 2000GTV in Europe for that kind of money any more.
All parts are available, interior trim for less than quoted in the write up, as is the steering wheel. Alfa bumpers are stainless, so unless very damaged, rear bumper should repair.
Lots to like! If these are too expensive, get a GTV6, which is a relative bargain still. BMW 2002 is still good value if you want to stay in 60s/70s vibe. The Giulia sedan is usually about half the price of the Bertone, rarer in the US, and some Alfisti actually prefer the drive……
Seller here. Yup, you understand the passion for these cars when you drive them hard. Sold last evening to a very nice fellow from Atlanta who is looking forward to his bucket list project.
This was very nicely priced. I’m in the middle (that’s a generous assessment, probably) of restoring a 1968 1750 GTV, and I’d have loved to get a straight, rust-free shell to start from.
The availability of interior parts for these has gotten better and better over the last 5-10 years. Not all of the repro stuff is great, but it seems to be getting better over time.
Plus there are individuals who are taking on the task of reproducing the stuff that isn’t available (or is, but is inferior). A good example of this is alfafranjo.com. He makes and sells beautiful reproductions of maybe a couple dozen parts, including a perfect replica of the emblem that goes on the steering wheel hub (he actually molds the clear plastic part of the badge and then vapor-coats it from the back in the proper gold or silver, just as the factory did).