The Alfa Romeo Spider (105/115 series) was a 2-seat roadster that was built in Italy from 1966 to 1994. Beginning in 1985 – and only for sale in North America – was The Graduate, a special edition that served as a nod to the car in the Dustin Hoffman movie of the same name from 1967. This ’85 edition of The Graduate looks like a low-mileage survivor that has a lot of life left in it. Located in Racine, Wisconsin, this sports car is available here on craigslist for $14,500. Our thanks to T.J. for another cool find!
Four generations of the 105/115 Spider resulted in nearly 125,000 automobiles across four separate decades. As was typical, these cars had two seats, a front-mounted inline-4 engine, and rear-wheel drive. The third series ran from 1982 to 1989, which includes the nice example offered by the seller. These cars are typified by the switch to a Bosch electronic fuel-injected 2.0-liter engine, replacing a mechanically-injected one. Less than 5,600 copies were assembled in 1985, including the new Graduate.
The Graduate was a less expensive version of the Spider, so it must have targeted a more budget-minded sports car audience. The last edition of it left the assembly line in 1990. This red Graduate is said to be a one-owner car with a paltry 42,000 miles, which means it should have lots of life and fun left in it for the buyer. We’re told it’s always been garage-kept and runs/drives nicely. There is no mention if it needs anything mechanical or cosmetic done to it, so perhaps it’s a reasonably-priced turn-key weekend “fun mobile”!
The Graduate, a very good movie. I wish my father bought me a new Alfa Romeo when I finished college.. I sure would have liked to meet Mrs. Robinson too..
I just drove my ’83 Spider to and from work. :-) 193,200 miles. Top down. Nice
This needs personalized license plates reading “Elaine”, or “Plastic”…
🎵And here’s to you, Mrs Robinson🎵
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y_sjiDi_Zw
Nice example of one of the nicest driving cars ever built.
Yep, nice car, even nicer was Mrs Robinson… oh yeah
I have owned a couple of these and a GTV coupe from 1974 all with the mechanical fuel injection system and when living in Denver and snow skiing in the mountains I would pay for my weekends in the snow by jump starting all the cars from the U.S., Germany and England on Sunday mornings. I have rebuilt a couple of the engines and there are all kinds of class touches these cars have that are important like magnets in the oil plugs to catch filing that might get back to the engine thru the oil. Brass nuts on the Exhaust manifolds so that they do not rust on. Sodium filled valves to make exhaust valves last far longer. The list will go on.
To me the pedals are a bit too close for long distance driving and the rust protection was not the greatest but the heater worked great on the GTV and these spiders. The tops sealed well and there was more of a useful trunk and behind the seats than you might expect. For a long time one of these was the family grocery getter and we never exceeded what it could carry. They are also beautiful especially with the headlight covers that we’re a non-factory add on. Not really expensive especially considering the fun you got. I miss every one I ever had and truly regret selling them even though at the time I had to.
Always loved these spiders…… but sigh, too many projects, would need some more space, haha
These excellent and fun cars are, right now, bargains–and appreciating. What else can you get for this money?
1985 was the last model year for the bullet style gauge cluster. After that they went to a single big module. Lost a little character when that happened. I had a 1972 Spider. The cigarette lighter in the the early series II cars was very unique. Instead of a standard lighter that you pushed in to heat and then pulled out to use, the factory lighter in my car was fixed in its position. It had a hole in the middle that you put your cigarette into. Then pulled down the outer ring around the hole. It lit the cigarette. Then you just pulled the cigarette out. No dropping the hot lighter.
Yet another BF car that I’ve had the pleasure to own. A little small for my big frame, but it was a fun car all the same!