1973 Alfa Romeo Spider S2

As you can see from the (type-written!) stock list this Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce benefitted from completely restored bodywork plus a rebuilt engine, a new gearbox and rear differential, and fully fettled suspension and braking systems immediately prior to the vendor buying it in 1992.

She then ran it for a while before, as is so often the case, life got in the way and it was consigned to the garage until she had a bit more time on her hands to enjoy it properly.

That never happened and she eventually asked an Alfa enthusiast, a man so in love with the marque that he runs his own company specialising in them, to come and take a look. He knows his stuff and, after breaking into the locked garage for her as the key had been lost many years before, recognised that this example was just too good to let go so he hauled it off to his workshop where he got it running before consigning it with us on her behalf.

Being offered now with no reserve, this barn-find Alfa would make a great buy for an enthusiast looking for a project to keep them busy for not-a-lot-of-money – and if that sounds like you then why not pop a cheeky bid in and see what happens?

The vibrant red coachwork is in a decent condition. With excellent panels, ripple-free flanks, and an above-average fit ‘n’ finish, the Spider presents very well indeed. Even areas such as the wheelarches are still in good order, which shows that whoever did the original restoration really knew their stuff.

Classic Perspex headlamp covers not only protect the glass lenses beneath them but their presence also adds to the car’s (already considerable) aesthetic appeal, as do the slimline chrome bumpers, which are in the same decent condition as the rest of the exterior chromework.

Steel wheels are, for us at least, always a wining feature. Much more self-confident than the alloys everyone upgrades theirs with, the ones fitted here are in great shape with only modest surface rust in a few tiny areas. They’re shod with a mixed bag of tyres, some of which are cracked with age, so if it were going to be ours we’d budget for a new set to allow the chassis to sparkle.

The folding black roof is in good shape too. With only a few marks from being folded, it raises and lowers as it should, sealing tightly when needed to protect the car’s occupants from inclement weather. Of course, a car like this is all about the open-air experience, and it’s good to see that it furls away neatly, giving the car a clean look when it isn’t needed. The rear plastic screen is in good shape with only a few minor marks to spoil its finish (#61) and although the hood frame operates flawlessly it would benefit from a little TLC to improve its looks. (Wouldn’t we all?)

In addition to the inevitable stonechips and minor marks any classic will accumulate over the years, the nearside front indicator lenses has a hole in it, (#33), the offside rear is cracked (#36), the windscreen is starting to delaminate (#77), and the door mirrors are pitted (144).

More seriously, there is some rust at the base of the offside front wing (#160) and underneath, all of which will need addressing sooner rather than later.

The interior is a delight; with that gorgeous, deep-dish, wood-rimmed steering wheel and the classic straight-legged driving position, the heavily cranked gear lever falls nicely to hand. It’s a lovely place to be, and one that is so very Italian in its nature.

It’s got the heavily cowled speedometer and rev counter too, plus angled gauges in the centre console for fuel level, oil pressure, and water temperature. They all seem to work as they should even if the rev counter does seem a little slow to respond when you rev the engine.

It has decent carpets (from F. B. Spares Milano, no less) and the original rubber mat underneath the driver’s feet and while the door cards are a little scuffed, they are fitted with speakers to channel the music from the period twin-spindle Arso radio-cassette player in the dash.

The boot looks solid, even if the carpet is mildewed and could do with being cleaned. The tool kit in there though, as is the spare steel wheel.

Flaws are few. While the cabin is gently patinated there is some damage to the front of the driver’s seat (#147) and the back of the passenger seat (#138). The vinyl on the rear seat/luggage area is a bit wobbly, too (#155).

Also, the dashboard shows the usual cracks (#152) and the handbrake gaiter needs renewing (#159).

This might sound like a lot but it isn’t, not really. None needs immediate attention and it could all be fettled at little cost as and when time and money coincide – and anyway, little faults like this keep the price down and allow you to add value with every job you tick off the list.

The Alfa has had just enough work done to it to get it starting and running but no more. This will give the new owner the reassurance that the engine isn’t seized but still leaves them with a blank canvas to restore it to meet their own needs and budget.

As you can see in the video, it starts well and shows good oil pressure. It revs nicely too and there’s no unusual noises in the engine bay and a lovely rasp from the exhaust.

We have been told that the brakes are binding and that there isn’t a firm pedal, so it will need to be trailered away. Other than that, please feel free to pop along for a socially distanced inspection to enable you to set your bids according to your own estimate.

The Spider doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

It has a number of expired MOT certificates and road tax discs (remember them?) plus a hefty sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years, including that all-important restoration back in the early nineties. There’s a photo album of that work too, which should reassure you that it was all done properly.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook too, which is a nice touch.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this paperwork.

With a wide-ranging guide price of between £5,000 and £12,000, this lovely Alfa Spider has much to commend it. True, it needs some work but then the need for that work has been allowed for with the fact that it is being offered with no reserve, so will sell no matter what.

So, if you’ve got more time on your hands than money in the bank, or simply fancy buying something that will give you an excuse to disappear into the garage when family life gets a bit too much (heh, we’ve all been there…) then this might just be the car for you.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing. With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.