There were no 1975 Alfa Romeos offered for sale new in California. Alfa was still working on changes to its emissions systems, and didn’t have those ready in time, so was forced to continue sales of 1974 cars well into 1975. Can you imagine what that does to dealers? Could you imagine that happening nowadays? Meanwhile, all the other states got the new Alfetta GT, the new Alfetta sedan, and the updated spider with the big rubber bumpers (okay, maybe they weren’t really missing out on that last one!). Well, the irony is that these cars are once again desirable in California because they are a small group of Alfettas that don’t need to pass smog testing. Find this rare Alfetta in Everett near Seattle, WA for $1200.
The car has clearly been parked outside for a while, but keeping in mind the limitations of photos on craigslist, it doesn’t seem to have a ton of rust. This car has a couple of interesting options – the non-standard turbina wheels and a Webasto sliding ragtop. Turbina wheels normally have a flatter face, but the spokes of these wheels have a different shape. This is the first sliding ragtop I’ve seen on an Alfetta – it was a popular option in England, and somewhat common on VW Beetles here, but rather unusual on an Alfa here. Obviously, you’d want to check carefully since it’s a potential cause for rust.
Looks like there’s some kind of weird trim falling off the wheel-well. It’s non-standard, so you can probably safely remove it. The car will no doubt need a rebuilt drive shaft, having been off the road for 10 years. It was one of the first repairs I conducted on my own car, and while it requires attention to detail, is not terribly hard to remove and replace. For the actual rebuild, you’ll want to take it to a drive shaft specialist so they can balance it properly. The one hitch with this car is that since it’s a 1975 model, new giubos (flexible joints) will be hard to find, so you may want to convert to the new style. This requires a new drive shaft, giubos, center carrier bushing, and possibly more.
The dashboard looks remarkably good compared to the usual sun-damaged landscape of fault lines. The carpet seems to have a rust stain, although it could just be dirt, and the shifter seems in remarkably good shape. The faux-wood shifter usually loses all its “wood” and turns white, while this one’s finish seems intact. That said, this is not stock for an early Alfetta – they typically have the standard round black knob found in Alfas from the late 1960s through about 1978. All in all, this car seems worth reviving, subject to an inspection. Hmm, I’m headed up to Everett late next month – perhaps this is one to check out!
On the subject of cheap Alfas, here’s a bonus! This 1987 Milano Silver (the lowest equipment level with cloth seats and hubcaps) looks remarkably decent for a backyard special. The seller purchased it in inoperable condition in 2006, and has all the paperwork. The body looks fairly straight, the interior is intact, and from what is visible, the car is fairly complete. Seems like a perfect candidate for a Lemons racer, listed here in downtown San Jose, CA for $300.
Tags: alfa romeo, alfetta, Feature, gt, italian, sprint veloce, under $2000
Rusty But Trusty 
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