Rusty But Trusty

By now you’ve probably realized that any reasonably-priced Alfetta, as long as it’s not a complete non-running dog, will show up here. That means the clapped-out 1979 sedan with rust on every panel and four flat tires is out, as is the 1976 coupe with 20 years of dust on it, but the 1975 project car is in, as is the 1978 driver. And that’s what we have here in this 1978 Alfa Romeo Alfetta Berlina, also known as a Sports Sedan, for sale in Miami, FL with no bids, an opening bid of $500 and 9 1/2 days to go.

Dark blue is really sharp on this car, and the square European market headlamps complement the boxy shape of the car well. No doubt the night time visibility is improved too, and with some second-series European bumpers, you’d have most of the original car’s aesthetic back. It also appears to have a lowered suspension, and is said to run, shift, and brake well (ignoring the seller’s ironic “breaking good” typo).

But alas, as with many affordable Alfettas, and a good piece of French toast, it’s crispy around the edges. Detail shots of the fender lips, windshield and rear window frames, and driver’s door all show rust, and if that’s what’s in the pictures, you can count on more. This car has made the rounds online in the past, so perhaps the seller found something that surprised him. Incidentally, he is also selling a gorgeous yellow 1974 Fiat X1/9 and a Unimog.

The engine looks pretty much stock, aside from what looks to be a non-stock exhaust manifold, perhaps from a European market car, and the apparent lack of an air pump (if it’s still there, it’s not plumbed into the manifold). However, with a little careful tuning, and a modern 3-way cat, you can eliminate a lot of the sluggishness for which these cars were known when new. They’ll never be as quick as a Milano, but then again, that’s not what these are about.

The interior has seen its fair share of the sun, and combined with the rust free floors, it would appear that this started as a California car. Unfortunately, the emissions tag is not visible in the shot of the build tag in the driver’s door jamb. The windshield is also cracked, but with a bit of digging you should be able to source a used one. Good mechanical condition and a bit rough around the edges? Sounds familiar…

Tags: alfa romeo, alfetta, berlina, Feature, italian, sedan, sports sedan

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