Rusty But Trusty

RustyButTrusty will never miss an opportunity to share a moderately-priced Alfa Berlina. Not so long ago, these were available in nice shape for $3000, if you could find one, but in this modern day of high prices for cult classics like the Alfa Giulia TI and Super sedans, people are looking for more affordable alternatives, driving up the prices of those cars. So now the same price gets you a Berlina that’s said to be a project car. Thanks a lot, car collecting jerks. Check out this 1973 Alfa Romeo Berlina for sale for $3500 in Redwood City, CA.

For this new price level, you also have to stomach a one-liner listing. So let’s deduce what we can from the pictures, of which there are a respectable quantity. The stance looks a little low here, hinting that it’s perhaps been modified in the suspension department. Other pictures in the listing show overspray, particularly on the grill, but also that this is likely to be the original color, as it matches what’s found in the sills.

The tail is straight, and shows a couple of stickers – one from Omega Motorsports down in Culver City, CA, and another that looks to be from a racetrack – perhaps Riverside or Willow Springs? Either way, there’s some southern California living in this car’s life, generally not a bad thing. A call to Uwe at Omega might answer a couple of questions about the car’s history, or at least help identify it among the Alfa wackos on alfabb.com. Note the rust stain from the left tail light – with an unrestored Alfa of this age you’ll definitely want to do a thorough rust check.

More hints of track usage that underscore the possibility of modifications – the rear seat has been pulled, and a roll bar added in its place. What was the car originally modified for – time trials? Most enthusiasts would want serious seat belts and a driver’s seat capable of holding them in place. Your greatest value might be in bringing this car back to original spec.

This interior shot, while not useful on a high level, does show loose, messy wiring, a newer stereo, and a spare set of hanging pedals in the passenger footwell – perhaps this was not a track car at all, but one used for driver’s education! The dash seems cracked and the center console is likely loose at this point, and the only other visible modification is a modern steering wheel. Previous sales suggest the buyer might be a little on the high end, so if you feel that way too, check it out and wait for the buyer to reduce his price or lose patience with the sale – you just might net yourself a deal on a running project.

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

This entry was posted on September 11, 2014 at 3:10 pm and is filed under Feature. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.