[Roadtrip]

Dan - I really wasn't trying to be sarcastic about see if APE wants it. Judging from your other posts, it doesn't seem like you have garage facilities to devote to a tear down for parts. A HG isn't a big deal on an Alfa. I've got a Jeep Cherokee right now with a oil leak out the HG, and that's going to be a . . . . well, real inconvenient to replace. I'd much rather replace an Alfa gasket.

Time to be realistic here. You've got a very unique car there . . . one with lots of very fundamental problems . . . namely the frame and top issues. I think you yourself complained about the cowl shake . . . . no doubt from the now very flexible frame. I can't imagine anyone familiar with Alfas, buying it for anything other than parts. When the body was cut and customized, it's value as an Alfa Romeo GTV evaporated. However, if you really like it, fix it and keep it. Personally, I don't think it's a safe car with the frame weakened like that. Someday you're liable to get into an emergency manuever and that car may do something completely unexpected and real scary.

As far as the improvements in the motor, if I were a buyer interested in the parts, you wouldn't get any more for it than an ordinary motor. Darn difficult to prove what parts are internal . . . Sort of telling someone that it was "just overhauled" but there's no documentation or disinterested 3rd party source to verify.

You don't have a tremendous amount of money in it, so keeping it as a donor/parts car is certainly an option, if you have the space, but it sound like you don't.

Owning an older Alfa is not a turnkey operation. You should have garage/small workshop facilities, or availability of a good local Alfa mechanic . . . . and deep pockets. If you don't have these things, then another more common make of car would suit your lifestyle.

Nobody's trying to trash you here. We're just trying to help . . . . otherwise I, Papajam, John M, Magista, et al would just blow you off and not spend time to even answer your posts.

I'm sorry your first try at Alfa ownership was disappointing, but there's been alot of people in your shoes. Lots who had stars in their eyes and bought rust buckets thinking that they're going to restore them, only to find that they're looking at $5000 worth of bodywork alone, but could have spent $3000 more and bought a really nice solid car with good paint. Moral of the story, don't go cheap when buying your car. If you're not a retired bodyman/mechanic with complete workshop facilities, buy the best possible car and don't be cheap about it. There are bargains to be found (I got my Spider for $3000 off Ebay with a no-rust body and excellent paint, very good mechanicals), but most people that are selling a good Alfa, know it's good. and that goes DOUBLE for GTVs.