73 Berlina FS, MD

[Bill S]

Bernie the Berlina. Some of you may remember this as the former Kathy Jo of Seattle car whose sale and trek across the continent was followed on the Alfa Digest about 5 yrs. ago. I drove this car to the convention last summer but shortly afterward it developed a knock and low compression. At least it got me back home first!
The Good: the car is complete, floors are solid, suspension feels very good, has good tires (rear Yokos, front Dunlops)
The Bad: Engine needs rebuilding, rocker and other lower body rust, couple small cracks in the windshield (passed VA but won't pass MD insp.), some lower windshield rust (not leaking yet), 2nd gear crunchy but managable (just pause or dbl. clutch)
Interior: seats have covers (for a reason), dash is better than most, All gauges work except clock, spare carpet set in good used cond.

Price: $650.00 w/ Shankle, carbs and euro airbox
$380.00 w/out (can provide a Spica core)

Also have spare NOS glue-in windshield (unobtainium) for $180.00 (available only to the buyer of this car)

Not exactly free but I'm offering it for less than it's worth to me in parts to a good home. Wouldn't be worth it to you guys in the west but would be a worthwhile project for an East Coaster. If no one takes me up on it, I plan to throw in a spare 2L and use it for a beater.

Bill Sinclair
Hagerstown, MD
301-665-9417
67 Duetto
69 Berlina
73 Berlina

[Bill S]

More Pictures

[Alex Csank]

Bill!!!

Me want!! But why now??? I really can't afford to buy Bernie right now...but I really want him! Typical of my luck, the good cars come up when I can't get 'em!

Oh well! Good luck...I'm sure that Bernie will find a good home.

[ALfemale]

Alex, you're just getting greedy now. You're hoardin Alfas now.



Frankly, I'm thinking of trading mine in for a nice GTV6 3.0. So I can have a fast car that can take NY and still do track events. What do you think - got one in your barn..

Best Regards and good luck to the Gentleman selling the Berlina. Alex will give it a good home.

p.S. and a fine taste in seat covers! I used to have holstein cow print in the spider... then I restored her and it didn't seem right.. and she's been ungrateful ever since... go figure.

[Bill S]

>p.S. and a fine taste in seat covers! I used to have holstein cow print in >the spider... then I restored her and it didn't seem right.. and she's been >ungrateful ever since... go figure.

Yeah, my kids are gonna miss the snow leopard back seat. A nice touch from a previous owner.
Alex, you'd look good in Bernie. All he(she?) needs is an engine. No big deal, you just did that on your Junior, right?

Bill Sinclair
67 Duetto
69 Berlina (project)
73 Berlina (for sale)
73 GTV basket case (project?)

[Alex Csank]

I just can't help thinking that Bernie needs to be rescued.

[Bill S]

I've had some expressed interest but nobody's ponied up yet. I'm preparing to throw a good running 2 liter in this car later this week, at which point it will no longer be a $380.00 car! Speak now...

Bill Sinclair
301-665-9417
bills@linkelectric.com

[Alex Csank]

Somebody needs to rescue Bernie!

[P.Webb]

Don't worry, I might be close to a deal with Bill. I have an '86 EFI motor that I'll put in it with a MegaSquirt. 4 Blizzaks and EFI should beat any Chicago winter.

Keep you posted.

-Peter

[P.Webb]

So Bill and I have a deal. I'll be heading out to Maryland at the end of April to drive it home to Chicago. I'll do the EFI motor swap some time before next winter and use the good 2L Bill's installing for another project. The Bosch motor needs the head done over anyway.

I'll drive it for a year and decide if I want to tackle a restoration or just keep driving it until the end of it's usable life.

More to come on the road trip...

-Peter

[fetta78]

WHOOOOHOOOOO!!

It keeps getting closer!

I wanted it when Kathy Jo was selling it but Seattle was a bit far.

I wanted it when Bill was selling it but Maryland is a bit far.

Now it's going to Chicago, only 7 hours away and I have a sister that lives around there! A few more years and it will be mine!

And just think, by the time it gets around to me it'll be FREE!!

Glad it found a good home.

[JudgeDredd]

Okay, here I go showing my ignorance and proving why newbies should just keep quiet, but...

What makes this car so desireable? To the untrained eye, I would say the car is going to need tons of work to keep it running. And if the body sees any more Chicago snow, the rust will overtake it totally. I love Berlinas, so don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be critical or bash any of the comments. I'm just trying to figure out what is the point of diminishing returns on 30-plus-yearold Alfas.

My cousin owns a body shop in Europe and he could make it all new with minimal cost. But anyone without a complete shop in his backyard would find this a daunting task. Again it leads me to ask, what makes this project feasible? What would it cost to get it back to a quasi-daily driver status?

Sorry about all the questions, I do like this car and am just trying to get an idea of what it would take to make it as beautiful on the outside as every Alfa is on the inside.

[P.Webb]

It's fine the way it is. The mechanicals will be solid with the running engine. It's a winter beater that will be fine as a daily driver even with the perforations in the body. I've verified that none of the rust is structural.

It's ugly, fun and reliable. That's all I look for in a car like this. And yes, it will only last a few more Chicago winters. It probably isn't worth putting the time and money into it as it sits now. It will be a beater for the rest of it's usable life and then donate some of it's parts to my Giulia Super or other Berlinas to keep them running.

FWIW, to the serious Berlina restorer, those bumpers are probably worth what I'm paying for the car. They look to be in good condition.

-Peter

[JudgeDredd]

Peter, I agree about the bumpers. And I'm not saying that the car is a total basketcase either. I was just trying to figure out if a car like Bernie was worth trying to restore. Thanks for the reply.

[Bill S]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudgeDredd I was just trying to figure out if a car like Bernie was worth trying to restore.