1973 Alfa Romeo GTV Chop Top Convertable For Sale

GTVMAN · #1 (**permalink**) 11-08-2003, 07:13 PM

I am sadly selling my 1973 GTV Chop Top Convertable with SPICA fuel injection. It has new performance shocks and springs. It has BWA 14" alloy wheels and Michelin MXV 205/60 R14 tires. It has SABELT racing seatbelts. It was lowered about 2"s. I just changed the engine oil and oil filter.

I just got a call from a previous owner of the vehicle when I put the car up on craigslist. It turns out he went to TJ to get the Custom Top done. He has an extra custom top with frame that fits differently and also has an extra back seat section that is a little different from the one that is there which he will give away for free to whoever buys this car from me. He said the car has "HOT CAMS" which means performance camshafts... he said it was the fastest GTV he had ever driven and he currently owns 7 alfas including 1 GTV right now... he said the engine was definately souped up but he doesn't know exactly what was put in it because it was done by the owner previous to him. His guess was performance cams, performance pistons, mabey even bored out? Feel free to come and take a look at the engine if you are interested in the car, but bring your own tools because I don't have any.

New Parts Recently Put in:
New tie rods and ball joints.
New drive shaft support.
New brake hose.
New clutch.
New clutch hose.
Rebuilt Flydisc Wheel.

For Pictures go to:

Finally Pictures of my 2000GTV

$5000 OBO, May consider trade for other Italian Car...

For info or to look at the car please call me at: 925-639-9116

Zinhead · #2 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 07:49 AM

Didn't you just buy this thing for $1,000 a few months ago?

164QV · #3 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Didn't you just buy this thing for $1,000 a few months ago?

GTVMAN · #4 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 12:05 PM

I put at least a couple more thousand into work on it. And when I bought it for 1000 it was worth way more than that! Hardly any rust and really good interior! Just because I bought it for 1000 doesn't mean it is worth that, plus I invested a lot more into it. The tires alone new went for 100 each, and it has the BWA alloy wheels and performance shocks and springs (not sure, they might even end up to be koni). The engine is hot too, lots invested by a previous owner in terms of rebuilding the engine with performance parts. The SABELT seatbelts were mounted really well and that costs some money too. The hood scoop goes straight to the K&N Performance Air intake. Plus it is Unique and I think it looks better than the GTC convertable with its top down!

**genericwood** · #5 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 02:27 PM

Now if he gets ITALIAN tires on it, it will easily be worth $5K. Only of course if they have ITALIAN air in them!

Erik

NikosF · #6 (**permalink**) 11-09-2003, 04:26 PM

I would try to ebay it if I were you. It's an attractive car, and someone (a non-purist) will probably be interested.

You may want to be more realistic on price though. But either way - good luck!

jimcheney · #7 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 08:32 AM

Rule number 1 of old cars-
Repair work does not have any correlation to resale value.

**Roadtrip** · #8 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 08:41 AM

And when someone asks you to put the top up and why you are selling it, what are you going to say?

I fear that the car probably has more parts value. You can't get around the weak frame and top issues. If the interior parts are in good shape, I think you'd probably get more for it parting it out than selling as a whole, assuming that you can even find someone willing to buy who will overlook the frame and top issues.

magista · #9 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 11:25 AM

I agree w/ Roadtrip, $5k for a chopped GTV is a bit steep. You would probably be better off parting it.

Or better yet find another GTV with a shot engine and swap them. Then you'd have a nice quick new GTV and a parts one laying around.

With Alfas you will almost ALWAYS invest way more money in part/labor then the car is worth. That's the magic of owning one.

For example. My first Berlina was purchased for $700. It was pretty shot. I had the front end rebuilt, put on new tires, new exhaust, replaced starter, alternator, column switches, headlights, tranny mount, fixed brakes, ect...probably ended up being slightly over or around $2k worth of work.

Why did I have all that work done on a car I knew I would never ever be able to sell for that much? Because I love Alfas. I ended up selling the car for a reasonable $1k. I didn't make anything on the deal. In fact I lost about a grand.

But do I care, no. The new owner continues to put more money into it and loves that car as I did. Again why do we do this? Because we are afflicted with a disease and we are realistic about the relative value of our vehicles.

So the moral is just because you slap some new brake hoses, suspension parts or whatever on your Alfa doesn't mean you'll be able to sell if for what you put into it. Especially if the car is a classic that has been mutilated by a PO.

Sorry to be a downer but I'm just trying to be realistic. Now on the other hand. It is a pretty cool looking car and at the right price someone will buy it just for sh*ts and giggles. It'd be fun to tool around it...not in Washington though.

Oh yeah, those K&N filters don't do squat for the performance of the car. They just make it sound louder. The stock SPICA airbox is much much better. You loose about 5 hp by not using the stock airbox.

Good luck with it.

GTVMAN · #10 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:26 PM

They are Italian tires! Michelins made in Italy! and I put 5000 OR BEST OFFER... I just put 5000 knowing it won't sell for that but will sell it to whomever gives me the best reasonable... OR may consider trade for other italian car... and the top works, it just looks really ugly and doesn't line up perfectly with the left window! Like I said there was a lot invested into the engine too with the performance modificaitons...

magista · #11 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:38 PM

The only problem is that the PO can't say exactly what mods were done to the engine. In your words:

____
he said the engine was definately souped up but he doesn't know exactly what was put in it because it was done by the owner previous to him. His guess was performance cams, performance pistons, mabey even bored out?
____

You could pull the valve cover off and peak at the cams to see if they are 10548 cams or whatever but the other stuff...no way to tell unless you pulled the engine apart.

But all that aside, I do wish you luck with it, just try to be realistic about it's value. It's essentially a running parts car.

**Farace** · #12 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 12:55 PM

Daniel, I'm just curious as to why you did make the decision to sell. You seemed so in love with this car and just needed to sort out the top issues. I didn't realize that there actually is a top on the car; I thought you needed a whole new frame. Anything ugly can be made beautiful again (even some people), and if the top frame isn't working properly, then I'd wager it could be adjusted. I'm not trying to dissuade you from selling, just that it seemed like you'd decided to try and make the car right for you, and then turned around and changed your mind. Did you see something you like better?

BTW, was it you that recommended The Last Open Road? I just got it out from the library and while it's no intellectual masterpiece (not that it needs to be, we have Umberto Eco for that stuff) it is a pretty good story so far (fifty-something pages in) and well written. Probably would make a good movie (if it hasn't already; I haven't been paying that much attention to movies lately).

GTVMAN · #13 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 01:00 PM

well my heater and defrost don't work... which is probably an electrical problem because there are a lot of wires unhooked... and I thought it would be really expensive to get a new top, it looks like a chitty chitty bang bang car... and there is white smoke coming out of the exaust and popping noises from the engine when I start it up, the smoke smells like burning rubber sorta and I gotta rev the car for about 5 seconds when I am starting it because if I let go of the gas it goes dead...

NikosF · #14 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 01:13 PM

I'm not a lawyer, but just to warn you:- make sure you make a full disclosure about the known faults about the car to a potential buyer. Anything you've disclosed or been informed about (the weak frame for example) the car is now well documented on this BB.

You would hate to sell the car to someone, have them then join the BB, read about your car, and the sue you for misrepresenting the car.

I'm not saying you would do it, but looking at your Craigslist Ad it seems you are not stating all the facts.

GTVMAN · #15 (**permalink**) 11-10-2003, 01:14 PM

I will once they call me about the car!