Considering buying 69 Duetto - Advice?

[Lora]

The guy wants $5000. I think I can get it for $4000. Everything is original except the wheels/rims, and suspension. Mechanic estimates $5000 in body work and paint (nominal rust). From there it is anyone's guess. Mechanic is going to get it up and go over it really well. Will upload photos when they come through. My friend is having issues uploading the photos. Can't wait.

[peglegtom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lora The guy wants $5000. I think I can get it for $4000. Everything is original except the wheels/rims, and suspension. Mechanic estimates $5000 in body work and paint (nominal rust). From there it is anyone's guess. Mechanic is going to get it up and go over it really well. Will upload photos when they come through. My friend is having issues uploading the photos. Can't wait.

[Anfanuts]

Pictures, pictures and pictures. And . . . .

And I would never buy such a car without a reputable first-hand inspection with someone I know and trust and who knows Alfas well, or myself as a distant second, with a detailed list of work and reasnoable estimates.

For me here, now, on this - NO. It is almost starting to sound too good to be true. I know your good mechanic friend would not deliberately poon you but $5000 as you describe seems way too low. Really, my last post on this without much more info.

[Zunige]

A car that has not been run in years is definitely the most expensive way to acquire an Alfa... Regardless of who the mechanic is, a total refurbishing of the mechanics is unavoidable, and cosmetics are expensive even to refurbish to just a driver quality. As long as you realize that a project is a labor of love and a source on enjoyment that will cost you much more than any "done" Spider, you will have no regrets... I'm not trying to discourage you from doing a restoration. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that there is a tremendous sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when a project is completed. Just realize that it will take serious $$ to get there.

Best regards,

[Anfanuts]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zunige A car that has not been run in years is definitely the most expensive way to acquire an Alfa... Regardless of who the mechanic is, a total refurbishing of the mechanics is unavoidable, and cosmetics are expensive even to refurbish to just a driver quality. As long as you realize that a project is a labor of love and a source on enjoyment that will cost you much more than any "done" Spider, you will have no regrets... I'm not trying to discourage you from doing a restoration. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that there is a tremendous sense of fulfillment and satisfaction when a project is completed. Just realize that it will take serious $$ to get there. Best regards,

[chuck]

Lora,

Your excitement about owning a Duetto (maybe this Duetto) is great to read. I felt the same way about the purchase of mine and still do. I'm sure your purchase will be a learning experience (really) and while frustrating at times it so is easy to fall for these cars. They have a character all their own.

You've read all the warnings, so I won't repeat. I would like to make one suggestion though. You live less than 300 miles from one of the finest Italian car shows in the world. The Concorso Italiano is held just North of Monterey each year. This year it will be on Friday, August 15th - Just Two Weeks Away! Some of the finest Alfa's in the country (along with hundreds of Ferraris, Lancias, Fiats, Lamborghinis...etc.) will be there. I encourage you to go, see the cars and talk to the owners. It will be a fun day and a great learning experience!

Concorso Italiano - A Celebration of Italian Style

There are also links on the home page of this BB to photos from past Concorsos.

Regards,
Chuck

[Laxman24]

Lora,

I'm going to come right out and say it: Don't buy the car. You will spend lots of money and lots of time trying to get it up and running and in presentable shape. It seems to me that this will quickly turn into a full blown restoration, not a high maintenance / project car. You won't be able to drive and enjoy this car for 2 or 3 years, and you'll probably get sideways with your mechanic friend because it is either taking too much time, or costing too much money, or both.

I restored my '69 a few years ago. It took two years, and I was pushing hard the whole way, and had collected parts for years before I took the car off the road for the restoration. I currently have a '60 Sprint that has been in restoration phase for almost 5 years. When I bought it I figured it would take three years. The project has just slipped, and this isn't my first restoration.

Do not underestimate the benefit of having a car that is mechanically functional, and can be driven on the street - it can be enjoyed as a driver, and working on it is much, much easier. At the very least, get a car that can be driven when you buy it.

I strongly suggest that you find a good to great car (~$15,000?) that needs very little, enjoy it immediately, and work on the things that are incorrect on the car (there is always something) or simply fix the things that break while you own the car.

John Trevey
Austin TX

[vf31rhill]

"You cannot restore a car for less money than you can buy a restored car for"

A basic trueism and probably about as 100% correct a statement as can be made about anything!

But you have to consider that there are 2 kinds of car people. Drivers, and fixers. The enjoyment for each is totally different. Fixers like to work on a project, and I have seen many project cars come to completion, then the owner sells it and buys another fixer. Once it is fixed they lose interest in it. Drivers are about the opposite. They enjoy owning and driving their car and don't want to spend excessive time doing repairs. Fixers rebuild and sell, drivers buy and keep. How you approach your purchase depends a great deal on what kind of personnality you have. You sound like a fixer to me, and if you are then buying and restoring the car to whatever extent is what will probably made you happy. If you are a buyer and keeper, then all the advice about just going out and buying a premo and taking it out on a dirve is probably what will make you happy. No one NEEDS any of these cars. They buy them to make themselves happy, to whatever extent your happiness is measured.
Robert

[papajam]

Robert posted exactly what I was going say that there are two kinds of collector car owners; those who want a turn-key car and those who don't.

Personally, my hat is off to anyone who undertakes a restoration and will always have my gratitude for having saved a collector car.

[Lora]

Thank you all for your feedback. After many hours of dreaming, I think I am going to pass of this 69 project. I think I am both a driver and a fixer of sorts, but definitely want to drop the top and feel the wind. Perhaps down the line I will pick up a car like this and tinker away for a few years (third car).

I am very disappointed about the show on the 15th.... It is the only weekend in months that I will be out of town (enjoying a 400 person black tie wedding in NY in 90 degree weather - what a waste).

So I guess I am in the place to start looking around for a car. I think $15K is a great target price.

Anyone have or know of a nice car for sale or have one in a garage gathering dust that you've been thinking about selling (it would go to a good home)? I was looking at the classifieds at the silver 69 Duetto with the wood kit... A little concerned with the overall integrity and originality obviously... (It is also in Florida - no time to make it all the way out there and get the car back).

Thanks again for all the input. Please think of me and send an email if you run across anything interesting. (Preferably relatively clost to CA). whereislora@yahoo.com

I will post the photos of this Duetto when they come through.

[DarkWolf40]

I'm a fixer...and 20K won't restore anything these days. I've got about 50K in my American muscle car and its not done yet. If you estimate the body and paint work will be 5K, you can bet before its all done it will be more like 8 to 9K. Same with the engine, the actual costs before everything is said and done usually is near double your first estimates. I’ve 15K in my Ford hotrod engine. Everything Alfa is expensive. If you take an old Duetto, which I am in the middle of restoring on too, you find the parts costs are skyrocketing due to the Euro vs. Dollar value. You’ve got to factor in the cost of tools and such as well unless you’re an accomplished mechanic, if you take on a restoration process and you’re a shadetree mechanic like me you’ll find you need to buy many tools before its done. If your not mechanically inclined and you plan to pay for everything to be done by someone else, well you’ll be spending a small fortune.

[AlfaTango1]

Would you consider a different series spider? S2 or S3 perhaps? While you're waiting for the right 67-69 you could enjoy the thrill of top down Alfa motoring for a lot less cash. I too have had my eye on a 67 but recently snagged an 89 just to quench the jones. Didn't pay much, put about $500 replacing a few things and have enjoyed it all summer long.

[Lora]

I am actually going to pick up something that is already pretty nice. I want to enjoy it and then in a few years I may pick up a project car. So the search is on.... Looking for something with low mileage and/or engine rebuilt...
Lora

[Anfanuts]

pssssst, (quietly) and no rust . . .

[Alfajay]

Lora had written: "I am very disappointed about the show on the 15th.... It is the only weekend in months that I will be out of town"

Concorso is great - I plan to be there. But, it isn't a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The "Best of France & Italy" show in Van Nuys on Nov 2nd probably has more Alfas than Concorso. All Italian Day in Alameda on Oct. 12th will be another gathering. This year's Palo Alto Concours had a pretty healthy dose of Alfas as well - unfortunately it took place in June. My point is that if you follow the "events" thread of the BB, you will find many West Coast Alfa events. Well, not so many in Humboldt, but if you're willing to travel to Portland or the Bay Area, they're happening.

Join the ARA and the Sacramento and Portland chapters of AROC, and start reading the classified ads in their newsletters. Or be proactive and post a "car w