With the weather in the garage bordering on Canadian, we find it appropriate to share an Italian-Canadian delicacy, the Alfa Romeo Montreal. As most of our readers are aware, its Canadian roots are limited to its name. The Montreal design is based on a Marcello Gandani concept car produced by Bertone and displayed at Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada. We never took the late Italian-Canadian FCA CEO, Sergio Marchionne, as the type to indulge in novelty, but he might have gotten a kick out of one of these.
The Montreal's engine is interesting, in that it is approximately two Alfa Romeo 1300 cylinder heads mounted on a V engine block. I'm sure that we're oversimplifying slightly, but the end result is not too far off from that. The advantages of this sort of design, over the later Busso V6, is in engine breathing and flexibility. The Busso's SOHC heads can't match the volumetric efficiency of the cam-over-tappet DOHC heads in a Montreal, and the power numbers show it. The Montreal V8 produces 197hp at 6500RPM, not bad for a 1970s-era 2.6L V8.
Year: 1973
Model: Alfa Romeo Montreal
Engine: 2.6L V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: N/A
Price: $39,950
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal
1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe This excellent original 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal Coupe shown here is available in red with a black interior. It comes equipped with a 5 speed manual transmission, wood steering wheel, power windows, solid wheels and includes the spare tire. This is an excellent original car which has been with the same owner for many years and has just come out of storage. For $39,950
The price on this car is a departure from what we are used to seeing on Montreals. Either the market has softened, or this car is less-than-stellar. We'd guess that the truth lies somewhere between the two. The underside shots don't inspire heaps of confidence, but the car clearly isn't consumed by rust. Trim will require a considerable degree of dedication to source too. All in all though, this seems to have potential as a driver.
We're not sure what the potential market for this particular car is. First time Montreal buyers? A safer bet would be to find a sorted example. Serial Montreal buyers? You might lose your shirt bringing this one back to health. Speculators who plan to sit the car in storage until it's worth more? Unfortunately, that's where we see this car going. We can't even say that we are particularly interested. We'd spend our cash on a different 70s Gandani V8 Coupe, the Maserati Khamsin.
-Graham
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That’s 105 GTV money these days, and so it seems tempting…but, geez, look at those photos: terrible panel gaps all around, the doors are two shades lighter than the rest of the car, there’s overspray on the door rubbers, and that radio “installation”. A $70,000 example would ultimately be cheaper.
And yeah, the Khamsin is so cool, so rare, so beautiful. The cover car from my first car magazine, I’ve always been fascinated by them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh.