All posts by Graham

Lancia, Pininfarina

1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America

Poor Lancia. From their position as technology leader of the Italian automotive market, they have sunken to peddlers of a rebadged Fiat 500 in Italy only. Lancia, the inventor of the V6, relegated to a mere badge on a Fiat.

We have it on good authority that the Aurelia B24S Spider drives more like a modern car than it has any right to, considering its date of manufacture. Then again, when you dig into the unorthodox engineering and attention to detail that went into every single component on Lancias of this era, it stands to reason that these cars would drive like modern vehicles. Forget V12 Ferraris, Alfas, and Lamborghinis; if you want the pinnacle of Italian engineering, only a Lancia will do.

1955 Lancia B24S Aurelia Spider LHD for sale engine V6 De Virgilio tan interior blue rear
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Year: 1955
Model:  Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America
Engine: 2.5L V6
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage:  52,126 mi
Price: $1,295,000
Location: San Diego, CA

1955 Lancia B24S Aurelia Spider LHD for sale engine V6 De Virgilio tan interior blue
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider

1955 Lancia B24-S Spider America
 
Year 1955
Make Lancia
Model B24S
Type Spider America
Chassis No ★B24S-1170★
Pinin Farina Job No 15289
Pinin Farina Scocca No S 00172
Exterior Color Dark Blue
Interior Color Tobacco
Engine No MOT. B24 No 1229
Engine Casting Date May 14th, 1955
Intake Manifold No B24 1229
Transaxle No 398
Transaxle Type Tipo B20S
Transaxle Casting Date May 5th, 1955
Final Drive Ratio 11 x 47 (4.27:1)
Front Suspension No 164
Front Suspension Type Tipo B24S
Front Axle No 172
Steering Box No 399
Carburetor Weber 40DCZ 5 (s/n 3622)
Tail Light Bezel Date Code February 7th, 1953
Tail Light Lenz Date Code March 20th, 1954
Windscreen Date Code March 11th, 1955
Assembly Started October 3rd, 1955
Assembly Finished October 23rd, 1955
First Tested October 24th, 1955
Accepted for delivery October 24th, 1955
UK Registration (1982) "WYA 8"
UK Registration "212 UYL"
Florida Registration "ADG 39A"
Mileage 52,122 Miles

Chassis No ★B24S-1170★
This particular B24S Spider America was a regular production example, one of 240 total examples completed and one of 181 that were left-hand-drive configured. It had two very unique configuration features that set it far apart from the other examples built. This vehicle was assembled as a normal Italian, domestic-market vehicle which featured both Italian lighting and the distinct open glove box without locking door. All gauges and indicators were however in English with the speedometer calibrated in miles at the request of the original ordering owner, an American Air Force officer stationed in Rome.

1955 Lancia B24S Aurelia Spider LHD for sale engine V6 De Virgilio
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Sharing the DeDion tube rear suspension with the 4th series B20, the Spiders located their transaxle in the rear of the car, mounting the rear brake drums in an inboard configuration. Front suspension is of the sliding pillar design, a concept pioneered by Lancia in 1922 with their Lambda offering. And, the V6 is the 2451cc B20 series 4 variant of the famed Lancia V6 line, sporting an under-square bore and stroke and special, sadly detuned cam for American consumption.

This example was delivered to an American Air Force officer stationed in Rome in its original Grigio over black, but later changed over to midnight blue over a biscuit interior. Maybe interested parties could point that out for a discount? The rest of us, the interested but financially unequipped parties, can take solace knowing that, while these rare variants are priced in the stratosphere, there do exist Lancia models with the famed V6 and a more realistic price tag.

-Graham

Alfa Romeo, Bertone, Gandini

1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal

Hopefully our loyal readers are aware by now that our 1970s Gandani preferences lie with the Lamborghini Urraco. Gandani did not limit himself to a single wedge, though. His preferred form appeared in not only in the mid-engined Miura, Urraco, and Dino GT4, but also, to a lesser extent in front-engined GTs, such as today's Montreal.

We've touched before on the fact that the 2.6L V8 in the Montreal makes use of some proven engine development from the Nord 4-cylinder cars from Alfa Romeo. Compared to the later Busso V6, the Montreal's V8 features two camshafts per cylinder head, and benefits from the port angles that made the 1300cc Alfa Nord engines so successful. 197hp out of a 2.6L is very impressive for Montreal's era.

1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal orange rear turbinas
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Year: 1973
Model:  Alfa Romeo Montreal
Engine: 2.6L V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  57,553
Price: $98,500
Location: Huntington Station, NY

1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal orange beige black interior
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal

1973 ALFA ROMEO MONTREAL: --Orange, Black interior with Beige cloth inserts, Black dashboard, Grey carpeting, Restored, Serviced, 92,000Km/57,000 miles, 2.6 Liter V8 engine, 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Montreal is one of the most sophisticated and striking post-war Alfa Romeo production cars. It uses a detuned version of the quad-cam, fuel-injected, dry sump V8 used in the legendary Tipo 33 prototype racecar. The Montreal has a Spica mechanical fuel injection system, a five-speed ZF manual gearbox, front independent suspension, a live rear axle with coil-spring suspension, four-wheel disc brakes and a chassis derived from the iconic 105-series cars. Designed by Bertone, the Montreal was wide and low with a shark-like nose extending through a curved fender and shoulder haunches into a truncated tail. The headlight “blinds” and stacked horizontal vents on the C-pillar were rather attractive and very futuristic at the time. The V8 produces 200bhp taking only 7.1 seconds to get to 60mph and reaching 140mph back in 1971! Besides its stunning looks, the Montreal is practical with a 2+2 seating configuration and a full trunk enclosed by a glass hatchback.

This Montreal was sold new to its first owner in The Netherlands in February 1973. It was reportedly with the original owner until 1989 when sold to its second owner also in The Netherlands. History resumes in 2017 when acquired by its next custodian. This owner entrusted Italclassic of Alicante, Spain to carry out restoration work. This included refinishing the exterior in orange, refreshing the interior, tuning the fuel-injection system, and installing a new exhaust system and jacking points. In 2018 Alfa Romeo specialist, Sam Van Lingen of the Netherlands, installed new fuel injectors and set the valve clearance. The Montreal also received new fluids, filters, and hoses along with an upgraded water pump.

The Montreal was then sold in 2019 and imported to its previous owner in California.

A truly iconic sports car, this Alfa is comfortable, yet dialed in for around-town or long highway cruising. A recent road test attests to the car performing excellent in every way and it is ready for immediate use and enjoyment. The engine pulls extremely well with plenty of horsepower and torque, the mechanical injection is set up properly and the gearbox and clutch feel as new. Over the years we have owned several Montreal’s, this is one of the finest in all areas.

With just 3,925 examples built between 1971 and 1977, this Montreal is both rare, exotic and a lot of fun to drive and worthy of a place in any collection. This Montreal is complete with its original service book, original Netherlands registrations, spare tire and recent service records.

1973 Alfa Romeo Montreal orange engine Tipo 33 Stradale 2.6L
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The tidiness of this car is pretty appealing. With so many risky design concepts in the interior, any deterioration can lend to a really sad state of health, which this car seems to avoid well. The very 1970s design of the cockpit shows well and loses very little fidelity in transmitting the designer's original vision.

At the almost $100,000 asking price, we start to lose interest in the Montreal. Our money would go to something from Lamborghini, were we shopping GTs from this era. As far as Montreals go, though, this looks like a good buy.

-Graham

Alfa Romeo, Uncategorized

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

Editorial license permits us to exaggerate any continuity that might exist from post to post. So now, we'll attempt to tie this 4C in with the Ferrari 360s posted last weekend. It's not too much of a stretch though - both employ the same mid-engine chassis configuration, offer automated manuals, and are evenly matched in performance figures.

When evaluating the difference between the two models, the 4C begins to make a case for itself. In place of the aluminum monocoque on the 360, the 4C utilizes a carbon fiber composite for it tub chassis. Its turbocharged 4-cylinder, not nearly as powerful as the flat-plane V8 in the Ferrari, makes up for its lack of peak power with a much broader power band. And, its chassis dynamics and aerodynamics benefit from 15 years of advancement in computation power, meaning that engineers were able to optimize the setup at a fraction of the cost, a benefit reflected in the MSRP.

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C USA black interior track package rear view gray
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Year: 2015
Model:  Alfa Romeo 4C
Engine: 1.8L 4-cyl
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Mileage:  14,248mi
Price: $38,900
Location: Reynoldsburg, OH

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C USA black interior track package
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

Super Clean car tons of Options! Hard to Find Color combo! Tons of Service Records! Clean Title and Carfax! $69k WINDOW. We are a small dealer who specializes in High-End Vehicles. We charge a $250 DOC Fee and Have to Collect Tax where Applicable! Shipping Options Available!

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C USA black interior track package engine bay rear trunk
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The 4C's more advanced chassis is not without its drawbacks. It is serviceable in the case of a collision, but don't expect your car to make it back from the body shop for 6+ months. Between sourcing panels and the factory support required for any chassis repairs, the endeavor will require some time to complete with any level of quality. Routine service will prove equally challenging, as the car was designed with performance and cost at the forefront, much to the detriment of serviceability.

For below $40k, we think this 4C is a good buy. The selling dealer seems to have put in the minimum effort to the sell the car, but the case for this 4C still stands. The exotic Italian experience - both on the road and in the repair shop - is rare to come by. And where it can be found in such good condition and for reasonable cash, we are all for it.

-Graham

Ferrari, Pininfarina

2000 Ferrari 360 Modena

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Yesterday we checked out the bottom of the Ferrari 360 market, so today let's take a look at what we imagine most of our readers would go for if they were in the market for a 360. It would be tough for us all to agree on color, so bear with us on the yellow. What we do hope you'll agree with us on are the gated manual shifter, Challenge rear grill, modular wheel option, and Daytona seats. Shields are a minus in our book, but floss and a hairdryer and maybe some polishing are all you need to delete those.

In today's age of supercar / high-end sports car excess, the 360 doesn't outperform the field like it once did. A modern Camaro SS 1LE will put it to shame on the track, after all. And, a 20 year-old, not-quite-classic Ferrari is an odd choice for a status symbol. So, if you're in the market for one of these, hopefully it's due to an admiration for what the car represented when it came out. It's the first aluminum space-frame mid-engine V8 Ferrari, with a fire-breathing 395hp over-square 3.6L behind the driver. It has one of the coolest shapes of late 90s automotive design, and the interior design holds up even today.

2000 Ferrari 360 Modena yellow front view modular wheels daytona seats for sale rear challenge stradale
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Year: 2000
Model:  Ferrari 360 Modena
Engine: 3.6L V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage:  21,895mi
Price: $84,900
Location: Tallahassee, FL

2000 Ferrari 360 Modena yellow front view modular wheels daytona seats for sale gated manual shifter interior
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: Ferrari 360 Modena

This is an incredibly beautiful 2000 Ferrari 360 Modena with the very rare and desirable 6-speed manual transmission.  The options on this car include the deviated stitching in yellow, Scuderia shields, Daytona seats with yellow inserts, very rare modular wheels, and rear challenge grill.  It also comes with a Remus exhaust which gives it a deeper tone and screams at wipe open throttle!  All of the normal "sticky" parts have been addressed and refinished.  The dash leather was redone due to the common leather shrinkage that is common on all 360's.  The recall on the cam variator has been taken care of as well.  Car comes with the tool kit, tire inflator kit, manual pounch, and red satin car cover.  We have service records on the car that go back to 2005.  The last belt service was performed in February of 2017.  This car was judged at an FCA Ferrari event and won a platinum award with a score of 97 points.  The paint has been wet-sanded and polished to near perfection and then sealed with cermaic coating to protect the show car finish.

2000 Ferrari 360 Modena yellow front view modular wheels daytona seats for sale V8 flat plane F 136 engine
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The front of the engine, where the serpentine and timing belts are situated, is accessible to technicians through the removal of the front seats and a firewall panel. This lends to generally palatable service prices, when compared to removing the entire rear subframe, such as is required on an F355. Records dating back to 2005 are a plus here, and the 2017 timing belt service is a good point of reference, but does mean that a timing belt service is coming up soon - something to factor in when negotiating a sale.

For the price of this 360, you could have yourself a C8 Corvette that will run laps around it at the track. And you'll come out way ahead on service costs, should you go that route, especially if you plan on tracking either option. The daily usability will be much better on the Corvette too - it should be no-less tame than a Tahoe in day-to-day use. And yet, we prefer the Ferrari, which was produced to protect a brand image over a bottom line.

-Graham

Ferrari, Pininfarina

2002 Ferrari 360 Spider

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This is not the way to buy a 360 Spider, let alone any Ferrari. The way to find the right 360 is to shop for the car with the best history - title status, service records, miles - and then to decide if the color, wheels, and transmission suit your taste. Dredging the bottom of the market is generally not advisable.

But there is something about a 100k mile Ferrari that has us intrigued. Looking over the interior and exterior photos of this car, we can't pick up on any substantial flaws. And, were we to guess the mileage based on condition, we'd say 30k max.

Ferrari 360 used high miles cheap Stradale grill
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Year: 2002
Model:  Ferrari 360 Spider
Engine: 3.6L V8
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Mileage:  106,000
Price: $49,995
Location: Trenton, NJ

2002 Ferrari 360 Spider interior tan
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider

-New Car Trade and a Clean carfax!
-Probably one of the most fun cars you could ever drive!!
-This car is almost pristine with no major blemishes to note, even has a clear bra to protect the front
-Garage kept its entire life
-Paint is in excellent shape and the car drives better than 360's we've had with 1/4 the miles
-Belt service done and clutch within the last 500 miles
-Great set of matching performance tires on staggered 3 piece wheels!
-Challenge grille, all stock mechanically, amazing color combo!!!
-When I took it for a test drive it performed exactly as it should, I noted nothing for the shop to address based on a 10 mile drive!

Ferrari 360 used high miles cheap Stradale grill
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At this mileage, we'd expect to see creased leather seats, warped leather on the dashboard, scuffs and scrapes, and other signs of heavy use. We don't detect any of that here. A fastidious owner who enjoyed driving and maintaining his car is likely to thank for this. The belt service and the clutch were even performed within the last 500 miles. These are substantial selling points and the majority of the expensive service one would expect to pay for on a 360. To have them complete out of the box is a great benefit to future owners.

We'd prefer the traditional manual transmission to the automated unit in this car, and we'd be quick to install the modular wheel options. The Challenge rear grill is always a welcome modification in our books, though. Silver over tan is a very appealing combination to us, and we like the optional Daytona seats on this example. We hope that the next owner of this car cares for it as completely as the previous owner did. Who know, someday it might even show 200k miles on the clock.

-Graham

Giugiaro, Maserati, Uncategorized

2004 Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa Track Car

Serial eBay prowlers are probably wondering why this car hasn't turned up here sooner. It would be dishonest of us to not admit that it's mostly due to the fact that we were hoping to come up with the courage to list our 2004 Coupe GT in order to make room for this track version of the same car.

The Tipo M138 Coupe straddles the line between a true GT and more of a large sports coupe. The general internet consensus is that, in comparison to a true Italian GT such as the Ferrari 456, the Coupe is sportier, and easier to toss into a corner. On the other hand, a Ferrari F430 owner might prefer the streetable power curve of the Coupe, but nobody will confuse a Maserati Coupe with a sports car after stepping out of a Ferrari F430.

2004 Coupe Cambiocorsa blue track car race seats Brembo rear
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Year: 2004
Model:  Maserati
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed automated manual
Mileage:  18,288mi
Price: $20,000
Location: St. Louis, MO

2004 Coupe Cambiocorsa blue track car race seats Brembo Recaro seats Shroth harness
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa Track Car

This particular motorcar was purchased by a gentleman who always wanted to race cars. He spared no expense when it came to outfitting his dream.
It has Forgeline Alloy Wheels, Brembo Calipers, Recaro Seats, Schroth Racing Harness, Mychron 5 Dash lap counter, Camera and special roll bar.
The transmission is manual six speed CC using paddle shifters. The Cambiocorsa electrohydraulic manual transmission uses a Formula One type of gear box operated by F1 style paddles behind the steering wheel, similar to the system used in Ferrari sports cars. It allows the driver to choose between 4 different modes of operation: Normal, Sport, Auto and Low Grip.

2004 Coupe Cambiocorsa blue track car race seats Brembo Ferrari V8 F136
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We love the idea of getting one of these out onto the track. After all, the Cambiocorsa gearbox was designed for track use, and by most accounts comes up short on the street anyway. The platform deserves to be let loose. Hopefully you don't mind getting lapped by Mustangs and Camaros though - we aren't betting on the Coupe being anything spectacular out on the track.

Pricing here is on the high side for a paddle-shifting Coupe, but between the wheels, brakes, dash display, camera, seats, and harness, there is plenty to sweeten the deal. The color is less common, and the mileage on this example is quite low. Of course, those miles contain many hard track miles. Now, who is ready to double that count?

-Graham

Autobianchi, Fiat

1973 Autobianchi Giardiniera

Despite the Giardiniera's considerable production numbers - almost 327,000 in total - the elongated 500 is a rare sight on US soil. Interestingly, giardiniera itself is a relish commonly found at delis across the US. How the model got its name will remain a mystery to us.

Stylistically, the Giardiniera is put to shame by the classic shape of its standard 500 sibling, but makes up for it handily in the utility department. The flat load floor in the rear covers the engine compartment, and is accessed with a swinging door that creates a large opening for the loading of cargo. In addition to the large cargo space, the rear bench provides more leg room than in the standard model, creating quite the usable little runabout.

1973 Fiat 500 Autobianchi Giardiniera bianca white usa rear for sale america
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Year: 1973
Model:  Autobianchi 500 Giardiniera
Engine: 499cc twin
Transmission: 4-speed manual
Mileage:  27,400mi
Price: $17,700
Location: West Palm Beach, FL

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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Autobianchi 500 Giardiniera

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Up for sale is a real nice & rare 1973 Fiat Giardiniera ragtop! and suicide doors! Painted in white pastel with red interior. Many hours and money has been invested in this nice sport Italian car. This is a true collector's car.

Based on the standard version of the Fiat 500, the Giardiniera benefited from front quarter lights, winding windows in the doors and sliding windows at the rear. The Giardiniera retained its suicide doors throughout production even when the later saloon cars were built with front-hinged doors. In addition, the sunroof folded back three-quarters of the roof length, providing ample opportunity for all passengers to enjoy both fresh air and exposure to the elements.

In order to provide the Giardiniera with a useful flat-loading platform, an innovative engineering solution was used: a 499.5-cc motor was turned on its side and laid under the rear floor. Engine cooling relied on air collected from grilles on the body sides, which were mounted as high as possible to reduce road dust being drawn into the engine compartment and to keep engine noise down.

This car drives exceptionally well, you can take it to the car shows & for weekend cruises. Definitely gets a lot of attention & questions at the cars and coffee.It has a 4 speed manual transmission. Engine Bay is well detailed. Has a nice exhaust that sounds really nice. Mechanically the car is sound! See the video.

The car did receive a full restoration a couple years ago. The Body is straight as an arrow. All doors, trunk, hood are all aligned like they should. It has always been garage kept and well taken care. All the exterior chromes, trim, latches, bumperettes are in like new. Underneath the floor pans are in great shape, everything was properly redone.

The Interior is splendid and contrast well to the exterior paint, Red Italian upholstery has been fitted, and tastefully done, and overall condition looks new. Black roll-up top!

I'm located in Miami about 30 minutes away from the airport. Feel free to come see the car in person. Any inquires email me. $500 non-refundable deposit required within 24hrs of buying. Sold As-is. Thanks for looking. For those interested you can call me at 305 five four two 5662. If I don't answer just leave me a voicemail.

If you're looking to finance I would recommend JJ Best. They can finance your classic car or hot rod and are very pleasant to work with.

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The engine was mounted on its side in order to achieve such a low load floor. A highway speed of 65mph is possible, owing to the 21bhp on tap, but if that were possible at high ambient temps, then color us surprised. The meager power rating is sufficient for maintaining speeds, though any sort of ambitious acceleration attempts will likely result in disappointment.

If the long-wheelbase 500 was produced for so long, then why does this one command such a premium over the typical 500 on the market? Part of that is due to the overall condition of this example. Prospective buyers should check photos of the restoration and understand if there was rust and how it was addressed. But, we are optimistic on this one; it really does come across as a tidy restoration. More space is not always the answer when it comes to weekend (or weekday) cars. That said, we'll make an exception for this Giardiniera.

-Graham

Bertone, Fiat

1968 Fiat Dino Coupé Project

Peter Egan's project car cardinal rules begin with a firm warning: never buy any car that was disassembled by someone else. Today's Dino was disassembled by someone else.

An earlier Dino, this example is (was?) powered by the first iteration of Lampredi's Dino V6. That means 2.0L of displacement and an aluminum block, compared to 2.4L and a cast iron block on the later cars. The sleek body and the 158bhp output were good for a top speed of around 130mph.

1968 Fiat Dino Coupé project car bare metal chassis rear primer coat
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Year: 1968
Model:  Fiat Dino Coupé
Engine: 2.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  N/A
Price: $35,000
Location: Naples, FL

1968 Fiat Dino Coupé project car bare metal chassis tan leather seats interior
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1968 Fiat Dino Coupé project

This FIAT DINO COUPE is a solid project car. ALL THE METAL WORK IS DONE this one is ready to be assembled. It comes with a plethora of new old stock parts, several components have already been restored, way too many items to list!! Comes with all of its original components (engine, transmisssion, differential, suspension, brakes, body harness, dashboard, door panels, seats, everything!!! 

1968 Fiat Dino Coupé project car bare metal chassis interior transmission tunnel
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The teardown on this example reveals a clean body, no doubt. How much metal work was required to achieve this state, we can't say. And how well the metal work was performed is another mystery. No fans of bodywork ourselves, we can see the appeal of buying one with the metal all taken care of and ready for assembly.

With this car, you must choose between trusting the seller's work, or redo the work yourself. Take for example the exhaust - was rust removed fully, and will the new paint or coating stand up to heat? It certainly looks nice on the surface, but this and all similar work must be verified. That said, if the work tends to be of high quality, and the car is complete, original, and without accident history, we can see this as a relative bargain, should the buyer assemble the car at home.

-Graham

Abarth, Fiat, Uncategorized

2019 Fiat 500 Abarth

We're part of the problem, if you agree that the Fiat 500 departing the US market after an eight-year run is problematic to begin with. See, we bought our 2013 Abarth in 2017, once the value had dwindled to 30% of the MSRP. At around $24,000 new, we didn't see the sense in springing for a new model.

Our reservations with purchasing new had little to do with the vehicle itself. Our Abarth been delightfully reliable, requiring only a reseal of the transmission case under warranty (admittedly likely due to porosity in the casting, so we'll be doing that on our own dime next time). And, as a commuter, we love our traffic scalpel, whether slicing through traffic in sport mode or sitting in the right lane on cruise.

2019 Fiat 500 Abarth olive green 17 optional wheels rear
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Year: 2019
Model:  Fiat 500 Abarth
Engine: 1.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  48mi
Price: $24,170
Location: Strongsville, OH

2019 Fiat 500 Abarth olive green 17 optional wheels interior manual updated
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2019 Fiat 500 Abarth

Fiat 500 Abarth 1-Yr SiriusXM Radio Service, Abarth Premium Hatchback, ATC Air Conditioning w/Micron Filter, Beats Premium Audio System, Black Trimmed Lights, For More Info, Call 440-319-3743, GPS Navigation, Heated Front Seats, Power Sunroof, Quick Order Package 2HX, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Wheels: 17" x 7.0" Forged Aluminum Hyper Black.

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Were we to option a new Abarth to buy today, it would be identical to this other than the inclusion of bronze wheels. The leather on our car has held up very well, but the cloth seats on this example are much more to our taste. And, the updated information screen and the U Connect are substantial improvements over the serviceable-but-basic units in our Abarth.

With the departure of the 500 from North American shores, we may be past the point of being able to order from the factory in Mexico. But, if our instincts are to be trusted, there should be no shortage of 500s on dealership lots for the next few years. And those examples that continue to languish on the lot should be ripe for some aggressive discounts.

-Graham

Lamborghini

1970 Lamborghini Islero S

Forget Ford v Ferrari. Ford is in the moneymaking business and has only ever on rare occasions produced anything with value beyond its primary mission of profit creation; this includes: the Fiesta ST, the Focus RS, the GT350 and the original Ford GT. We won't count the new Ford GT because that was designed and built by Multimatic in Canada.

No, this is Lamborghini v Ferrari. Where's the fun in running a solvent business with any sort of continuity in ownership? How does an agricultural firm go about challenging Ferrari? Suppliers such as Girling, Weber, Cromodoro, Pirelli, Ansa, and many others help to spread out the design burden. And, Carrozzeria Marazzi provided the assembly plant, skimming off the top but keeping Lamborghini's upfront cost down. Crash regulations weren't what they are today, and emissions standards were minimal. So, the biggest challenge was really just building a superior alternative to Ferrari's road going machines, producing them, and finding buyers.

1970 Lamborghini Islero S V12 manual green rear quarter view
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Year: 1970
Model:  Lamborghini Islero S
Engine: 3.9L V12
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  46,079 mi
Price: $285,000
Location: West Hollywood, CA

1970 Lamborghini Islero S V12 manual green interior
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CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1970 Lamborghini Islero S

1970 Lamborghini Islero S in Very Original Condition. Comes in Verde Pallido with Black Leather and Beige Fabric Inserts, 5 Speed Manual Transmission, Borletti Air-Conditioning, Power Windows, 3-Band Blaupunkt Radio, Wood Trim Steering Wheel and Veneer Fascia. Miura Knockoff Wheels, 46,079 Recorded Miles, Books and Records Including Engine Rebuild by Bob Wallace. 

1970 Lamborghini Islero S V12 manual green engine bay
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Here we see an example with some accident history, a rebuilt engine, and a couple of periods of dormancy. The interior is rough around the edges, which should be simple enough to address on the textile side of things, but should the dash prove to be too deteriorated, could prove to be quite expensive to repair. We like the Bob Wallace - the original Lamborghini test driver - provenance of the engine rebuild, though those valve stem seals sat for a long time and we wouldn't be surprised to see some smoke on deceleration.

The condition and history of this example do it no favors, but at a production run total of 100 units for the Islero S and 225 units for all Isleros, the rarity of this early Lamborghini can't be ignored. Compared to the last Islero S that we featured, which wasn't particularly low on miles, this car is discounted by $145,000. That cash won't erase the rear-end damage history, but it will certainly go a long way in bringing the interior back to life, as well as restoring the mechanical bits.

-Graham