{vsig}2003-7_1304{/vsig}
Last month, we wrote "How to Get Bottom Dollar for Your Alfa," and described a pathetically written eBay auction-item #2410837134-that resulted in the sale of a nasty Duetto for $2,651. As chance would have it, as that issue went to press, we came across another Duetto on eBay. Beautifully presented, the car, even though in a generally not-sought-after color of ivory (crème), brought a top-of-market $15,950.
Below are excerpts from the listing, with our analysis following.
Alfa Romeo produced the so-called Roundtail spider from 1966 to 1969. The Spider was called that due to the sloped shape of the decklid, which differentiated it from later Spiders.
Roundtail Spiders have a most beautiful design which makes them among the most desirable everyday Alfa Romeos to own. They were from a period of Alfa manufacture that represents the best of times, just prior to major emissions and safety changes, yet benefiting from many of the modern advances of the mid-to-late 1960s.
Powered by a twin-cam four cylinder of 1570-cc, the Duetto offered good performance and an attractive "Spider" body. The body featured bumpers that were set into the front and rear wings as well as a front grille set below the front bumper.
The Duetto came with twin carburetors and four-wheel disc brakes. Production of the Duetto finished in 1967 after only 12 months and only 6,325 were ever produced, making them a rare collector's car.
The example offered here is a very straight and unmolested survivor. It had lived in Southern California most of its life and the last owner enjoyed her for the last 18 years.
The exterior has recently been refinished to its original luster, painted in its original ivory and is free of dents or scratches, showing only minuscule imperfections (i.e., chips). The black interior has also been recently updated. It still retains the correct engine and transmission in their stock configuration.
The form of the entire front end is completed by the still-intact headlight covers.
From the direct front and rear, one can see the integrated design of the bumpers for the car. These bumpers were much more style than substance, serving to protect the car little from actual damage.
A lot of money has been spent to enhance its already stellar performance. It is not a show car, but a very beautiful and powerful driver.
Happy bidding and good luck!
{analysis} After 58 bids, this Duetto sold on May 8, 2003, for, as mentioned above, $15,950.
First, let's start by trying to learn a little something about the car from the photos. Unfortunately, neither the chassis number nor the engine number were listed in the description, perhaps the only thing I could fault the seller for. However, there is a photo of the chassis tag, and it reveals that this car was originally built for the German market. The orange, Euro-spec turn signal lenses, rather than US-legal red, support this.
However, since the speedometer reads in miles rather than kilometers, this instrument was clearly changed out at some point. The seats appear to be redone in leather, an acceptable upgrade from vinyl. The standard rubber floormats have been upgraded to carpet, and the vinyl pattern to the top appears a bit too smooth. Finally, the Alfa Romeo script on the trunk appears to have been bent and then painted black, which is strange, as this script is widely available in the aftermarket. The engine bay itself appears correct but isn't detailed, which is unfortunate given the way the rest of the car is presented. The unusual clips used to fasten the air-cleaner crossover tube are missing. Finally, the engine cam covers appear to be painted with a black-crackle finish, which is incorrect but common.
But at a computer monitor's 72 dpi, everything else on the car looks scrumptious. It appears to have all of its dainty stainless-steel bumpers intact, and the headlight covers that came in the trunk of the 1967s (they were illegal by DOT standards) have been properly installed, with the headlights "frenched" into the fenders.
The little raised area behind the grille is still in evidence, a detail that is often lost when Duettos get their inevitable Bondo nose jobs following the equally inevitable collision.
The wheels and tires appear to be the correct 15 inches rather than the 14 inches that followed in 1969 (there was no 1968 model year for Alfa in the US due to smog and safety issues), and the dash top doesn't seem to have any cracks.
$16,000 is all the money in the world for a Duetto, and for this amount, one might expect a car with a detailed engine bay. But good Duettos are hard to find, and ones that aren't painted red even more difficult.
Clearly, the bidders interested in this car were attracted by the professional and thorough presentation of the car in its online venue and were prepared to pay up to own it.
Assuming the car is as good as it looks, I would call this deal a good one for seller and buyer both.-Keith Martin
(Descriptive information provided by [email protected].){/analysis}