The One That Got Away: A Red-Hot 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider
Bellissima! There she was, sitting downtown like a scene straight out of a 1970s Roman postcard. I first spotted this vibrant red 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider gleaming under the sun, and when I saw it pop up on Craigslist later that day, I knew I had to make the call.
But as any Alfisti will tell you, the road to Italian car ownership is paved with equal parts passion and peril. Ciao Bella! You were a sight to behold, but man, were you a red flag.
The Meet-Up: A Test Drive Dilemma
I called the owner, hoping for a deep dive into the mechanical soul of the car. Instead, he agreed to let his wife show it to me. Bummer. While she was perfectly pleasant, she didn’t know the history of the S2 Spider, and I certainly didn’t want to rip it down the highway with her in the passenger seat.
To truly know an Alfa, you have to feel her at highway speeds and get her up to operating temperature. A quick "around the block" crawl just doesn’t cut it when you're trying to hear the syncro in second gear or feel the vibrations of a 48-year-old suspension.
The Specs: 11,000 Miles of Mystery
On paper, she was a dream.
Mileage: A staggering 11,000 original miles.
The Look: Classic red paint with a unique cockpit cover (the tonneau cover for the driver’s side) that gave it that true vintage racer vibe.
Interior: Clean, though it featured a lot of reproduction parts—a sign that someone had been trying to keep her looking young.
She felt like a time capsule from the era of The Graduate. Even though Dustin Hoffman drove the earlier "Duetto" version, the 1977 Series 2 carries that same DNA of effortless, wind-in-your-hair cool.
The "Typical Italian" Red Flags
Despite the low miles, every Alfa of this vintage comes with a "check-list of anxiety." I desperately wanted to investigate what was hiding under the passenger floor mat, but I wasn't about to start ripping up carpet in front of the guy’s wife!
If you're looking at a Spider, you have to watch out for the trifecta:
The Tin Worm: Rust loves to hide under those floor mats and in the rocker panels.
The Marking of Territory: If an Alfa isn't leaking oil, it might actually be empty.
The "Luchino" Gremlins: The ignition systems and electrical components are legendary for their... temperamental Italian personality.
The Deal (Or Lack Thereof)
The owner was clearly proud—maybe a little too proud—and was asking way over market value. After some back-and-forth, I managed to talk him down to $15,000. It felt like a fair price for a low-mileage gamble.
I waited for the call to schedule a proper test drive. I waited for the chance to fall in love for real. But the phone never rang. She’s still out there somewhere, a red-painted heartbreaker that remains "the one that got away."
Arrivederci, Bella. Maybe it’s for the best; my garage probably wasn't ready for that much drama anyway.
