Ask anyone who has ever tried to wrench on an old car, and they’ll tell you: rust sucks. And not only on body panels; rusty fasteners underhood or underneath the car can ruin your day in a big hurry. It makes a lot of sense, then, to shop for potential projects in parts of the country where cars generally don’t rust, like the desert southwest. Today, we’re going to look at two sun-baked potential projects in Arizona, which hopefully will come apart without gallons of PB Blaster.
Yesterday, we took a look at two sporty coupes stuck in unfortunate situations. Either one could be fun, but you’d have to deal with what I’m certain are unpleasant dealers to find out. The Eagle Talon won easily, based not only on its condition and presentation, but cool factor. If the Acura had been the fancy version, it would have been a fairer comparison, but I have to work with what I find.
My only concern with that Talon is that it seems like too good of a deal. I can’t help wondering what’s wrong with it. On that big auction site, Talons and Eclipses tend to sell for about three or four times as much, though admittedly with fewer miles and in better condition. It’s hard to imagine that a dealership doesn’t know that. So why so cheap?
It has been a while since we looked at two non-running cars, so I thought it was time. These two don’t really have anything to do with each other besides their non-op status and geographic proximity, but they’re both intriguing projects. Let’s take a look and see which one you’d rather tackle.
1974 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce – $2,200
Engine/drivetrain: 2.0-liter DOHC inline 4, five-speed manual, RWD
Location: Queen Creek, AZ
Odometer reading: 60,000 miles
Operational status: Doesn’t run, looks like the radiator has been removed
If you’re looking for an inexpensive Italian sports car – and who isn’t? – your options are limited. And if it absolutely must be an Alfa Romeo, this is by far your best bet – the Spider. It was built for years and years, and like many other sports cars, the majority of its production was exported to America. It’s probably easier to find an Alfa Spider for sale here in the US than it is in Italy.
Our version of the Spider was a little different; we only got the 2.0 liter engine (the Veloce model), not the 1.3 or 1.6 versions (the Junior model). And the US-spec Spider was equipped with mechanical fuel injection in place of the dual carbs. It’s a pretty robust engine; unlike the Fiat twin-cam engine, this one has chain-driven camshafts. As long as it makes good oil pressure and has good compression, it should be just fine internally. The fuel injection is finicky, but if necessary, it can be retrofitted with carbs from the European version. Parts and knowledge are easy to come by, so getting it back running should just be a matter of spending some good quality time with it.
Classic Alfa interiors are about as quintessential sports car as it gets. The big wooden steering wheel, the round gauges, the shift lever coming out of the center console at that funny angle; they all make you want to get in and drive. This one looks like it has held up well, though I do worry about what’s under those seat covers. And the shift boot appears to have disappeared. But again, there’s a good support network around these cars, so whatever you need should be available somewhere. You just have to be patient and persistent to track it all down.
The yellow paint is original, and it’s apparently completely rust-free; let’s hear it for arid climates. The black paint on the wheels is not original, and it’s practically a crime to have painted them. Nobody did alloy wheels in the 70s like the Italians, and burying them under black paint is like dipping cannoli in marshmallow fluff. I’m sure they could be stripped and refinished properly. Otherwise, I think I’d just leave it as is; that classic Pininfarina styling wears a little patina well.
1978 Buick Regal Turbo Sport Coupe – $4,500
Engine/drivetrain: Turbocharged 3.8 liter OHV V6, three-speed automatic, RWD
Location: Tucson, AZ
Odometer reading: 45,000 miles
Operational status: Hasn’t run in years
1978 was a big year of change for GM’s intermediate A-body vehicles. They were redesigned across the board, sharply downsized, and often powered by six cylinders instead of eight. Lots of bodystyles were available, but the one with staying power was the two-door coupe, which was built until 1988 and remains popular to this day. These cars were so popular for so many years that if you didn’t own one, or know someone who did, I’d be very surprised.
Every GM division had its own special version of this car, and Buick’s version went on to be very special indeed. But it all started here, with the 1978 Regal Sport Coupe. Buick’s 231 cubic inch V6 was re-christened the “3.8 Litre,” and it gained a horsepower bump from a turbocharger, along with a bump in the hood to distinguish it from lesser Regals. It drives the rear axle through the oft-maligned Turbo-Hydramatic 200 automatic, but the transmission is the least of this one’s worries. It has been sitting for years, and likely needs a lot of work to get it back running. After that, you can worry about the transmission.
Despite its turbocharged engine, I’m not sure Buick really understood the meaning of the term “sport coupe.” A bench seat, a column shifter, and acres of fake woodgrain punctuated by chromed plastic controls don’t exactly scream “sporty.” There are a few cool touches, however, like the chrome “Turbo 3.8 Litre” badge above the original AM/FM radio, and the turbo boost gauge in the dash. This is the best view of the seats that we get, which worries me a bit. GM upholstery from this era wasn’t known for durability.
The outside looks pretty good, except for the vinyl top, and the filler panels between the bumpers and the body. The vinyl can be redone or removed, and the filler panels may be available as reproductions; I know they are for some GM cars this age. And again, thanks to the dry Arizona climate, it’s rust-free.
You’ve got your work cut out for you with either of these, but at least bodywork and rust repair isn’t on the agenda. And you shouldn’t have much trouble with stuck bolts while doing the mechanical restoration. So let’s turn some wrenches – which one are you willing to revive?
I will go full-on Highlander on anyone who doesn’t realize that There Can Be Only One Acceptable Choice here. Clan Alfa!
If the Regal wins this, I’m quitting Autopian for a month.
THIS US Spider has mechanical fuel injection, but US Spiders had carbs, mechanical fuel injection, or Bosch electronic fuel injection depending on the year.
That yellow is icky, but with some not-black wheels it would look OK enough. I would still check it VERY carefully for rust, and the worst rust in a Spider is hard to see until it’s too late – the very complex sills get their drains blocked then rot from the inside out, even in dry climates.
That Regal puts the “ick” in Buick – no thanks.
Having owned 1750A Berlina, I can attest that rust is often well-hidden until you press onto the sheetmetal and feel it crunching and collapsing through. Partly due to poor design and partly due to lack of rustproofing.
If I want to replace something, I’d go with Weber carburettors as they are less fincky than Solex and don’t need frequent adjusting.
I owned a Spider. It looked great from above. Below – well…
Swap those asking prices and I might have to think about it for a minute.
Even if the Buick had anything I could like – and it doesn’t – the fact of having to get a late 70s pile through a CA smog check is enough to disqualify it. A finicky turbo and vacuum hoses? Hard pass. At least for the Alfa, you can put Euro parts on it without having to get them past CARB.
This was easy…that Spider is great! I like other Alfas more, but those are great fun classics. That Regal is pretty much junk especially w/ an auto…I still like kinda like a few things about those cars though
This one is easy. Alfa all day every day. Hopefully the Spica injection system is still somewhere on the garage floor though. I’d much rather get the Spica rebuilt, than to muck around with dual side draft carbs.
Alfa for me, but really neither…
My uncle had a 1980 Monte Carlo Turbo, cousin of this regal. Similar engine, allegedly some updates by then. Was decently quick for the time, but not fast. Anyhow, he got it new did a lot of the work himself and it make it into the mid 90s in Ohio when it became scrap from all over rust. Anyhow, while it was relatively reliable for him. He went thru two turbos on it, one under warranty, a transmission rebuild, multiple head gaskets, window door seal and and T top leaks, chasing electrical gremlins and that “turbo control center’ failed I think three or four times on him – just got junkyard parts for the last couple vs new. It was always finicky in the extreme cold or hot. He said he would just revert back to his 1974 Dodge Duster with no options (Monte was loaded) because “it just worked” when the Monte decided to be a bastard. He was having trouble finding engine parts in the mid 90s so I can’t imagine it now fast forward 20 more years… So yeah if you want this, go for it, but it’s gonna be one hell of a ride getting it cleaned up and running right. That said, I’d love to see a members ride of some dedicated individual getting this survivor back on the road…
I’ve always wanted a Regal coupe, especially a turbo one. That malaise era dash with a boost gauge makes it worth it for me. Two times the price of the Alfa is crazy though, but hopefully one could haggle it down.
The Alfa looks optimistic. The Buick looks like a cardboard box on the side of the road. It makes my eyes sad.
I love this comment
I really *really* like those regals, but I also really want an old ragtop and the alfa is pre ’75 so it wins, but not by the margin it usually would.
That Alfa is in Queen Creek, the land of the bro-dozer. Every other vehicle on the road there is a lifted 4 door pickup. Everything is new and tacky. It’s the land of the subprime monthly payment with no savings and an hour commute each way. I digress, what I wanted to say is that tiny Alfa would likely end up under some bro-dozer’s tires without the bro-dozer even noticing.