1970 Maserati Ghibli Spyder 4.7

While we featured a Maserati Ghibli a few days ago on CICFS, it was the more common hardtop variant. Out of the 1,274 Ghiblis ever produced, only 125 had their roofs chopped off beginning with the 1969 model year. This example for sale in The Netherlands is one of the original 125 produced and has had three owners. It has benefitted from a restoration but retains its original interior.

1970 Maserati Ghibli Spyder 4.7

This is a rare and original Maserati Ghibli Spyder, chassis number 1161st (an example of only 125 cars produced). This car has had three owners and has been driven 41,000 original miles. A few years ago, the car was completely restored and technically gone over. The car has the original engine (matching numbers) and Borrani chrome wire wheels. The bodywork is immaculate, mechanically it is 100% and drives fabulous. The interior is completely original and in beautiful condition. In summary, a unique and rare vehicle in beautiful condition.

Hardtop Ghiblis in good nick usually hover around the $100,000 mark, but the Spyder is an altogether different proposition. This is one of the nicest Ghiblis I’ve seen on the market as of late, and its price reflects that. I’m not certain how fast this car will move at over $400,000 USD, as recent auctions have set the bar for the Ghibli Spyder around $275,000 to $350,000. Even though some hardtops were converted to Spyders over the years, as in most cases, the originals will always command more money than the copies. In this stunning shade of blue, this Ghibli is a triumph of Italian design and engineering in one arrested package.

-Paul

1976 Lamborghini Urraco 300

While the Urraco wasn't the first mid-engined Lamborghini, it was certainly more accessible to ordinary enthusiasts than what many consider the original supercar, the Miura. True to Lamborghini form, few Uraccos were ever built, even though this model was in production for a decade. Even if you count the Silhouette and Jalpa models, which drew heavily on Urraco hardware, a mere 1,255 examples left the factory. With a V8 engine ranging in size from 2.0 liters to 3.0 liters and 2+2 seating, this car was a direct competitor to the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4. This particular Urraco for sale in Florida is a looker. From its pristine interior to attractive Capagnolo wheels, it's a great example of an oft overlooked Lambo.

1976 Lamborghini Urraco 300

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1976 Lamborghini Uracco 300
Type: Lamborghini P300 Urraco
Years built: 1974 - 1979
Production: 190
Chassisnr.: 20.000 - 20.570
Presentation: November 1974 Turin Auto Show
Designed by: Marcello Gandini for Bertone
Built by: Bertone
Structure: Sheet steel, floor incorporated into the body
Suspension: All-independent, McPhersons with coil springs, telescopic dampers
Brakes: All-wheel ventilated Girling disc brakes, vacuum assisted by double hydraulic circuit and two servo's
Type: V-8 90 degree, light-alloy and aluminium block with gearbox and differential built in the same block and pressed-in liners, mid mounted, rear wheel drive
Distribution: Dual overhead camshaft with chain drive, two valves/cylinder
Main bearings: 5
Cyl. Capacity: 2995.8 cc
Bore & stroke: 86 x 64.5 mm
Compr. ratio: 10.5:1
Max. power: 250 bhp at 7500 rpm
From 1976 on: 260 bhp at 7500 rmp
Max. torque: 195 lbs.ft. at 3500 rpm
From 1976 on: 201 lbs.ft. at 3500 rpm
Cooling system: Water cooled, pump, thermostat and two electric fans
Ignition: Two Magnetti Marelli coils and one Marelli distributor
Plugs: Bosch 235 P21
Electr. system: 12 V
Alternator: 770 W Bosch
Fuel system: Electric Bendix fuel pump, 4 twin-barrel down-draught Weber 40 DCNF carburetors
Type: Lamborghini five-speed + reverse manual all-synchromesh Lamborghini differential
Clutch: Dry-single plate, hydraulically operated

I'm always disappointed by dealers that do not give detailed descriptions of vehicle history, especially when it's a Lamborghini dealer handling a classic exotic like this. That being said, the asking price of $85,888 seems way off, as most Urraco's I've seen for sale reside in the $30,000 to $50,000 territory. This car looks every bit of it's claimed 37,658 miles, but that's just not enough to put its value in the stratosphere.

-Paul

1991 Alfa Romeo Spider

Summer is coming, so what better time than to consider a sporting little roadster? Preferably an Italian one. We love the Series 4 Alfa Romeo Spider here at CICFS, and this example for sale in Arizona has had but one careful owner and has covered a scant 52,000 miles in 21 years.

1991 Alfa Romeo Spider

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This '91 Alfa Romeo Spider is absolutely beautiful, all original. This is a one owner car, owned by a mature woman since new. The car has never been abused, never driven in winter, garage kept and always maintained. There has never been any paint or body work done on this vehicle. The interior is in perfect condition. I want to stress that everything on this car is original. Everything works including all gauges, switches, original radio, remote rear view mirrors, door locks etc. The air conditioner blows very cold and the heater works as new. All the original books and service receipts and tools, including the “Alfa” tire pressure gauge are included. The engine and transmission work as new. The alloy wheels are in new condition. ALL ORIGINAL, ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! COLLECTABLE!

I've noticed prices are creeping up a little for these cars, the last of the classic open top Alfa Romeos. While this is a base Spider, there's not much difference in value between this trim level and the uplevel Veloce. I would wager to say anywhere between $13,000 to $15,000 would be a reasonable estimate for this pristine example.

-Paul

2000 Qvale Mangusta

Originally intended to be the savoir for the DeTomaso nameplate, what was supposed to be the Biguà became the Qvale Mangusta. Short on capital, Alejandro de Tomaso teamed up with American Bruce Qvale, son of Kjell Qvale, who was the first distributor of Jaguars on the West Coast of the US. Powered by a Ford 4.6 liter V8 in a front mid-engine fashion, only 284 were produced between 2000 and 2002, with all but 18 of these sent to the US market. It was an interesting vehicle, with a lot of Ford bits in the inside and an interesting targa top with a pivoting rear section to transform this sports car into a full convertible. This example for sale in Las Vegas has covered a scant 16,000 miles and looks showroom new.

2000 Qvale Mangusta

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VIN NUMBER: ZF4AH01A4YM000036. New tires, just serviced. Dealer Brochures, owners manuals, magazine articles, all keys with FOBs. Noting Missing. Complete Mangusta. Introduced in the 1996 Geneva motor show, Bigua was arguably the last new De Tomaso launched before the company ceased production. However, Bigua was never produced under the name of De Tomaso. Instead, most people knew it as “Qvale Mangusta.” The Qvale Mangusta was manufactured Modena Italy, just like Ferraris, Maserati's and Lamborghini's, and penned by Marcello Gandini who also designed the Lambo Miura, Countach, Diablo, Bugatti EB110 and various Maserati's.

Chassis: Designed by former Formula 1 designer Enrique Scalabroni, who worked for Scuderia Ferrari, Williams F1 and Dallara.
Engine: SVT Cobra Engine: Double overhead cams, all aluminium V8 32 valve displaced 4.6 litres that produces 320 hp.
Transmission: Borg-Warner 5-speed manual transmission.
Suspension: Double-wishbones suspension all round with Bilstein (adjustable)
Brakes: BREMBO four piston calipers.

Tail light covers are metal mesh like the Ferrari Challenge Grills. It has a very special roto retractable roof, which could transform the car from a coupe to convertible or Targa. Tubi exhaust system designed exclusively for the Mangusta.

At $29,500, you can look at this car two ways: either it's an affordable exotic or an expensive used Mustang. Granted, an F1 engineer did the chassis, but there's a lot of Ford bits in this car. While the Mangusta was the swan song for DeTomaso and Qvale, in an interesting twist, this car's chassis lived on in the limited production MG XPower SV.

-Paul

1976 Lancia Beta 1800 Coupe

Even though they were one of the few Lancias to be sold new in the United States, examples of the Lancia Beta, whether it is the coupe, sedan, shooting brake HPE or open roofed Spider, are few and far between. Rust was the Beta’s nemesis and sank the company’s reputation shortly after the car’s introduction. This problem was one of the main reasons you see so few on the road today. When they were new, these were priced above a Datsun 280Z and a little bit below a BMW 320i, so this was a car that appealed to Lancia fans or those who sought something outside of the mainstream. This 1978 Beta Coupe has beaten the odds and as the seller describes, could be the very finest example you could purchase on these shores.

1976 Lancia Beta 1800 Coupe

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1976 Lancia Beta Coupe. The color is the rare Marrone Parioli with Tan leather. 26K miles from new. One family owner. No rust of any kind, ever. This car was stored for about 15 years before mechanical recommissioning began about 18 months ago. Since then, $11,400 has been spent to ensure that this the finest original Beta Coupe available anywhere.

It was in the summer of 1975, at age 11, that I began to notice advertisements in my parents New Yorker magazine for a new import car: the Lancia. Billed as "The Intelligent Alternative", the Lancia Beta came in four body styles. I'm sure I asked my parents to buy one, but my father was dedicated to Peugeots and just wasn't interested. The '76 through '78 Series 1 cars are the ones to have today, as by 1979 slow sales forced Lancia to degrade the interiors with cheap vinyl and an ugly steering wheel and dash. Little over 3000 of these S1 Beta Coupes were ever delivered in the U.S. Today almost all are in wrecking yards. A stunning, original car like this is almost unheard of.

Completely outfitted with every option: they include power steering ($333), power windows ($218), air conditioning ($589), and a sunroof ($290). These options would have raised the already expensive P.O.E. list price from $7750 to an eye-poping $9180 for a 1976 automobile.

New battery, fuel lines, fuel filters, timing belt, water pump, crank seals, cam seals, thermostat, timing belt tensioner, accessory belts, front brake rotors, front brake pads, grease seals, brake hoses, shifter bushings, clutch, pressure plate, release bearing, spark plug wires, radiator fan switch, and wipers. Reconditioned rear struts. Fuel tank removed and cleaned. Reconditioned power steering rack. Head machined with new head gasket. Valves ground. Oil pan gasket replaced. New Dunlop tires. Distributor serviced. Air conditioning fully serviced and converted to R134 refrigerant...blows cold. Very rare power window switches found and installed. NOS tachometer installed (last one in the world?). Countless hours spent on the internet to find some or the rarest reconditioned and NOS parts to complete the car. EVERYTHING WORKS...even the clock. Original interior in very fine condition...no dash cracks. New Coco floor mats. The old paint has buffed out very nicely. Wheels repainted. You will likely never find another original-condition Beta Coupe like this. This car is destined to cross the receiving ramp at Concorso Italiano in the near future. The question is: will you be driving it?

Back in 2007, I was pleased to see Jeremy Clarkson drive a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupe across Botswana in Top Gear’s Africa Challenge. While the car was a constant nuisance in terms of reliability, it made the trek (albeit barely). Some may deride the Beta for being too much of a Fiat rehash, but for a design from the mid-1970s, it looks surprisingly fresh, if you don’t take into account the oversized bumpers. Values are very hard to place on Betas, since few exist and even fewer come up for sale on a regular basis. With about a week left and the reserve not yet met, I’ll be curious to see if this car sells. Considering its condition, I’d wager to guess $6,000 to $7,000 would be reasonable for such a rare piece.

-Paul

1982 Lancia Gamma Coupe

The Lancia Gamma is virtually unknown in the United States but this car, in my opinion, has to be one of the most handsome coupes to emerge from the late 1970s and early 1980s. While the coupe and its sedan counterpart competed in the executive segment, the engine would have suggested otherwise, as the Gamma was offered with a 2.0 liter and 2.5 liter horizontally opposed four cylinder. A torquey mill this was, but it failed to offer the power and refinement buyers in this class were used to. The engine also suffered a variety of teething problems from cooling issues to camshaft wear. Even if time has left the Gamma in relative obscurity, the simple rebadging of Chryslers into Lancias as of late has made enthusiasts long for the old Lancia, when uniqueness and adventurous engineering ruled the day. This car for sale near Brescia has covered about 46,000 miles and appears to be rather well kept, but lacks much detail from the seller.

1982 Lancia Gamma Coupe

Vehicle Features: Electric windows, alloy wheels, central locking. Additional accessories: radio, air conditioning, fog lights

Given that white is such a popular color nowadays, this car wouldn't look too out of place in modern day traffic. The Gamma is a stellar example of the timeless nature of Pininfarina's designs. At about $6,500 USD, it's a lot of style for the money. Shipping to the US would of course increase the bottom line, but if the price could be negotiated down to a level where it would keep this car under the $7,000 mark, it would be a practical classic for enthusiasts looking to take the road less traveled and have an instant conversation starter in the company of other automotive enthusiasts.

-Paul

1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona

Voted by Motor Trend Classic as one of the top ten Ferraris of all time and Top Sports Car of the 1970s by Sports Car International, the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 is an icon. Along with these accolades, the Daytona gained a prominent role across a vast swath of popular culture, from Brock Yates' Cannonball Run to the cover of The Carpenters' album "Now and Then." A little under 1,300 Daytona hardtops were ever produced, as opposed to only 127 examples of the open top Spider. When a good one comes up for sale, collectors take notice. This example for sale in California comes from a private collection and looks to be well preserved rather than over restored.

1972 Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona

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1972 Ferrari 365 GTB Daytona. Rare classic, collector quality, excellent car inside & out. Just acquired from a private collection, this 1972 Daytona is an outstanding example and one of the finest we have had in years. This exceptional car, with a well documented history, looks great and, runs and drives like a classic Daytona. The Daytona is sought after by collector's worldwide as experts believe the Daytona will continue to increase in value. To own an example of the Daytona like this one is a rare opportunity. Vehicle options include power windows and air conditioning. Car also has coveted tool set and, a car cover.

One glaring omission with this ad is the mileage. I wouldn't suspect this car has been abused, as it looks to be in good nick. The asking price of just under $370,000 is about in line with current market values for Daytonas. In classic Rosso Corsa, this motor would look equally at home on the American interstate as it would bombing down a coastal route on the French Riviera.

-Paul

1987 Fiat 126 FSM

The Fiat 126 was a bit of an automotive mash up. Designed as the replacement for the Nuova 500, the 126 debuted in 1972 and was based on that very car's rear engine architecture, albeit with a more up to date body. Produced in Italy until 1979, the 126 had a lot more production life left in it, as it was produced until 2000 by FSM, a joint venture between FSO and Fiat in Poland. This 1987 model for sale in Rome has been fully restored and would make an affordable and unique import subject, as it now 25 years old and legal to bring to the US.

1987 Fiat 126 FSM

1987 Fiat 126 FSM. Registered historic, completely renovated recently, complete body restoration with photo documentation, new interior, mechanical coupons with oil, filters, brakes, master cylinder, etc. For sale reluctantly due to space. The restoration was finished about a month ago. Price is not negotiable. I'm selling it for what it cost me. I welcome email and telephone contact. No time wasters. I have other photos.

At an asking price of $3,500, you could probably be just under $5,000 by the time you took care of all the importation costs. That's not an insignificant amount of money for basic transportation, but given this car's complete restoration, you would be hard pressed to find a better example of a 126, no matter the country. Imagine the looks you would elicit upon pulling up to your nearest stateside Fiat dealer...

-Paul

1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione may have seemed a bit far fetched when it appeared for sale in the US in 2008. The last new Alfa Romeo to be sold stateside was the 164 sedan, which was a competitor to the mid-sized luxury sport sedans of the world. However, this wasn't Alfa Romeo's first foray into eight cylinder sports car territory. The Montreal was originally introduced as a concept vehicle at Expo '67 in Montreal, hence its name. The ironic thing is, it was never sold in the city which bore its name. A version to comply with North American emissions requirements was never developed. With its two litre V8 engine derived from the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, this was no ordinary sports coupe. From it's retracting slatted headlamp covers to the vents behind the doors, this was a wild looking machine for the era. This example is for sale in Sweden, not far from the border with Denmark.

1972 Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a very nice GT car. This one is in very very good condition and ready to drive anywhere. There is absolutely no rust on the car and the paint is fabulous. Great power and sound from the engine. A lot of money has been spent here recently. Very original and unmolested car. Could be the best on the market today.

At almost $47,000, this represents the high end of the Montreal market. This one, however, is original and well sorted, which is important with these cars, as they can be a tad finicky, especially when you consider the complex SPICA fuel injection system. Overall though, a nice example of one of Alfa Romeo's most exotic efforts to date.

-Paul