eBay is down this morning, so we took a look at what is currently available on the Italian classifieds. Italian sellers are wise to the worldwide interest in Italian cars that were once outdated and obsolete, and optimistic pricing abounds as a result. On the one hand, it can act as a barrier to entry for some enthusiasts, but on the other hand, the strong pricing has ensured the survival of some unique vehicles without a storied past. For example: today's 1983 Alfa Romeo Alfa 6.

The Alfa 6 is largely based on the Alfetta chassis, adding length and wheelbase to that vehicle's torsion bar double wishbone front and DeDion rear suspension. It shares a rear-mounted transaxle with the Alfetta with LSD as standard, and maintains the Alfettas inboard rear brake configuration. Its namesake V6 engine displaces 2.0L in this tax-avoidance model aimed at the Italian market. 2.5L versions saw the use of a Bosch L-jet fuel-injection system after the 1983 refresh, though the 2.0L versions kept the carburetors of the early cars. An odd feature of the refreshed cars is the Bertone logo on the C-pillar, added when Bertone updated the styling of the cars.

Year: 1983
Model:  Alfa Romeo Alfa 6
Engine: 2.0L V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage:  39,600km
Price: $14,900
Location: Forli, Italy

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Alfa Romeo Alfa 6

Incredibile Alfa 6. Perfettamente conservata, sempre in garage, uniproprietario, 39600 km reali. Presenti tutti i manuali originali. Cambio sportivo rovesciato. Si valutano parziali permute.

These should be largely simple to maintain just like any transaxle Alfa. The 2.0L V6 might have some rare parts such as pistons and liners, but the rest of the engine should be very similar to 2.5L and 3.0L Busso V6 engines. If rust has been kept at bay, as appears to be the case on this example, we wouldn't worry much about the mechanicals, since they can be sorted with relative ease.

With over 12,000 examples produced, these were neither a runaway success nor an outright failure. The 164 that replaced the Alfa 6 would go on to eclipse those numbers thanks to a vastly updated platform. We love the 164, but we do see the appeal of a large sedan with the personality of a Milano/75.

-Graham