1979 Fiat 131 Brava Estate

The Fiat 131 is a rare sight on these shores nowadays, but the estate variant has reached unobtanium status. When I came across this 131 Brava estate for sale in California, my jaw dropped. Finding one that would be almost ready for the scrapyard would be hard enough, but a near mint example? With a 5-speed manual gearbox, this would make for a decidedly different way of taking on your family hauling needs.

1979 Fiat 131 Brava Estate

A rare find for the Fiat enthusiastic! 1979 Fiat 131 Brava Station Wagon, blue interior, in good running condition. Does not need automotive work. Smog check was done this year - vehicle passed. Super clean in/out. Fairly new tires. Please email me if interested/for further information.

The asking price of $5,000 is rather steep when it comes to any Fiat 131, but you would be extremely hard pressed to find one better preserved, especially a five-door variant. I'd say we're looking at $3,500 to $4,000 as a more realistic value, but it's great to see one of these 131s still hanging around, looking as if it has plenty of life left in it.

-Paul

1987 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet

The affordable Ferrari. Is it just a myth or does it really exist? From the looks of this Mondial Cabriolet for sale outside of Philadelphia, it could be closer at hand than at first glance. It's tempting to think that you could get a fine Italian exotic for the price of a well equipped Honda Civic, but is it wise to pull the trigger?

1987 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet

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Thank you for taking a moment to look at one of our finest vintage Ferrari offerings. This 1987 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet combines the legendary style of the 80's Ferraris with state of the art (for its day) technological innovations and convenient 2+2 seating. That's right! This is a ragtop Ferrari the whole family can enjoy! This car has been pampered. It comes with the original tools, tonneau cover, boot, etc. The car's paint is practically perfect.

The interior is also in exceptional shape. This car is a bargain and needs very little to be a Platinum winning car at any Ferrari show. The 80 year old man who parted with this car so we could have it did not give us the service records. It will come to you ready to roll and should be low maintenance for the coming years. This car is at the end of its depreciation and can only go up in value. Treat this car right, and you can put a Ferrari notch in your belt for the ownership cost of a Honda Accord! This car has the following noteworthy items: 1) The top has had one small tear that was previously repaired. It was done properly and does not detract from the function nor the aesthetics of the top. 2) The rear windows work, but are slow to go up and down. The right rear window needs the help of a finger occasionally to go up. Not worth fixing until it doesn't work anymore (in my opinion).

At $22,000, this is bargain basement as drivable, presentable Ferraris go. It's disconcerting the seller did not get the service records from the previous owner. That leads one to believe there may be something to hide, because how hard would it have been to even make photocopies of the original documents? Buying any Ferrari without some sort of history is a huge risk. Anyone eyeing up a car like this should have it looked over, as there is no mention of a recent service or any maintenance items taken care of. Aside from that, at this price, this car looks very tidy cosmetically, both inside and out.

-Paul

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

The number of Abarth tuned Fiats produced over the years is rather staggering. Just when I think I've seen and read about every model there is, another oddball creation pops up that I never knew existed. Such is the case with this Abarth 1000 OTR, which stands for Omologato Turismo Radiale. This name represented the fact that this car, based on the Fiat 850, was homologated for Group 3 racing by the FIA. Radiale means radial, which referred to the car's new engine with hemispherical combustion chambers. This engine produced a little over 100 horsepower from just shy of 1.0 liter. Around 35 examples were thought to have been produced, making this OTR for sale in California quite a unique opportunity to acquire some vintage Abarth iron.

1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR

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An original 1967 Fiat Abarth 1000 OTR. Only three dozen of these were produced worldwide before production ended. Most likely less than 10 are in the United States. This Fiat is completely original except for the paint; it was resprayed in the early 1970's after being polished extensively at shows and concours. Based of the Fiat 850 Coupe, this little Abarth has a 982 cc inline 4 cylinder good for 84 hp (850 coupe has 34hp). There is not a better condition Abarth 1000 OTR in the world. This Abarth is in absolutely excellent, original condition. It has undergone an extensive mechanical restoration at The Pit Stop in Brisbane, California.

History:
-First owned by John Edgar, an Abarth sub dealer in the Pacific NW.
-Owned by Chris Obert in Santa Cruz, CA for 30 years.
-Purchased by Dave Steel in Carmel, CA.
-Purchased by current owner. Resides in Brisbane, CA, south of San Francisco.

Some of Abarth's best have reached into six figure territory and this OTR is really rather close to that territory. Since so few were made, it's hard to place a value on cars like these. If I had to estimate, I'd say we're probably in the $45,000 to $70,000 range. I want to like this car, but I can't help but think I could get the best Lancia Fulvia or Alfa Romeo GTV for much less money. Granted, they are not exactly the same class of vehicle, but you really have to be an Abarth nut to spend this kind of money on what was meant to take on the Mini Cooper S back in the day.

-Paul

1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider

We can't get enough of Alfa Romeo Spiders here at CICFS. While perusing the ads today I came across this Duetto for sale in The Netherlands in a vibrant shade of blue set off nicely by its red leather interior. It lends a decidedly nautical theme to this classic roadster.

1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider

Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider 1600 in very nice condition and in a very beautiful dark blue color. It benefited from a restoration a few years back and has a rust free body! Classic dark red interior and well kept. Chrome is in very good condition. Technically perfect and maintained!

Most Duettos I've seen this year are being offered solidly in the low to high $20,000 range. At $29,000, this is priced up there, but the quality of the work is impressive. The engine bay looks especially tidy, as well. Now, if only the Euro to Dollar exchange rate were a little more favorable....

-Paul

1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6

The Alfa Romeo GTV6 is a fantastic way to get into the Italian car hobby without spending a lot of money. With its V6 engine, well balanced rear drive chassis and history of racing in its bloodlines, it's an attractive piece for the sporting enthusiast. These coupes are not too hard to come by these days. While many have been beaten to within an inch of their lives, there's a surprising amount of well kept examples out there to choose from. This GTV6 for sale is a survivor that was stored for many years but recently revived to a reliable driver.

1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6

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1983 Alfa Romeo GTV 6 With 39,103 Original Miles. The Auto Check mileage has been corrected. I bought the transmission in it, years before I found the car, knowing this was special and the transmission I would want in the car I was going to keep the rest of my life. It is from a Milano Verde with taller gearing and a limited slip differential. The standard GTV 6 transmission does not have a limited slip differential. The transmission was rebuilt by Merritt Carden and features lightened gears. It has a Merritt made copy of a Shankle short throw shift linkage with Hyme joints. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the old transmission, all the synchros were (and are) fine and there were no issues what-so-ever. My mechanic said the transmission was perfect! I put in the LSD with the taller gearing for better mileage as I was going to use the car on road trips. This transmission has only about 1,000 miles on it; it is just breaking in nicely and is superb! Another thing to bear in mind; it is getting close to impossible to find new synchros that are OEM parts and the aftermarket ones are frequently junk. Lightening the gears allows the synchros to last close to forever, if you DON'T lighten the gears, your synchros will not last. With this transmission, you can expect 100k (or more) miles of flawless shifting.

I got this car from the Carden family in the San Francisco Bay Area. It belonged to one of the older brothers but he got to the point he couldn’t climb in and out of it, so it was sitting in a horse barn and needed a complete resurrection which was done properly as I planned on keeping this car for the rest of my life. It had the original timing belt in it with the original hydraulic chain tensioner. There is no question this is a 39,000 mile car. All work was done by Alfaman Jim Cestarolo, whose family still runs Alfa Center in San Francisco and has for many years. I have all the service records since I had Jim do the work and you can talk to Jim. This is not just an average GTV 6, this is a really GOOD car! If you fins another GTV 6 with the same mileage on it that hasn't had all the work that I've done on mine, you will need to put $5,000 into it. All the rubber rots, the fuel pump will go bad, etc.

A friend and car guy I've known for over 30 years, told me this story about when he bought his Jaguar XK 120, "If I'd spent $5,000 more for a better car, I would have saved money in the long run." Again, everything was done as if I was keeping the car and I wanted it all done right. I have put about 1,000 miles on it getting it fully sorted out. If you have questions and want to speak to the mechanic, I will give you his number. He’s in Novato, California.

The good:

It still has the original dual fans and they work. New water pump, rebuilt hydraulic tensioner with OEM rebuild kit and timing belt. Stainless steel brake lines, rebuilt alloy front calipers and steel rear calipers, new master cylinder. Replaced all injector rubber hoses underneath the plenum. All new hoses for the radiator and heater, radiator checked. The clutch is excellent with 98% + of material remaining, the bearing and fork are excellent, new clutch slave cylinder. New center bearing for the driveshaft and new Giubos. New fuel pump and fuel lines. Air conditioning converted to the new refrigerant.

Fresh Michelin tires. 195/60 R 15 XSE, Pilot Exalto A/S. They appear to have less than 2,000 miles on them. There are still some “nubs” from the mould. The good condition leather interior has been treated with Connolly Hide Food. There is one small hole in the driver’s side front seat bolster, facing toward the door, probably from the previous owner getting into the car. There are surface cracks in the leather, but if treated and kept parked in a garage, the seats will last a long time. What kills the leather is lack of treatment and being left in the sun. It has the $200 sunroof handle surround that is machined out of ¼” thick material. The stock ones are all broken, they’re all cr*p. The guy is on the fence about making any more, he may and he may not. I got one of the last 4. The power windows work. There are no dings or chips in the glass. I have the windshield washer tank, although it is not pictured installed. It has a good pump on it. The paint is generally very good with a few chips here and there. There are a few very minor areas of surface rust. It does NOT have the usual rust in the wheel wells. The car has a clean California title and is registered. If the buyer is from California I will supply a recent smog certificate. It passed when I registered it.

The bad:

The left front corner of the car and part of the front around the grill has been repainted. The bodywork was done well but the paint is not an exact match in terms of shade or sheen. (it’s really not very bad) The plastic piece on the top left of the rear bumper that covers the gap, is separated from the center joint piece, (also not very bad). Some of the usual minor cracking on the dash. I have a dash pad for it that also cuts down on glare. It is not installed and comes with the car. The radio is nothing special but works. The car still has the “in the windshield” radio antenna, which never did work even when they were new.

There is no ugly!

The conclusion:

If you buy a car with this kind of low mileage that’s been sitting for 20+ years, plan on having to do everything I’ve had to do to have a reliable car. I have receipts for over $7,000 + plus the transmission which was a $1,500 overhaul, not including finding a Milano Verde transmission to be rebuilt, plus the cost of the car! Everything was checked for reliability and longevity. I have all the repair receipts. I’ve invested between $9,000 and $10,000 in total, to make a car that will give no surprises. I would not hesitate an instant to get in this car and drive from California to New York, or anywhere else on the east Coast. If you want a good one, buy this car!

A good GTV6 will run someone anywhere between $8,000 to $12,000 these days. The opening bid of $8,000 is a bit high and doesn't leave a lot of breathing room for bidders, but given the work done to it, plus the later transmission with the limited slip differential, I'd say this GTV6 would be as good as any if you're in the market for one of these.

-Paul

1960 Fiat 500 Giardinera

For years, the Fiat 500 was the car of the people in Italy. While suitable for most Italian lifestyles at the time, Fiat responded to those consumers needing more space. Not only did they come out with a small van, the Multipla, but they offered a two door estate variant, the Giardiniera. With the additional length added behind the doors, this was a popular hauler for families and small businesses. Rarely seen on US shores, this Giardiniera for sale in California is a rare treat for small car enthusiasts.

1960 Fiat 500 Giardiniera

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Adorable and in great condition FIAT 500 Giardiniera Trasformabile extremely rare here in the USA or Italy. This FIAT is in great condition cosmetically and mechanically. It was very well taken care of and pampered by its owner who took it here all the way from Southern Italy. I will add more info pictures and video clips before the end of the day. This FIAT 500 runs excellent, shifts beautifully and it is a blast to drive around. Brakes work perfectly and does not leak any oil or any fluids. It is air cooled and after driving it for about 1 hour under 95 degrees here in California didn't give any sign of overheating. Tires are good in the back though could use new ones in the front. I have re charged the battery since it was sitting for some time, battery seems to hold up pretty good although might need a new battery sometime in the future (It uses 12 volt).

Bidding is strong so far on this little estate. We may not see Multipla money here, but given the oddball factor versus the more common 500 it is based on, this Giardiniera will probably bring somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 to $15,000.

-Paul

1991 Alfa Romeo 164L

We've featured a bunch of clean Alfa Romeo 164s on CICFS. While the newest US market 164 is going on 17 years old, it doesn't seem that there is a shortage of low mileage examples out there. While it was the first front-wheel drive exexutive car for Alfa Romeo, enthusiasts have noted that even without a traditional rear-drive chassis, these sedans still have good poise on the road. This 164L for sale in Pittsburgh has covered a scant 22,000 miles and looks amazingly modern in white even though the car is over 20 years old.

1991 Alfa Romeo 164L

One owner, only 24,000 original miles. We have all the books and original window sticker. This is a rare find! Four door, 2 Wheel Drive, Alloy Wheels, Sun/Moon Roof, Air Conditioning, Leather Seats, Power Windows, Alarm, AM/FM Radio, Anti-theft, Antilock Brakes.

While this car has extremely low mileage and appears to be an unmolested example, we're probably about $2,000 to $3,000 off the mark here. Typically, clean 164s will trade hands in the $7,000 to $10,000 range, possibly reaching a little beyond that if it's the sportier 164Q model we're dealing with.

-Paul

1991 Lamborghini Diablo

The replacement for the Countach was contemplated as early as 1985, with Project 132 turning into what would eventually become the Diablo, or devil, in Spanish. Introduced to the public in 1990, the Diablo carried on the tradition of the mid-engined supercar formula, this time with a multi-port fuel injected, 5.7 liter V12 capable of producing just shy of 500 horsepower. This car would live on throughout the 1990s and into the next century, carrying Lamborghini into new ownership and future profitability. This Diablo for sale in Texas is an early model that represents an interesting period for the manufacturer. While this was a much more streamlined and civilized car than the model it replaced, the inherent coachbuilt character of the Diablo still shone through.

1991 Lamborghini Diablo

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This is THE nicest example of a 1991 Lamborghini Diablo that you will find anywhere! This Diablo is exceptionally clean inside and out, has a fantastic service history, and literally it is amazing at how clean this car is for a 1991. It is a beautiful Black exterior paint color finished in a Black leather interior with yellow stitching throughout! Extensive maintenance, all factory OEM, and will definitely qualify for collector quality.

At just under $85,000, this Diablo is priced fairly attractively, given that some later models still regularly command well into the six figure range. Granted, the earlier Diablos were a bit rougher around the edges, as Audi had yet to take the reigns of the company. For some enthusiasts, however, that is a bonus. It's no coincidence that the Lamborghini emblem includes a raging bull, because owning one can be akin to taming the notorious beast.

-Paul

1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder 4.7

It never fails. Every time I set my sights on a Maserati Ghibli, I can't help but think this is one of the most gorgeous Italian cars ever. This is especially the case if it happens to be one of the 125 Spyders ever made. These convertibles are toys for the serious collector, as they command big money these days. This Ghibli for sale in New York is a true survivor with a full history and is a rare opportunity to own one of Maserati's greats.

1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder 4.7

1971 Maserati Ghibli Spyder, 4.7L, 5-speed, A/C, PS, PB, newer XWX's on restored Borrani Wires. An incredible, three private owner survivor. Full ownership history with mileage for each owner. I have owned this car for almost 20 years. Registered, inspected, driven monthly, properly stored in winter, fully sorted and constant maintainance by marque specialist. The fact this Ghibli still has its original top is a testimint to the care it's had. Almost impossible to find in this condition. Great Patina. $495,000 obo

As we stated the last time we featured a Ghibli Spyder, these open roofed exotics tend to command anywhere between $275,000 to $350,000. Almost half a million dollars is all of the money for one of these cars. Even considering the patina and originality, I'd tend to think we might see $425,000, maybe $450,000 at the most.

-Paul

1992 Ferrari Mondial Valeo t Cabriolet

Towards the end of the Mondial production run, Ferrari decided to a be a bit daring and experiment with a semi-automatic version of the car’s 5-speed manual gearbox. Essentially the same transmission right down to the gear ratios, this gearbox was similar to the Volkswagen and Porsche Sportomatic gearbox in the 1970s, offering manual shifting without a third pedal. However, the Valeo system had a microprocessor controlling the clutch engagement which made for more refined shifting. This gearbox and automated clutch setup was designed to learn the user’s driving habits over time and even allowed for situations where you could engine brake if you lifted off the throttle. The clutch would then not fully disengage until you stopped the vehicle. Sophisticated stuff for the period and no doubt gave Ferrari a baseline on where to go with the semi-automatic gearbox in the future. This Mondial Valeo t Cabriolet for sale in Toronto offers a rare opportunity to purchase this clutchless cabriolet.

1992 Ferrari Mondial Valeo t Cabriolet

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1992 Mondial t Cabriolet 2+2 Vaelo. This Mondial t comes equipped with a 3.4L quad cam V8 producing 300 horsepower coupled to a 5-speed Valeo semi-automatic transmission. Valeo was available as an option; while shifting was done by means of a traditional gear lever, the clutch was actuated automatically without a clutch pedal.

41,440 miles (approximately 66,000km) The Mondial t is a substantially changed vehicle to the previous Mondial. With a new engine and transmission layout it provides much improved handling and performance characteristics. This rare automated manual makes this car the perfect four-seat Ferrari.

Around $30,000 to $35,000 is what late model Mondial t Cabriolets are fetching these days. I'm not sure if the Valeo gearbox would add any significant value to the bottom line, as most enthusiasts would prefer three pedals. Still, as an engineering curiosity, this car may bring its fair share of interest from enthusiasts.

-Paul