Old Alfa Romeos are among the most charming vintage vehicles ever made. There’s something about them and the character they ooze even when found in neglected condition. This 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV was supposedly in the same barn for 33 years before the barn was sold and the car had to be moved. The seller indicates it didn’t see any action in those three decades of barn storage, which fortunately didn’t result in too much damage to the car. Find it here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $12,999.
I recently moved to the mid-Atlantic region after close to 15 years in New England, and finding a vintage European sports model in a tumble-down barn in Maine was always a dream. I got close – I found a European-spec BMW E21 3-Series on a farm in rural Connecticut – but there’s something about going north and discovering a car like this GTV slumbering in a picturesque shaker-style structure. I’m over-romanticizing, I realize, but when you see the old-school vanity plates on a car like this, you can’t help but imagine it being used to tour the coast in Kennebunkport.
The seller doesn’t provide us much detail about the Alfa’s history, so that leaves plenty of space for my imagination to run wild. The seller notes that the barn had good ventilation, so the Alfa fared better than it may have in a damp or more dilapidated structure. The interior looks to be in very good shape with bucket seats in surprisingly good condition. The dash is, of course, cracked but the instruments are still clear and the wood trim in respectable shape, two good signs that the GTV was stored indoors for many years as the seller indicates.
The seller hasn’t done much to get the GTV prepped for sale other than registering it in New Hampshire. The engine bay looks complete but that’s as much as we can tell from the photos. The major concern is rust, especially if this Alfa was used like a daily driver for years before being put away for a restoration that never happened. The car looks solid from up top but all that matters is how sound it is underneath – so prudent buyers should ask for some photos of this barn find Alfa on a lift.
Rust not withstanding, this is my favorite Alfa. Helped a lady owner keep her car serviced for a couple of years. Needless to say, the test drives were a blast.
I drool over these cars. When I worked at the Alfa dealer the owner had a silver one like this restored. His son worked in the shop with me and he installed a turbo and intercooler on his dad’s car with a modified Spica injection pump and twin fuel systems. When he wanted to have fun he would switch over to the aviation fuel and turn the boost up. Years later I saw his car for sale on eBay. Called the dealer to give him the story and history of the car. Broke my heart that I didn’t have the funds to buy it. Not only a special car but good times that went with it made it special to me.
See a nice red one driving around Prospect Ky. From time to time.