1986 Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 S3

Description

Very straight and solid LHD Spider in good running order; recent £3,500 spend including new clutch, brakes, tyres, exhaust, suspension etc; smart interior; paintwork needs attention

In production from 1966 to 1993, the Pininfarina-styled Alfa Romeo Spider (105/115 Series) was an instant classic that received only minor aesthetic and mechanical changes across the four decades in which it was made.

Only available in LHD, the Series 3 ‘Duck Tail’ version ran from 1983 – 1990 and is most easily identified by black rubber bumpers and a rubber spoiler across the rear wings/boot. It was available as a 1.6 or a 2.0 Twin Cam, the latter having Bosch electronic fuel injection in place of the SPICA mechanical injection of the Series 2. Producing 128bhp allied to a 5-speed gearbox, it could sprint to 60 in 9.5 seconds with a top speed of 125mph.

First registered in May 1990, this Spider 2.0 was acquired by our vendor (the 7^th owner) in December 2020. At this point the car had been in storage for 8 years and the previous owner had just spent £750 on parts to prepare it for sale.

These included: new brake calipers, discs and pads all round; new front shock absorbers; new inner door trim panels; refurbished alloy wheels with new centre badges; new chrome headlight rims plus various other minor parts. Although there is no invoice for these, it also got five new tyres, a new exhaust system and a new battery.

Our vendor has since spent almost £3,000 to bring the car up to the standard he required. This included: complete new clutch kit and slave cylinder; new gearbox oil seal; reconditioned radiator with new hoses; new water pump; new rear shock absorbers; new drop links and ARB bushes; all new brake pipes plus various other minor items. It also had a full service, the mileage at this point being 83,899, although the odometer has been stuck on this figure since it emerged from storage.

The vendor estimates that he has covered around 1,000 miles in the car since and reports that it runs and drives nicely, as you would expect with so many new parts fitted.

As you can see in the photos, it looks commendably straight and rust-free with a very smart interior and a top quality mohair hood plus a vinyl tonneau cover. It also has a face-off Pine radio/tape player plus a briefcase full of around 30 period cassettes from the likes of Duran Duran, Elton John, The Bee Gees, Sade etc. An original owner’s handbook and a 500-page maintenance manual are also included.

All that lets the side down is the paintwork which has gone flat and mottled on most of the panels, hence the modest guide price which should leave scope for a respray if the new owner so desires. The boot release and petrol flap release levers in the driver's door aperture are not currently fitted so you need to tug on the cable with pliers to pop them open but they are stored in the boot and should be simple enough to fit. Our vendor was intending to do this but a back injury means he can no longer work on his cars and struggles to drive most of them, hence the Alfa's appearance in this sale.

Starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it around on site, this achingly stylish Spider has an MOT until 26^th November 2024 with just a couple of minor advisories for slight play in both rear wheel bearings.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email [email protected]