For all Alfa Romeo Spider fans, I've designed two stylish t-shirts, available in my online shop. Check them out here: teespring.com/coda-tronca-69?tsmac=store&tsmic=roadster-life&pid=387&cid=101867 teespring.com/la-bella-90?tsmac=store&tsmic=roadster-life&pid=387&cid=101867
Another nice video Matteo. 2 Duettos were used in the movie "The Graduate". Dustin Hoffman crashed the first one that Alfa Romeo gave the studio. Alfa made the film studio buy the second one. An ex-Alfa employee based in California told me this story years ago.
@@Matteo_Licata I'm stealing the "Audrey Hepburn." [I owned a U.S. model 1750 Spider Veloce purchased new in 1969 ... in Farina Red, of course ... beautiful car!]
Thank you Roadster Life. There is an Alfa Romeo Spider sitting outside the garage in our village in Buckinghamshire in England. Perhaps the video is a sign I should try to buy it?
Probably ;) Make sure to bring a magnet and an instrument to measure the thickness of paint... I've seen many of these cars looking shiny and beautiful outside... But actually being twisted, rotten-out liabilities...
Series 1 all the way for me. The round end is so much more elegant, and the crease in the sheetmetal ending in a beautiful, round, ballpoint-pen-sort-of-like shape is just... genius.
Great to see you featuring more in your videos Matteo . For Christmas I was given a copy of 105 Series Spider The complete History by Jim Talbot and Andrew Brown . Such a beautiful car . One day I’d love to come and drive a classic in your beautiful country . A video of some of your best driving routes would be great for future reference 👍🏻 🚗 🇮🇹
Thank you very much Matt! Regarding me appearing more on my vids, I got good news for you. Yesterday evening I've been making some test footage here at home with me speaking on camera, to check out the best lighting, the background etc. Why? Because I'm preparing something special you'll all see once this channel will have crossed 10k subscriptions #tease Your idea about Italy's driving roads is a brilliant one, and I hope to be able to make something like that for you once we'll be more free to travel around.
Wonderful car and great research! Osso di seppia for me the most beautiful. Anyone noticed the Karmann Ghia on the bridge in The Graduate? Thanks for this nice video, ciao 🙋♂️
Yes I noticed that too! Love the Karmann Ghia, such a pretty shape. In Italy very few were sold new in period, as it just wasn't competitive in price and performance with the coupés from Fiat. But I'd love to own one!
Product development has sadly stagnated for Alfa in the last few years... But I'm confident that the new management will make the right decisions in the future
I own an even rarer RHD 66' Duetto of which only 350 were made. It has been totally restored and feels and drives like it's brand new. The previous owner rarely drove it in the 20 years that he owned it and never in the rain.
Well done 👍 In end of 1984 I bought a 105.57 1750 Spider Veloce (Roundtail), which I still own today. It‘s still a wave of joy to drive it. Design, Power, Gearbox, Brakes and of course the Sound. 😍😍🤩 Spiders nickname is: „ The car for which no doorbell is needed „ 😎 If I ever had to sell my old cars, the Spider would be the last to go! Forza Alfa 👏🇮🇹
@@studiocalder818 TOP👍 I hope you enjoy the GT ( a 1750?) as much as I do my Spider. Unfortunately I forgot to mention the 1750 engine. A real dream machine 😍
@@gtdriver7423 🎯 for the 1750 engine. Unluckily my one is only a 1.6 (gorgeous stepnose). I remember I was a young student and I had only the money to buy the car (less than 300 euro!), pay the transcription and a 5 days insurance. Enjoy your Alfas. (By the way I'm currenly totally restoring it)
@@studiocalder818A stepnose -wonderful 👏😍 good luck with the restoration. 👍 I start my „car career „ in 1979 with a 1972 Lancia Fulvia Zagato1.3 and another 72Fulvia Zagato arrived in short time also a 72 Fulvia 1600HF, two years later a 67 Fulvia Zagato, one year later a 68 Fulvia Zagato and a 67 Fiat124 Spider arrived (all for little money). Cause I was only a poor student. After I finished my study I start to sell all the Lancias and the 124 Spider with the exception of the 67 Zagato to buy the 69 1750 Spider Veloce. Unfortunately I crashed the Alfa and to rebuildt it, I had to sold the 67 Zagato and had to take a 72 2000GTV Bertone into payment for it, which I was able to sell well some time later. The Alfa Spider was for a decade my daily driver from March to October and until today with more than 300.000 km on the odometer. In 2010 a 69 Porsche 912 (for my wife) was added and in 2011 I tried to find a good 2.8 3C Lancia Flaminia GT, but no chance to find one in good condition for my budget. You won’t believe, it become a 1966 Ford Mustang V8 Fastback GT. 😳 I still can‘t believe it myself 🙈
The Arna isn't iconic, but it's nevertheless part of Alfa history. Wrote a book about it, actually: www.roadster-life.com/post/book-alfa-romeo-arna-the-true-story-1980-1987
Nobody had anything to say about the best-selling Nissan Cherry (with Japanese road holding, ehm ehm..); well, Alfa Romeo based its Arna on that model by drastically improving roadholding and engines (and learning about painting techniques). Everyone threw and still throw stones at the Arna!
I had no idea the round tail was so rare - I feel privileged to have seen one, then, in the flesh. These stunning roadsters - such a special feeling to drive a basic 2 seater drop-top on a gorgeous winding coastal road. That is what road trips were made for.
@@Matteo_Licata Ah right. The one I saw, must be 4 or 5 years ago, was in South Africa. Unsure which cc model that was, but what a gorgeous car. It was a left-hand drive, so it was an import that was never intended for South Africa's right-hand drive roads. Very much an Alfa lover's dream car, that one.
Very nice! My favourite is the coda tronca, followed by series 4 and the aerodynamica. Sorry I don't like the round tail at all, especially because of the more upright windscreen.
I just got hands on the most rare Alfa Romeo Spider - the beautiful „BEAUTE“ model. It will be properly serviced and refreshed in the next two-three months and after that it will placed for sale. So, if there is someone looking for this rare and special Spider, please let me know. Greetings from Germany to all Alfa Romeo Spider fans. :)
I have to admit I was never a fan of Alfa Romeo cars period. That is until 2006 when I went to work for a gentleman who salvaged Alfas along with tuned them for the track and also raced them. Including the Pan American where he raced a giulietta sprint with Ken Edwards as navigator. My boss Louie gave me my fascination and love of all cars Italian and motorcycles. The genius of the cars was and still is mind boggling. While Louie no longer races or work's on Alfas due to cancer from agent orange exposure as a recon marine with 3 tours all over the I corp zone from coast to the mountains in the west. Thanks to him i have more Alfa parts than I know what to do with. I still own a Alfa 164 but the rest of my cars are Maserati and a Lancia Flavia and a Land Rover. But my new found love of Alfa Romeo has everyone who's known me from a kid scratching their head. Thanks for the Alfa history if anyone knows of a channel that has a good history of the engine's used by Alfa from the 1.3 to the V8 out of the tipo 33 Stradale I would love to know more about them especially the V8 from the tipo 33 the most beautiful car to ever exist IMHO.
Wow, thank you for sharing your story. Fascinating! Regarding Alfa engines, I did a few videos on the subject. They are a bit old, but I crammed there plenty of information: ua-cam.com/play/PLmTW_QV3wiQ55B210wYoDAdG-ydMt-uu-.html
@@Matteo_Licata thanks for the link, I shared it with my old boss. Like me he's new to watching UA-cam. We are both surprised by the amount of Alfa content there is. Which reminded of the Alfa spider we once bought from a lady back east. She was selling it cheap even though it's was low mileage. An 72 with duel Weber's but still had the factory spice pump. She was the original owner and had hardly driven it since she bought it due to a bad rattle that nobody could find. We picked it up in South Carolina, And I drove it back to Oklahoma and sure enough there was a bad rattle. At first I figured it was in the exhaust, but I was wrong, it was definitely in the back half of it car, it wasn't the fuel tank, not the tank cover, nor the filler neck, not the frame for the top. Nothing in the rear end, shocks, springs, trailing arms or sway bar. I was stumped and so was the boss. Finally he told me to strip it because he's not selling a car that rattle's so I stripped it down to the body. Then I cut the nose and fenders off took the rocker skins and started on the quarters I cut the right off and was taking the left quarter off and found the source of the rattle inside the triangle shaped inner structure right where the the trunk release cable runs and the top bolts on was an empty wine bottle. That is still the strangest thing I've ever found in any car. But it was a relief I was beginning question my abilities and so was my boss not being able to find the rattle. I hate it when I can determine the cause of a problem on a car. But it explained why In close to 40 yrs nobody else had found it either.
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! There are no "guys" though :) Roadster Life is a one-man show: me and my laptop... And I think that's not going to change. I like to have complete creative control upon every aspect of what I do. Is your 33 video online? I look forward to watching it!
I remember having one of these up on the lift at work back in the eighties. It was brand new and I thought it the suspension seemed comically antique and minimal.
While the Thesis has already been requested and is indeed an interesting car I’d like to cover... You’re the first to ask for the Lybra :) If I’ll get the chance to film a nice example, though... Why not? :)
@@Matteo_Licata Wow. Thanks for your reply! I'm an American, and the Lybra is extremely interesting to me for a few reasons. 1) It was Lancia's first foray into "retro" styling that predicted the Thesis, Type 843 and 846 Ypsilons, Type 844 Delta, as well as the Musa and Phedra, 2) It used the same platform as the Alfa 156 but didn't come with the V6s that the Alfa got, so it seems like there's a Lancia vs Alfa story hiding in there, and 3) It's got a lot of character, but extremely little is available online in English to learn about the car's story, its successes and failures, its characteristics, etc. I happen to love what little I know about the Lybra, and managed to get my hands on a 1/43 scale model from France and a set of original press photos from 2000 on eBay. Perhaps I'm just a weirdo and most people don't care about the Lybra because there isn't much to care about. I wouldn't know firsthand. As the author of a book on the ARNA, perhaps you understand what it's like to care about a car that is misunderstood, obscure, or forgotten. When I was in my late teens/early 20s (late '90s to mid 2000s), I watched Lanca's range from afar, envious of the European market for having access to these cars... the Lybra, 843 Ypsilon, and Thesis especially. I fell in love with the 2004 Fulvia concept and hoped they'd make it, but alas... Lancias of the post-Delta Integrale era seem to be fading into obscurity, and it'd be nice to know more about these cars that were the last of a line of Lancias where the company was actually making an effort to distinguish the marque. Even if they, sadly, were no longer race-bred and didn't succeed in their mission.
The Lybra’s gestation has been marred by infighting within the Fiat group, which badly affected the car’s design. However, the Lybra actually was a very good car, penalized by its styling and suffering the internal competition from the successful Alfa 156. I think that covering the Lybra properly will have to include an interview to people involved with the project
@@Matteo_Licata Well, I know that your high-quality and interesting videos take a LOT of effort, as it is. If a piece on the Lybra ever works out, great. If not, that’s fine too. But just the small amount you’ve mentioned here is quite intriguing to me. I figured there was a story behind this car. And I’m glad it’s considered to be a very good car because I’m thinking about looking into importing one when the 25-year rule lapses in 3-4 years.
@@judethaddaeus9742 Wow, that's the mark of true love: actually importing a Lybra to the USA! I like this kind of passion, and, being based in Italy, I probably can help you find the right car. Drop me an e-mail when it'll be time to start hunting for Lancias ;)
I bought a 1969 1750 spider (US version with Spica FI) new in Feb. 1970. It was in the very rare and beautiful apple green color that was a one year color. I kept that car for over 40 years but finally sold to make garage space for my 2015 4C Launch Edition also bought new. If I had the garage space I would still have both. That old round tail was wonderful....but so is the 4C but the 4C is a lot faster....but the old car had a lot more room in the trunk and behind the seats. My wife and I made several long trips in it up and down the West coast of California. That was my daily driver for a few years until a baby came along. It was better than new when I sold it. I consider the 69 spiders to be the most desirable of the run... mechanically and cosmetically.
Robert is one of my 4C buddies. Robert I am lucky to have a larger garage in it a 2015 4C spider named Bella and beside her a 91 Spider in red named Nella!! Ciao.
@@Matteo_Licata It is my favourite auto brand because of the passion evident in the design and engineering of their cars. All Alfa's are designed, in me experience, to heighten the experience of driving, challenge you, which I always enjoy. I did have to do a water pump in my first year of ownership that's it. Great engine and chassis. Woman in particular love to comment on the car.
I have a 91 spider in white. It's always been down on power but too beautiful to give up on. Just found out that it's got a bad fuel pressure regulator so I am hoping for a big improvement. It's low and can't get over big speed bumps but other than that it's been a great car and usable daily driver for at least fifteen years.
That’s cool. I’ve put hundreds of miles on a ‘92 Spider last summer, and I found it very enjoyable to drive indeed. Definitely not fast, but it felt “fast enough” to me, so I hope that swapping the faulty regulator on yours will restore its performance
I think this debate is nearly as old as the Spider itself... And I don't have a straight answer either. As a former designer, I love the purity of the original version. But I also think the 1969 restyling wasn't bad at all, giving the Spider an edgier, sportier look that served it well for a decade. The 1990 version was a brilliant update, I love it too. The series 3 is my least favorite, as I think Pininfarina really phoned that in. They could have done better, honestly. But I'd still own one!
@@Matteo_LicataI often like women with big noses. Really! I don't know why but when a beautifull woman has a somewhat big nose she always seems a bit more interesting to me. Like Sophia Loren, to put in another Italian beauty. Too much perfection is boring. So let's indeed agree to disagree. Now, as far as bums are concerned .....................................(censored). :-)
I don't know, as it's something I have never heard before. The series one did have a kind of feminine grace to it, but I've never heard anyone complaining about that :)
I was thinking about getting a 3 or 4 series, but are they expensive to maintain? Will some parts be crazy expensive or will the car break down all the time?
How much you'll spend on maintenance depends largely on how well you select the car you purchase. Bodies tend to hide all sorts of poor repairs done over time... The running gear is very strong though, the only weak points I know are 2nd gear synchros and whiny differentials. Most of the spares you'll ever need are available, and are not expensive... With the exception of certain items, like the S4 tail lights, for example. If you buy carefully, Spiders are pretty dependable cars, especially compared to other vehicles of similar vintage.
In the USA back then, the round tail was also known as the boat tail. I would love to see a similar video of the 105 and 115 GT. Also, the Montreal variations would be fascinating.
That’s a nice idea! I’ll see what I can find on that subject. Regarding the Montreal, its production run was so small in itself than it had very little in the way of “variants” apart from LHD and RHD
I love your videos grazti mille , i would love to see a video on the maserati quattroporte 3 and the royale, the maserati 4evo, quatroporte V Y the grand turismos models , lamborghini jalpa? and the de tomaso long champ , and pantera story would be nice entertainment , maybe you could choose the top 5 most reliable italian cars , any italian trucks ? and some alfas from the 60’s , the montreal? Some alfas from the early and mid 2000’s , And any other obscure italian cars , maybe the top 5-10 funniest italian and french cars , all though i think the italians have a way better sense of humor, thanks again
You'll find some of your suggestions here on the channel. Regarding trucks, I know nothing about them, so I'm afraid I'm not going to feature any. Thank you for watching!
@@Matteo_Licata I doubt I'll ever get hold of a Beaute model but that paint scheme and upholstery will be applied to the model I buy, I have a house near Cascais in Portugal and that will look a treat on the dockside
I know the early cars were built on the 105 platform and I'm guessing they then progressed to the 115 platform too . Did they use the 115 till the end of production ? .
Regarding the Alfa Spider Quadrifoglio in the US Specs. 3034 cars have been sold in North America. But you have to add to this quantity cars sold in Japan. So about 4000 QV in the US-Specs have been made
The database you posted is impressive. Can I ask you which is your source? I got many books about Alfa but none reports the production data in such detail.
@@Matteo_Licata To find production data by Model Years you need to get official shop manuals. Every model year had own VIN and range of numbers. All of them are in the shop manuals
Ever since I first saw an Alfa Romeo Spider I loved the first series (round tail). I gasped when I saw the export model to the US and what had happened to the beautiful design. That tail spoiler was horrible.
They are all beautiful. The third Series, perhaps considered as the ugly one, is increasing in recognition either stylistically and tradewise. Tutte belle. La terza serie si sta rivalutando molto sia dal punto di vista stilistico che su quello delle valutazioni di mercato.
Mi piacciono tutte e quattro, ognuna per motivi diversi. La terza purtoppo fu vittima di un restyling poco felice persino per gli standard dell'epoca, ma ora che tutto ciò che viene dagli anni '80 è stato ampiamente rivalutato ed apprezzato, sta vivendo un momento favorevole. Mi comprerei volentieri una terza serie comunque, anche se non è la mia preferita.
@@Matteo_Licata Nel 2019 stavo per comprare un terza serie 2.0 Quadrifoglio color grigio, in ottime condizioni. Poi pero' quello mi e' scappato e ho comprato una 124 spider 2.0 del 1978. Che alla fine trovo piu' bella e preferisco. Un mio conoscente ha un Quarta serie 1600, in effetti quello non e' il massimo anche come spinta. Da ragazzo il mio sogno era il coda tronca, quasi ne comprai uno nel 2016, poi pero' mi e' passata la fissazione e lasciai perdere.
Credo si dovrebbe distinguere tra la serie aerodinamica 3.1 e la 3.2. La 3.1 mantiene lo splendido cruscotto delle seconda e la vita snella da pin up, la seconda introduce il pesante cruscotto della quarta e triviali minigonne che appesantiscono la linea. A me la 3.1 piace, lo ammetto !
i have the rarest alfa spider of all time, one of a kind let me tell ya The car has the interior and crank windows of a spider graduate, it looks like a base model graduate as well, but the ownership docs says "spider veloce". The badging say "spider veloce" also. even today i haven't figured out what trim level of spider i own, i suspect my car is 2-3 different spiders glued together.
Interesting... And typical of Alfa Romeo and Italian makes of the period: cars whose specification doesn’t match the one for the model. Have you tried asking the Alfa archives for clarification?
You forgot to mention the real rare Spiders. First of all you forgot to divide American models by model years and by the models. Also you forgot about cars with the Automatic gearbox and cars made for internal AR purposes. Spider Base USA MY91 - 1069 Spider Base Canada MY91 - 70 Spider Veloce Canada MY91 - 387 Spider Base USA MY92 - 67 Spider Veloce USA MY92 - 679 Spider Base Canada MY92 - 15 Spider Veloce Canada MY92 - 322 Spider Base USA MY93 - 45 Spider Veloce USA MY93 - 700 Spider Base Canada MY93 - 4 Spider Veloce Canada MY93 - 34 The numbers above include versions with the automatic gearbox Now numbers for the automatic Automatic Base USA MY91 - 160 Automatic Veloce USA MY91 - 324 Automatic Base Canada MY91 - 14 Automatic Veloce Canada MY91 -166 Automatic Base USA MY92 - 5 Etc...... Cars in Canadian specs were sold in Japan mostly. Also you forgot to mention Alfa Spider Final Edition for Japanese market - 30 cars 4 cars with the special colors have been produced by Alfa Romeo.
@@Matteo_Licata Some information is from Alfa Romeo Inc sales. I got it from the former employee. But most of the information is from ePer. It took more than two years to check every possible VIN. However ePer is missing some information. At some point I started Alfa Spider Automatic register and collected information about automatic cars. The automatics have been made in batches, so it was quite easy to find the real cars registered in North America (as they have specific VIN). I used Carfax (the North American database of all registered cars with the service history) for it. Asian cars (S4 have been sold in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan) are harder to find.Few times per month I check Japanese classified web sites to find the cars). The numbers for Automatic cars might be slightly higher ,approximately 2% but this is the information I have now.
Θαύμασα τον Παρθενώνα και στην κάθε του κολόνα βρήκα τον χρυσό κανόνα Όμως σήμερα το λέω βρίσκω το καλό κι ωραίο σε μια σπορ Alfa Romeo Καλοκαίρια και χειμώνες να 'ναι γύρω μου ελαιώνες πίσω μου όλ' οι αιώνες Κι όπου μπρος μου ο δρόμος βγάζει και σε πειρασμό με βάζει δώσ' του να πατάω το γκάζι Με τη δύναμη του λιόντα και με του πουλιού τα φόντα πιάνω τα εκατόν ογδόντα Γεια σας θάλασσες και όρη γεια σας κι έχω βάλει πλώρη για της Αστραπής την Κόρη. Από τη συλλογή Τα ρω του έρωτα (1972). This is a poet about alfa romeo from the famous Greek literature nobel prize winner odysseus elytis
ive owned many cars from muscle american cars and some europeans like the renault fuego turbo and many odd ones also but my favourite was a 1993 alfa spyder , i sold it after 2 years of pleasure driving because this guy who collected alfas offered me good money now i regret it .
For all Alfa Romeo Spider fans, I've designed two stylish t-shirts, available in my online shop. Check them out here:
teespring.com/coda-tronca-69?tsmac=store&tsmic=roadster-life&pid=387&cid=101867
teespring.com/la-bella-90?tsmac=store&tsmic=roadster-life&pid=387&cid=101867
Another nice video Matteo. 2 Duettos were used in the movie "The Graduate". Dustin Hoffman crashed the first one that Alfa Romeo gave the studio. Alfa made the film studio buy the second one. An ex-Alfa employee based in California told me this story years ago.
Thanks for the info! I knew two were used, but not much more beyond that! I wonder if any of the two survives
@@Matteo_Licata One survives. It was turned into a race car. Last I heard it was located in Colorado.
The round tail was gorgeous.
Oh yes. So dainty and pretty... The first spider was Audrey Hepburn in sheet-metal :)
@@Matteo_Licata I'm stealing the "Audrey Hepburn." [I owned a U.S. model 1750 Spider Veloce purchased new in 1969 ... in Farina Red, of course ... beautiful car!]
Thank you Roadster Life. There is an Alfa Romeo Spider sitting outside the garage in our village in Buckinghamshire in England. Perhaps the video is a sign I should try to buy it?
Probably ;)
Make sure to bring a magnet and an instrument to measure the thickness of paint... I've seen many of these cars looking shiny and beautiful outside... But actually being twisted, rotten-out liabilities...
Video and story always perfect! Great job!
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!
Series 1 all the way for me. The round end is so much more elegant, and the crease in the sheetmetal ending in a beautiful, round, ballpoint-pen-sort-of-like shape is just... genius.
Very good point indeed
1st series spider, is by far the most beautiful. Would love to own one with whatever engine in it in the future.. Keep up the good work!
Hard not to agree! Thank you!
Great video. Love the Alfa spider. Very underrated classic.
Thank you!
they are going up in price pretty quick now..but i have my own spider
Great to see you featuring more in your videos Matteo . For Christmas I was given a copy of 105 Series Spider The complete History by Jim Talbot and Andrew Brown . Such a beautiful car . One day I’d love to come and drive a classic in your beautiful country . A video of some of your best driving routes would be great for future reference 👍🏻 🚗 🇮🇹
Thank you very much Matt!
Regarding me appearing more on my vids, I got good news for you. Yesterday evening I've been making some test footage here at home with me speaking on camera, to check out the best lighting, the background etc.
Why? Because I'm preparing something special you'll all see once this channel will have crossed 10k subscriptions #tease
Your idea about Italy's driving roads is a brilliant one, and I hope to be able to make something like that for you once we'll be more free to travel around.
Wonderful car and great research! Osso di seppia for me the most beautiful. Anyone noticed the Karmann Ghia on the bridge in The Graduate? Thanks for this nice video, ciao 🙋♂️
Yes I noticed that too! Love the Karmann Ghia, such a pretty shape. In Italy very few were sold new in period, as it just wasn't competitive in price and performance with the coupés from Fiat. But I'd love to own one!
Wonderful description thank you .
Thank you for watching!
my favourite...1960 alfa spider touring
You’re a man of taste! Those are very pretty cars too
Any era still beautiful!Shame the world wants SUV's now......Even Alfa Romeo has to do them like everyone else....Maybe one day a new sportscar.....
Product development has sadly stagnated for Alfa in the last few years... But I'm confident that the new management will make the right decisions in the future
All those goddamnend SUV's ruin the postmodern automarket!
Paul they did its called the 4C and its phenominale!!
@@roytrevisan3491 True.Thats one stunner!
Very cool video! Love this little Alfa, absolutelly beautifull. And also a very good example about how to made good restylings!
Yes indeed. The 1990 restyle is among the best ever, in my view
The Series II is one of my favorite cars ever ❤️
The Spider is marvellous and one of my favourites.
Thanks from a series 4 owner. Great cars in any of its versions.
Couldn't agree more!
I own an even rarer RHD 66' Duetto of which only 350 were made. It has been totally restored and feels and drives like it's brand new. The previous owner rarely drove it in the 20 years that he owned it and never in the rain.
Well done 👍
In end of 1984 I bought a 105.57 1750 Spider Veloce (Roundtail), which I still own today.
It‘s still a wave of joy to drive it. Design, Power, Gearbox, Brakes and of course the Sound. 😍😍🤩
Spiders nickname is: „ The car for which no doorbell is needed „ 😎
If I ever had to sell my old cars, the Spider would be the last to go! Forza Alfa 👏🇮🇹
Cool. That’s one of the coolest classics one can have, regardless of budget. Enjoy!!!
The same to me with my Gt '69 I bought the same year mentioned!
@@studiocalder818 TOP👍 I hope you enjoy the GT ( a 1750?) as much as I do my Spider. Unfortunately I forgot to mention the 1750 engine. A real dream machine 😍
@@gtdriver7423 🎯 for the 1750 engine.
Unluckily my one is only a 1.6 (gorgeous stepnose).
I remember I was a young student and I had only the money to buy the car (less than 300 euro!), pay the transcription and a 5 days insurance.
Enjoy your Alfas.
(By the way I'm currenly totally restoring it)
@@studiocalder818A stepnose -wonderful 👏😍 good luck with the restoration. 👍
I start my „car career „ in 1979 with a 1972 Lancia Fulvia Zagato1.3 and another 72Fulvia Zagato arrived in short time also a 72 Fulvia 1600HF, two years later a 67 Fulvia Zagato, one year later a 68 Fulvia Zagato and a 67 Fiat124 Spider arrived (all for little money). Cause I was only a poor student. After I finished my study I start to sell all the Lancias and the 124 Spider with the exception of the 67 Zagato to buy the 69 1750 Spider Veloce. Unfortunately I crashed the Alfa and to rebuildt it, I had to sold the 67 Zagato and had to take a 72 2000GTV Bertone into payment for it, which I was able to sell well some time later. The Alfa Spider was for a decade my daily driver from March to October and until today with more than 300.000 km on the odometer.
In 2010 a 69 Porsche 912 (for my wife) was added and in
2011 I tried to find a good 2.8 3C Lancia Flaminia GT, but no chance to find one in good condition for my budget. You won’t believe, it become a 1966 Ford Mustang V8 Fastback GT. 😳 I still can‘t believe it myself 🙈
Every single car Alfa Romeo made is iconic...
Except for the Arna, we don't talk about the Arna :P
The Arna isn't iconic, but it's nevertheless part of Alfa history. Wrote a book about it, actually: www.roadster-life.com/post/book-alfa-romeo-arna-the-true-story-1980-1987
Nobody had anything to say about the best-selling Nissan Cherry (with Japanese road holding, ehm ehm..); well, Alfa Romeo based its Arna on that model by drastically improving roadholding and engines (and learning about painting techniques).
Everyone threw and still throw stones at the Arna!
I had no idea the round tail was so rare - I feel privileged to have seen one, then, in the flesh.
These stunning roadsters - such a special feeling to drive a basic 2 seater drop-top on a gorgeous winding coastal road. That is what road trips were made for.
The round-tail that’s relatively more common is the 1600cc model, the very first version. But I don’t think that was ever sold Stateside
@@Matteo_Licata Ah right. The one I saw, must be 4 or 5 years ago, was in South Africa. Unsure which cc model that was, but what a gorgeous car. It was a left-hand drive, so it was an import that was never intended for South Africa's right-hand drive roads. Very much an Alfa lover's dream car, that one.
Why change a winning team?
Great video, as always, Matteo. 🇳🇴
Thanks! 😃
La bella figura. Is there any car more Italian? Now most want to sit in a/c behind dark glass in their SUV.
I feel sorry for those SUV drivers. They’ll never know the joy of driving.
Very nice! My favourite is the coda tronca, followed by series 4 and the aerodynamica. Sorry I don't like the round tail at all, especially because of the more upright windscreen.
Thanks u man imso happy to I'm not a only alfa lover and the video was great keep on good job
Glad you enjoyed it!
Come sempre.... TOP !❤
Grazie mille, mi fa molto piacere! Per la prossima settimana sto preparando un altro spiderino... Fatto le riprese giorni fa ;)
@@Matteo_Licata Non vedo l'ora! 😁✌🏎❤
Love the series 2 tail. My favourite.
Im buying a 1986 Black Alfa Romeo Spider Graduate as my first car 😁, I’m so excited
Wow, that's a very cool first car indeed! Congratulations!!!!
I just got hands on the most rare Alfa Romeo Spider - the beautiful „BEAUTE“ model. It will be properly serviced and refreshed in the next two-three months and after that it will placed for sale. So, if there is someone looking for this rare and special Spider, please let me know. Greetings from Germany to all Alfa Romeo Spider fans. :)
lo stile prima di tutto !! Bravo Matteo
I have to admit I was never a fan of Alfa Romeo cars period. That is until 2006 when I went to work for a gentleman who salvaged Alfas along with tuned them for the track and also raced them. Including the Pan American where he raced a giulietta sprint with Ken Edwards as navigator. My boss Louie gave me my fascination and love of all cars Italian and motorcycles. The genius of the cars was and still is mind boggling. While Louie no longer races or work's on Alfas due to cancer from agent orange exposure as a recon marine with 3 tours all over the I corp zone from coast to the mountains in the west. Thanks to him i have more Alfa parts than I know what to do with. I still own a Alfa 164 but the rest of my cars are Maserati and a Lancia Flavia and a Land Rover. But my new found love of Alfa Romeo has everyone who's known me from a kid scratching their head. Thanks for the Alfa history if anyone knows of a channel that has a good history of the engine's used by Alfa from the 1.3 to the V8 out of the tipo 33 Stradale I would love to know more about them especially the V8 from the tipo 33 the most beautiful car to ever exist IMHO.
Wow, thank you for sharing your story. Fascinating!
Regarding Alfa engines, I did a few videos on the subject. They are a bit old, but I crammed there plenty of information: ua-cam.com/play/PLmTW_QV3wiQ55B210wYoDAdG-ydMt-uu-.html
@@Matteo_Licata thanks for the link, I shared it with my old boss. Like me he's new to watching UA-cam. We are both surprised by the amount of Alfa content there is. Which reminded of the Alfa spider we once bought from a lady back east. She was selling it cheap even though it's was low mileage. An 72 with duel Weber's but still had the factory spice pump. She was the original owner and had hardly driven it since she bought it due to a bad rattle that nobody could find. We picked it up in South Carolina, And I drove it back to Oklahoma and sure enough there was a bad rattle. At first I figured it was in the exhaust, but I was wrong, it was definitely in the back half of it car, it wasn't the fuel tank, not the tank cover, nor the filler neck, not the frame for the top. Nothing in the rear end, shocks, springs, trailing arms or sway bar. I was stumped and so was the boss. Finally he told me to strip it because he's not selling a car that rattle's so I stripped it down to the body. Then I cut the nose and fenders off took the rocker skins and started on the quarters I cut the right off and was taking the left quarter off and found the source of the rattle inside the triangle shaped inner structure right where the the trunk release cable runs and the top bolts on was an empty wine bottle. That is still the strangest thing I've ever found in any car. But it was a relief I was beginning question my abilities and so was my boss not being able to find the rattle. I hate it when I can determine the cause of a problem on a car. But it explained why In close to 40 yrs nobody else had found it either.
The US spec Serie IV was also available with power steering, 3-speed ZF automatic gearbox and ofcourse the fuel-injected 2.0L engine.
Yes I've seen a few autos recently re-imported from the States... But I think an auto 'box spoils the fun on the Spider :)
Well done guys!! 🍀🏁💕
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
There are no "guys" though :)
Roadster Life is a one-man show: me and my laptop... And I think that's not going to change. I like to have complete creative control upon every aspect of what I do.
Is your 33 video online? I look forward to watching it!
@@Matteo_Licata well done, my friend! Your videos have quality! Yes, it is on! You can watch it! I think you will love it!
@@SferaChannel Thank you very much! Cool, I'm going to watch it right now :)
I remember having one of these up on the lift at work back in the eighties. It was brand new and I thought it the suspension seemed comically antique and minimal.
Well... It was :)
It was a 1960s car that changed very little under the skin over the years.
The Series 1 and 4 were my favorites by far.
Are you planning to do any videos on the Lancia Lybra or Thesis in the future?
While the Thesis has already been requested and is indeed an interesting car I’d like to cover... You’re the first to ask for the Lybra :)
If I’ll get the chance to film a nice example, though... Why not? :)
@@Matteo_Licata Wow. Thanks for your reply! I'm an American, and the Lybra is extremely interesting to me for a few reasons. 1) It was Lancia's first foray into "retro" styling that predicted the Thesis, Type 843 and 846 Ypsilons, Type 844 Delta, as well as the Musa and Phedra, 2) It used the same platform as the Alfa 156 but didn't come with the V6s that the Alfa got, so it seems like there's a Lancia vs Alfa story hiding in there, and 3) It's got a lot of character, but extremely little is available online in English to learn about the car's story, its successes and failures, its characteristics, etc. I happen to love what little I know about the Lybra, and managed to get my hands on a 1/43 scale model from France and a set of original press photos from 2000 on eBay.
Perhaps I'm just a weirdo and most people don't care about the Lybra because there isn't much to care about. I wouldn't know firsthand. As the author of a book on the ARNA, perhaps you understand what it's like to care about a car that is misunderstood, obscure, or forgotten. When I was in my late teens/early 20s (late '90s to mid 2000s), I watched Lanca's range from afar, envious of the European market for having access to these cars... the Lybra, 843 Ypsilon, and Thesis especially. I fell in love with the 2004 Fulvia concept and hoped they'd make it, but alas... Lancias of the post-Delta Integrale era seem to be fading into obscurity, and it'd be nice to know more about these cars that were the last of a line of Lancias where the company was actually making an effort to distinguish the marque. Even if they, sadly, were no longer race-bred and didn't succeed in their mission.
The Lybra’s gestation has been marred by infighting within the Fiat group, which badly affected the car’s design. However, the Lybra actually was a very good car, penalized by its styling and suffering the internal competition from the successful Alfa 156. I think that covering the Lybra properly will have to include an interview to people involved with the project
@@Matteo_Licata Well, I know that your high-quality and interesting videos take a LOT of effort, as it is. If a piece on the Lybra ever works out, great. If not, that’s fine too. But just the small amount you’ve mentioned here is quite intriguing to me. I figured there was a story behind this car. And I’m glad it’s considered to be a very good car because I’m thinking about looking into importing one when the 25-year rule lapses in 3-4 years.
@@judethaddaeus9742 Wow, that's the mark of true love: actually importing a Lybra to the USA! I like this kind of passion, and, being based in Italy, I probably can help you find the right car. Drop me an e-mail when it'll be time to start hunting for Lancias ;)
I bought a 1969 1750 spider (US version with Spica FI) new in Feb. 1970. It was in the very rare and beautiful apple green color that was a one year color. I kept that car for over 40 years but finally sold to make garage space for my 2015 4C Launch Edition also bought new. If I had the garage space I would still have both. That old round tail was wonderful....but so is the 4C but the 4C is a lot faster....but the old car had a lot more room in the trunk and behind the seats. My wife and I made several long trips in it up and down the West coast of California. That was my daily driver for a few years until a baby came along. It was better than new when I sold it.
I consider the 69 spiders to be the most desirable of the run... mechanically and cosmetically.
Wow, that’s a fantastic story of passion for Alfa Romeo! Did the old Spider need much work during your time with it?
Robert is one of my 4C buddies. Robert I am lucky to have a larger garage in it a 2015 4C spider named Bella and beside her a 91 Spider in red named Nella!! Ciao.
@@Matteo_Licata It is my favourite auto brand because of the passion evident in the design and engineering of their cars. All Alfa's are designed, in me experience, to heighten the experience of driving, challenge you, which I always enjoy. I did have to do a water pump in my first year of ownership that's it. Great engine and chassis. Woman in particular love to comment on the car.
I have a 91 spider in white. It's always been down on power but too beautiful to give up on. Just found out that it's got a bad fuel pressure regulator so I am hoping for a big improvement. It's low and can't get over big speed bumps but other than that it's been a great car and usable daily driver for at least fifteen years.
That’s cool. I’ve put hundreds of miles on a ‘92 Spider last summer, and I found it very enjoyable to drive indeed. Definitely not fast, but it felt “fast enough” to me, so I hope that swapping the faulty regulator on yours will restore its performance
Continuing on our little discussion which Spider's bum looks best: I think the Duetto's does! :-)
I think this debate is nearly as old as the Spider itself... And I don't have a straight answer either. As a former designer, I love the purity of the original version. But I also think the 1969 restyling wasn't bad at all, giving the Spider an edgier, sportier look that served it well for a decade. The 1990 version was a brilliant update, I love it too.
The series 3 is my least favorite, as I think Pininfarina really phoned that in. They could have done better, honestly. But I'd still own one!
@@Matteo_LicataI often like women with big noses. Really! I don't know why but when a beautifull woman has a somewhat big nose she always seems a bit more interesting to me. Like Sophia Loren, to put in another Italian beauty. Too much perfection is boring. So let's indeed agree to disagree. Now, as far as bums are concerned .....................................(censored). :-)
Awesome production, Matteo! 👏🏻
Is it true that customers back in the sixties found the Series 1 too female?
I don't know, as it's something I have never heard before. The series one did have a kind of feminine grace to it, but I've never heard anyone complaining about that :)
@@Matteo_Licata I’m not sure where I read it, but I’ll send you the reference if I’m coming across it one more time.
Alfa romeo😍😍😍
This car has very nice lines with the top down.
Indeed!
I was thinking about getting a 3 or 4 series, but are they expensive to maintain? Will some parts be crazy expensive or will the car break down all the time?
How much you'll spend on maintenance depends largely on how well you select the car you purchase. Bodies tend to hide all sorts of poor repairs done over time... The running gear is very strong though, the only weak points I know are 2nd gear synchros and whiny differentials. Most of the spares you'll ever need are available, and are not expensive... With the exception of certain items, like the S4 tail lights, for example. If you buy carefully, Spiders are pretty dependable cars, especially compared to other vehicles of similar vintage.
Lindas! Which present car brand/model has the potential to become as iconic as one of those? If any...
Good question! I don't have an answer though...
Hi! Is it comfortable in the cabin with a height of 184 cm? Do your feet rest on the steering wheel? Does the head touch the roof?
“comfortable” may not be the right word, but there’s significantly more space than, say, in a Mazda MX5.
In the USA back then, the round tail was also known as the boat tail.
I would love to see a similar video of the 105 and 115 GT.
Also, the Montreal variations would be fascinating.
That’s a nice idea! I’ll see what I can find on that subject. Regarding the Montreal, its production run was so small in itself than it had very little in the way of “variants” apart from LHD and RHD
Any videos possible with the Lm002 lamborghini thanks
I'm not that into supercars and exotics, there are plenty of UA-camrs that cover those, after all
I love your videos grazti mille , i would love to see a video on the maserati quattroporte 3 and the royale, the maserati 4evo, quatroporte V Y the grand turismos models , lamborghini jalpa? and the de tomaso long champ , and pantera story would be nice entertainment , maybe you could choose the top 5 most reliable italian cars , any italian trucks ? and some alfas from the 60’s , the montreal? Some alfas from the early and mid 2000’s , And any other obscure italian cars , maybe the top 5-10 funniest italian and french cars , all though i think the italians have a way better sense of humor, thanks again
You'll find some of your suggestions here on the channel. Regarding trucks, I know nothing about them, so I'm afraid I'm not going to feature any. Thank you for watching!
That "Beaute" special edition in white and navy blue looks very classy
It belongs to the poshest places on the Riviera, it has that kind of Saint Tropez vibe to it
@@Matteo_Licata I doubt I'll ever get hold of a Beaute model but that paint scheme and upholstery will be applied to the model I buy, I have a house near Cascais in Portugal and that will look a treat on the dockside
I know the early cars were built on the 105 platform and I'm guessing they then progressed to the 115 platform too . Did they use the 115 till the end of production ? .
The platform never changed, but the code did :)
Yes they remained 115 until the end
@@Matteo_Licata thanks for the answer !
@@andynixon2820 My pleasure. I enjoy interacting with fellow enthusiasts through the comments. Thank you for watching!
Regarding the Alfa Spider Quadrifoglio in the US Specs. 3034 cars have been sold in North America. But you have to add to this quantity cars sold in Japan. So about 4000 QV in the US-Specs have been made
Rear Drive Spiders..thts how we call it..cool ..sexy ..tq for the video ..
Grande Mateo
Muchas gracias Felix!!!!
@@Matteo_Licata tenemos que hablar, tio, hace mucho que no hablamos. Nos acordamos mucho de ti. Un abrazo muy grande
Automatic transmission models were very rare. Perhaps include a treatment of them in a video.
if all goes well, I should buy a Series 2 variant this year🙈. in Europe
That’s fantastic news, congratulations!
I didnt know about the Niki Lauda edition :o
I like round tails
Everyone does! :)
But I do like all Spiders, each for a different reason.
The Alfa Giulia GTC is missing from this video
The video is about 105/115 Spiders. The Giulia GTC was a four seats convertible, not a Spider
Don't get this, where are the 750-101 series (1956-1965) Spider Veloce and Normale??? 😕
Ouch. Sorry, I thought it was clear enough that it was all about the 105/115 models.
@@Matteo_Licata aha, no it wasn't, but I might have missed a part where you mentioned it....was cooking at a same time....
Correction. Spider Beauty - 119 cars were made
The database you posted is impressive. Can I ask you which is your source? I got many books about Alfa but none reports the production data in such detail.
@@Matteo_Licata To find production data by Model Years you need to get official shop manuals. Every model year had own VIN and range of numbers. All of them are in the shop manuals
The fastback is the best!
Hard not to agree on that!
Wrong information. At least 3135 Alfa Spider 1.6 S4 have been made.
Ever since I first saw an Alfa Romeo Spider I loved the first series (round tail). I gasped when I saw the export model to the US and what had happened to the beautiful design. That tail spoiler was horrible.
👌🏻
They are all beautiful.
The third Series, perhaps considered as the ugly one, is increasing in recognition either stylistically and tradewise.
Tutte belle. La terza serie si sta rivalutando molto sia dal punto di vista stilistico che su quello delle valutazioni di mercato.
Mi piacciono tutte e quattro, ognuna per motivi diversi. La terza purtoppo fu vittima di un restyling poco felice persino per gli standard dell'epoca, ma ora che tutto ciò che viene dagli anni '80 è stato ampiamente rivalutato ed apprezzato, sta vivendo un momento favorevole. Mi comprerei volentieri una terza serie comunque, anche se non è la mia preferita.
@@Matteo_Licata Nel 2019 stavo per comprare un terza serie 2.0 Quadrifoglio color grigio, in ottime condizioni. Poi pero' quello mi e' scappato e ho comprato una 124 spider 2.0 del 1978. Che alla fine trovo piu' bella e preferisco.
Un mio conoscente ha un Quarta serie 1600, in effetti quello non e' il massimo anche come spinta.
Da ragazzo il mio sogno era il coda tronca, quasi ne comprai uno nel 2016, poi pero' mi e' passata la fissazione e lasciai perdere.
@@TNPTVconnect La 124 fu certamente un'ottima scelta, complimenti! Colore?
@@Matteo_Licata rosso. la puoi vedere sul mio instagram insieme altre mie auto e varie che vedo per eventi e in giro instagram.com/wheelsandchrome/
Credo si dovrebbe distinguere tra la serie aerodinamica 3.1 e la 3.2.
La 3.1 mantiene lo splendido cruscotto delle seconda e la vita snella da pin up, la seconda introduce il pesante cruscotto della quarta e triviali minigonne che appesantiscono la linea.
A me la 3.1 piace, lo ammetto !
i have the rarest alfa spider of all time, one of a kind let me tell ya
The car has the interior and crank windows of a spider graduate, it looks like a base model graduate as well, but the ownership docs says "spider veloce". The badging say "spider veloce" also.
even today i haven't figured out what trim level of spider i own, i suspect my car is 2-3 different spiders glued together.
Interesting... And typical of Alfa Romeo and Italian makes of the period: cars whose specification doesn’t match the one for the model. Have you tried asking the Alfa archives for clarification?
@@Matteo_Licata yes but it costs money
You forgot to mention the real rare Spiders. First of all you forgot to divide American models by model years and by the models. Also you forgot about cars with the Automatic gearbox and cars made for internal AR purposes.
Spider Base USA MY91 - 1069
Spider Base Canada MY91 - 70
Spider Veloce Canada MY91 - 387
Spider Base USA MY92 - 67
Spider Veloce USA MY92 - 679
Spider Base Canada MY92 - 15
Spider Veloce Canada MY92 - 322
Spider Base USA MY93 - 45
Spider Veloce USA MY93 - 700
Spider Base Canada MY93 - 4
Spider Veloce Canada MY93 - 34
The numbers above include versions with the automatic gearbox
Now numbers for the automatic
Automatic Base USA MY91 - 160
Automatic Veloce USA MY91 - 324
Automatic Base Canada MY91 - 14
Automatic Veloce Canada MY91 -166
Automatic Base USA MY92 - 5
Etc......
Cars in Canadian specs were sold in Japan mostly.
Also you forgot to mention Alfa Spider Final Edition for Japanese market - 30 cars
4 cars with the special colors have been produced by Alfa Romeo.
What a thorough database!
That's nteresting
Wow, that’s an impressive database I did not have. Well, thank you for letting me know.
@@Matteo_Licata Some information is from Alfa Romeo Inc sales. I got it from the former employee. But most of the information is from ePer. It took more than two years to check every possible VIN. However ePer is missing some information. At some point I started Alfa Spider Automatic register and collected information about automatic cars. The automatics have been made in batches, so it was quite easy to find the real cars registered in North America (as they have specific VIN). I used Carfax (the North American database of all registered cars with the service history) for it.
Asian cars (S4 have been sold in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan) are harder to find.Few times per month I check Japanese classified web sites to find the cars).
The numbers for Automatic cars might be slightly higher ,approximately 2% but this is the information I have now.
The Quad Verde black spoiler was off putting when it came out. It ruins Alfa’s beautiful lines
👍🇲🇰
Θαύμασα τον Παρθενώνα
και στην κάθε του κολόνα
βρήκα τον χρυσό κανόνα
Όμως σήμερα το λέω
βρίσκω το καλό κι ωραίο
σε μια σπορ Alfa Romeo
Καλοκαίρια και χειμώνες
να 'ναι γύρω μου ελαιώνες
πίσω μου όλ' οι αιώνες
Κι όπου μπρος μου ο δρόμος βγάζει
και σε πειρασμό με βάζει
δώσ' του να πατάω το γκάζι
Με τη δύναμη του λιόντα
και με του πουλιού τα φόντα
πιάνω τα εκατόν ογδόντα
Γεια σας θάλασσες και όρη
γεια σας κι έχω βάλει πλώρη
για της Αστραπής την Κόρη.
Από τη συλλογή Τα ρω του έρωτα (1972). This is a poet about alfa romeo from the famous Greek literature nobel prize winner odysseus elytis
Having owned a couple, the Duetto is the cat's a$$, the rest are nice, but not so much as the first one.
I had never heard the first Duetto be defined that way, but I see your point: the original was very pretty indeed.
ive owned many cars from muscle american cars and some europeans like the renault fuego turbo and many odd ones also but my favourite was a 1993 alfa spyder , i sold it after 2 years of pleasure driving because this guy who collected alfas offered me good money now i regret it .