1959 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider, Coachwork by Touring

1959 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider
Coachwork by Touring
Chassis no. AR10204*00137
Engine no. AR00204*03439
1,974cc DOHC Inline 4-Cylinder Engine
2 Solex Carburetors
131bhp at 3,500rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front Suspension – Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Recipient of an extensive 3-year restoration
*Under the care of the current owner for nearly 25 years
*Sophisticated ahead-of-its-time mechanical configuration
*Italian coachbuilt thoroughbred
*"La Dolce Vita" period Alfa Romeo

THE ALFA ROMEO 2000 SPIDER

Although Alfa Romeo returned to automobile manufacturing fairly quickly after World War II, it was not until 1950 that a new design became available. This was the 1900, a unit body sedan with a twin overhead cam 1,884cc four-cylinder engine. It was the first Alfa built on a real production line—all previous cars had been largely hand-built—and also the first with left-hand drive. Until 1950, Alfa production had hovered around 400 units annually. With the 1900, this increased almost tenfold. A 1900C Sprint Coupe was introduced with body by Touring and a Spider Cabriolet by Pinin Farina, both built in much smaller quantities.

In 1958, Alfa came out with a new sedan, which, with its larger 1,975cc engine, was called the 2000. There was, not surprisingly, a 2000 Spider, designed and built by Touring, and a 2000 Sprint Coupe done by Bertone, the latter introduced in 1960. Spider and Sprint production comprised nearly half of all 2000 sales—3,443 examples of the Spider were produced, and 700 of the more expensive Sprint Coupe. The 2000 sedan had the uncommon feature of a column-mounted shifter for its five-speed transmission, while the Spider and Sprint retained the more sporting-oriented floor-mounted gear shift.

Built between 1958 and 1962, the 2000 Spider was far rarer than its junior counterpart, the Giulietta Spider (of which about 17,000 were produced), and at $5,365 POE, its price was much greater than that of the smaller car. The 1975cc 4-Cylinder engine, with duplex-chain driven twin overhead camshafts, hemispherical combustion chambers, and a pair of side-draft Solex carburetors, was tuned to deliver 131 horsepower, allowing the Touring-bodied roadster to easily exceed 100 mph. Its fully-synchronized 5-Speed transmission allowed fairly relaxed high-speed touring, and its large Alfin drum brakes were extremely effective for their day. The handsome unibody styled by Carrozzeria Touring on a 98-inch wheelbase presaged what would become the six-cylinder 2600 convertible in 1962.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This fine example was completed at the Alfa Romeo plant on February 11,1959, as a left-hand-drive touring bodied spider. The Alfa Romeo, which carried a high-performance twin-cam engine with dual Solex carburetors, is said to have been delivered to the Hoffman Motor Car Company of New York.

In the 1980s, the coachbuilt Alfa was found in solid and original condition, with an odometer reading of less than 70,000 miles. The Spider was enjoyed in its original state for many years before being treated to a comprehensive restoration (began in 2013). The restoration included a full strip and bare metal repaint of the lithe Touring bodywork in the original color of Grigio Biacca. The original bumpers and trim were retained and re-chromed. The interior was fully restored as well, and re-trimmed in red. The engine was fully rebuilt with new bearings, pistons, rings, and all associated parts. Furthermore, the gearbox, brakes, and suspension were all fully rebuilt and restored to as-new condition. Combed from front to back, the restoration took three years to complete and no expense was spared. The car has formed part of the consignor's Northern California-based collection of classic Italian sports cars, and has covered less than 1000 miles since restoration.

This rare, top-of-the-line 2000 Touring is eligible for exclusive driving events around the globe, and will surely provide its driver with many smile-inducing experiences. A fine example of open top motoring with excellent road holding and high-revving twin-cam performance, the 2000 Spider rightly claims its place in the Alfa lineage and one would be hard-pressed to find a near competitor at double the investment.