Famous for its appearance in the film the Graduate in 1967, the year after it was launched at the Geneva Motor Show, the Alfa Romeo Spider had enduring popularity that saw the stylish Italian convertible continue in production in various guises up to 1993.
During that time there were four major versions, but the basic formula of a rorty twin cam four cylinder engine driving the rear wheels wrapped in an attractive roadster body remained throughout and Alfa sold over 124,000 in total.
Prices of the earlier Series 1 and 2 cars have shot up in recent years, making now a good time to consider a Series 3 (or ‘S3’) before they go the same way. And with an enthusiastic band of marque enthusiasts and independent specialists out there to help, Alfa ownership can be a lot less onerous than some of the stereotypes would have you believe.
This car is a very late example of an S3, which officially ended production in 1989, but the V5 shows a production date of 1990. This is possibly because they were all manufactured as left hand drive and then converted in the UK to put the steering wheel on the correct side. We mention this because although the speedo is in mph, the odometer reportedly clocks up kilometres which means that the total mileage stands at only a little over 32,000, surely making this amongst the least used examples in the country.
The current owner has been in possession since 2017 and in the 20 years prior to that it was in the hands of an Alfa enthusiast in Scotland where it was only used in the dry and, possibly as a result of that, accumulated only a few hundred miles a year. During its stay in Scotland it received a new roof, replacing the original black roof with red, to match its redheaded owner.
Over the last four years, it’s been maintained fastidiously by the seller who has attended to any items arising meaning that it’s had new rear brakes (callipers, pads and disks), handbrake pads and cable, an overhauled gearbox, new fabric bands that limit the suspension travel, doughnuts at either end of the driveshaft, door seals, new door handles and locks (matched to the original keys), Wheel bearings tightened and a new mounting for the brake master cylinder. Note that a number of these items appear as advisories on the latest MOT due to a mix up with the garage. It is shortly due to be retested and will come with a new MOT. It has also been professionally detailed ready for sale. Why the decision to sell? Well, a recent move means that the garage space is not as accessible as it used to be and the owner has decided to trade in classic car ownership for classic boat ownership, now living only 30 metres from the sea.
There are some records from the previous owner’s tenure but cataloguing receipts wasn’t necessarily his first priority. Since the current owner took over, however, everything has been meticulously recorded and the car is accompanied by full details of all the work carried out. The V5 is present and will be accompanied by a fresh MOT, as outlined above.
With a wood rimmed steering wheel, nicely patinated leather seats and vivid red carpets with matching overmats, the interior fulfils the classic Italian roadster brief with aplomb. The buttons and switches all work, too, including the stereo which has had new speakers fitted. The dash gauges include oil pressure which never drops below the centre reading of 57psi, a voltmeter which reflects the good condition of the new battery and a water temperature gauge which sadly is not functioning but the fact that the twin electric fans cut in suggests that the fault is gauge-related rather than anything amiss in the engine bay.
The driver’s seat has been in its rearmost position and had unfortunately caught on the hood mechanism when putting the hood down. The current owner discovered that this can be avoided by tilting the seat forward when lowering the hood but not before some damage had occurred to the rear of the seat. This has so far been left to preserve the originality of the leather but a new owner may wish to address this in some way, although you have to go looking in order to find the damage.
The hood itself, in non-original red, suits the car well and is a quality item. It folds and stows easily and the original tonneau cover is present and in great condition, never having seen much use as neither of the last two owners have taken the car out in the rain. In the boot, the red carpeting continues and features an embossed Alfa Romeo logo against the rear bulkhead. Under the carpet finds no sign of corrosion, a full size spare and the recently replaced battery.
Following its recent detailing session, the red paintwork has come up beautifully and the car looks fabulous in the summer sunshine. The panels are all straight and dent-free and, while there are a few blemishes, none detract from the overall impression of a very well cared for car. The body was undersealed from new which, along with the dedication to dry use, means that there is no sign of the corrosion that can be found on many Spiders and, in the last year, it’s also received a top-up to the underseal in the form of Lanoguard which has been applied in the areas where the original underseal has worn off.
The original wheels are in fine condition with just a few light kerb marks around the edges and all, including the spare, were shod with the original spec Pirelli tyres in 2018 and, having covered only around 4,000 miles since, still have plenty of tread remaining.
If he were to keep the car, the current owner would look to address the few signs of ageing: some surface rust on the driver’s door mirror, the lacquer lifting on the air intake on the front scuttle, and some stone chips to the front nose cone. There is also a very small area of surface corrosion on the front scuttle that has also been touched in already (and the underside coated with aircraft anti corrosion coating to avoid further spread) which would also be on the list. But these are small details and don’t detract from otherwise lovely presentation; it will be up to the new owner to decide where to take it next.
As an anti-theft measure, there is a motorsport isolator switch concealed within the car but we won’t reveal exactly where as that would partially defeat the object of it! With the isolator suitably disabled, the engine fires first time every time and, having the Bosch fuel injection rather than the double carbs that are also found in the Spider, it’s held its tune well. That means that the 2 litre motor is both very torquey and revs out nicely. On the road, it’s very easy to stroke along between 2,000 and 4,000 revs and, driven carefully, it returns over 40mpg on a run. The lack of power steering means that while manoeuvring needs a bit of effort, it has a lovely feel above 20mph and British A roads are reportedly a delight to drive.
While on the move, there are no untoward noises from the suspension, diff or gearbox to detract from the noise of the lovely twin cam engine and it changes up and down the box smoothly. The freshly refreshed brakes pull the car up smartly and in a straight line. Mechanically, it’s ready to be enjoyed.
The Alfa Spider has all the ingredients to enjoy a great drive on a sunny summer’s day. Roof down, an Italian twin cam soundtrack, sneaking up and down the gears and an iconic silhouette to gaze at from the pub garden. And with values of its predecessor well on the way up, the S3 looks destined to follow.
But, not all S3’s are created equal nor kept as diligently as this one. The current owner had to look long and hard to find this one and, in the process, had to reject a couple of others that, while outwardly sound, didn’t meet his exacting standards. He had to travel quite a distance to collect it and, since then, has lavished care and attention on it to make sure it stays in fine form. His switch from cars to boats could be your gain. If you’re taken by the thought of a Spider, then S3’s in this condition don’t come along too often, so best get bidding!
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the seller's discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
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1990 Alfa Romeo Spider S3
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