So, as I wait in the online queue for a vaccine, I’ll start the story of the car I’ve owned the longest, and have the most emotional investment.

First, the prehistory. According to the Museo Storico of Alfa Romeo, my Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (115.01) was built in Milan on April 24, 1972 and delivered to Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. The exterior color was Biancospino, a bright white named after a flower. The interior is the much more prosaically named Tessuto plastificato nero, or black vinyl. When I sent the query to the archivist, I added my engine number. Alfa folklore was that the factory didn’t match engine numbers with chassis, so there is no “matching number” Alfa of this vintage. I had searched the engine number against the best estimates, and it did match the range for a 1972 USA GTV 2000. I asked the Alfa archive to verify, and they said that the engine was not the one matched to the chassis when the car was built.

I don’t have records of its first two years, but it was sold in Alabama in May 1974 with 9,084 miles. Not much from second owner, but the third owner bought it sometime between 1979 and 1982. There’s a receipt from International Auto Parts in December 1982 for oil seals, radiator hose, filters, and bearings, then bushings in January 1983 from Graffeo’s Imported Cars. Some paint in 1983.

And then 1984. Pistons. Liners. Valve springs. Upper and lower timing chains. Driveshaft balancing. Radiator repair. All from familiar Alfa vendors of the 80s (Centerline, Ereminas, IAP), but no shop bills. A tell tale July 4 run to Bumper to Bumper Auto Parts for plastigage and make-a-gasket. An SCCA (!) discount for spark plugs. So was this a recovery rebuild or a performance rebuild?

The engine rebuild was followed by a front bumper, grill, nose panel, and lock from Spruell Alfa in July 1985. A whole transmission and fresh synchros (“1981/36,000 miles”) were bought, but it doesn’t look like they were installed until 1988 by Bud Mollison Subaru Alfa (mileage listed as 66,080) installed along with a new front sway bar. (I recently removed the front sway bar. Three different sized nuts secured the four bolts securing it.). An alignment in 1987 and a personalized plate (“ZORK”) in 1989.

Of course, what is missing here are SPICA problems. At least until January 1990, when a rebuilt unit arrives from Alfa Ricambi for $990.

In July 1990 the car moves to Austin, and changes hands again.

I bought the car in 1994 from a man who had two GTVs, and who decided to tear down and restore one, and to sell the other. I’m guessing this is the flyer associated with the one I bought, though some parts are no longer there, most notably the BWA wheels- my Alfa has the stock steel wheels. I’m not sure about the springs or the Ward and Deane suspension kit. Interesting that the flyer doesn’t mention the replacement gear box. It also had a replacement gas tank from a similar vintage Spider. It fit in the trunk floor fine, but the filler neck was at a different angle.

There were a three undated high-impact receipts – “Epoxy Primer/Bodywork/ Paint,” “Repair Damage/Paint Damage” and “Piston and head work.”

It looks like the little Alfa suffered at least blows in its life -on to the front, one to the back. Neither the gearbox nor the engine are original. The seats are not original. I think this means I have a moral blank check to hot rod and modify as I see fit.