The Alfa is leaving

The GTV 6 that we drove to events all over last year is sold. It leaves tomorrow on a truck to Texas.

The car was awesome and proves that Italian cars can be a more fun than pain. We were constantly amazed at the curb appeal the car had, even at places like Monterey.

It is going to be replaced with a 1965(really a 64 but title says 65) Volvo 1800S. I would say it is about a 3 minus with some work needed to bring it up a level or so.

No major rust at all and runs great. I will be picking it up in February just North of Charlotte, NC. The owner, Jack Partin, has been terrific, answering hundreds of questions.

Writing the buyers guide and driving a bunch of them in the process sold me.

You will see it at the Kohler, June Sprints, Monterey and likely at the Mitty as well.

Andy, we might disagree on the validity of auctions but I do agree with your decision to purchase the 1800S. I bought a '68 about 40 years ago and it was my daily driver for 6 years. I loved it and wish I still had it today. Good luck with it.

Noooooooo!!! I just read about it in this month issue that your wife was not to happy about the car.... Sold!?? !@#$%@#$%

Any photos of the car? Can you share what it sold for?

Now I understand the section dedicated to the Volvo in this month's issue...

Andy, it's common for old Volvos to be titled as the year they were first registered rather than by the actual model year. If you have any doubts about yours, a '64 has cow horn bumpers, egg crate grille, and the OD switch is a toggle on the dash. '65 has straight bumpers (front and rear are the same parts), grille is a single stainless stamped piece, and the OD switch is a stalk on the steering column.

I'm pretty sure you know that after researching 1800s for your nice article in the current issue, but...

Thanks for all the help. :)

It is indeed a 64 that is titled as a 65. It has the upswept cow horns in the front and the straight ones at the rear, egg crate grill as well as the dash mount OD switch. it has a small amount of rust but after extensive time with Don at p1800.com on the phone, it is minor, and I will be attending to it as soon as I pick up the car. It is located just north of Charlotte.

So it looks like I too will be embarking on a frozen Volvo drive in the next month.

The GTV6 went to Texas, actually it leaves in about an hour on a enclosed transporter. I sold it for exactly what I had in it which is nice. It is due for a drive shaft rebuild and the parts for that job were included by me. It at some point(10,000 miles or so) will need a clutch and it just started a small oil leak again. A very nice car but I did put just about 9,000 miles on it last year. :) All in all a fun car. Tim told me he might have wanted it after I sold it. Timing is everything. Pictures of the GTV 6 are in the last few issues of the magazine.

if all goes well I may also be adding a Bristol to my stable. We shall see. I still am waiting to hear from the seller on that one.

How do you manage to part with this stuff so frequently? My problem is I buy a car, and it winds up taking residence here for decades because I can't bear to sell it. I wish I had the strength to just keep a car for a year or two then off it for something else. Too many flavors out there to try.

My current issue arrived yesterday and I read Andy's article. Since I sold my first one in 1976 another 1800 has always been on my mind and it's always been on my short list of coveted vintage cars. After reading the article it's moved up a couple of places.

Very nice! I am on the hunt for an 1800, myself. Any photos? I don't suppose a picture of your car made it into the P1800 article, did they? :)

I only had my GTV6 for a little under a year before I traded for a Volvo, but I went with my turbo 745. I still have it and I am still in love with it. :)

David, I figured I had done everything with the car that wanted to do. Tours, road trips, events and the like as well as repairs so it was done. The only 2 cars I wish I had not sold were my Aston DBS and the Bentley. I was really not done with them but the deals were to attractive and timing was bad.

I think the 1800S will be a bi of a long term rolling resto for me. It needs some things and is very much worth turning into a #2 car.

If you need a codriver that never shuts up; sign me up as I live in the SW Chicago 'burbs and would be willing to help drive back! LOL!

Can we also stop and tow back a 1972 Datsun 510 that I know of in Eastern Tennessee?

Otherwise I will be looking for you at the June Sprints! Good luck with crossing the smokeys.

Andy -

How do you go about finding your next car? When you sell one car do you already know what you want to replace it with? Do you use ebay? Craigslist? Friend-of-a-friend?

My TR4A was the only one in my fleet that I actually went looking for. I fell bass-awkwards into my GT6 and my 5.0 Mustang was given to me by my mom after she had knee replacement surgery and couldn't operate the clutch!

I will make my next column about how I find cars, it is a good question. I usually have a car already purchased or am about to purchase one. Also I use craigslist, auctions, eBay and the internet. I will cover it in a lot more detail in the column.

The other car I am trying to buy, the Bristol, I fell into, or will have fallen into when I hear back from John about it.

Oh and no the 1800S did not make the article, I found it just after I handed it over to David. I will get some pics as soon as I can get some good ones taken when I pick it up later this month. I still have not even seen it in person.

Crazy huh.