Alfa Romeo Spider 105 and 115 series (1966 to 1993)

Why people buy one

• A Pininfarina roadster with an alloy twin-cam engine, five-speed gearbox and disc brakes all round from the start.
• Built for 27 years in large numbers, so most mechanical parts are easy to find and the cars are well understood by specialists.
• The 1750 and 2000 Veloce are the quickest, while the 1300 and 1600 have smaller engines and less performance.
• The Alfa Romeo Owners Club UK 105 Register covers the Spider alongside the Giulia saloon and coupes.

What to weigh up

• Classic & Sports Car says almost every Spider will have been rebuilt, so the quality of past rust repairs matters more than shiny paint.
• Factory right-hand-drive cars are scarce (633 right-hand-drive 1750 Spiders, though one source says 601). Motor Sport (1986) says type approval rules ended the factory right-hand-drive Spider in the UK in 1978, after which Bell & Colvill imported left-hand-drive cars and converted them. Classic & Sports Car says the Spider returned to UK price lists for 1991 to 1993, but Goodwood says UK Series 4 cars were probably converted, so ask for proof of any right-hand-drive car's origin.
• Many cars in the UK came from the USA, with Spica injection (from 1969) and extra emissions and crash-protection equipment. Spica needs specialist setting up, and some owners have replaced it with Webers.
• Engine swaps are common, and the Hagerty-reviewed Essential Buyer's Guide warns that incorrect engines are a frequent problem.
• The name "Duetto" strictly belongs to the 1966 1600 (Classic & Sports Car), but it is widely used for all round-tail Series 1 cars, including the 1750 and 1300 Junior.
• This profile does not cover the earlier 101-series Giulietta and Giulia Spider, the Junior Zagato or the 916 Spider of 1995 onwards.

Where they rust

• Sills and the jacking points; poor sills often show as uneven door gaps.
• Door bottoms and the rear wheel arches.
• Floor pans and the boot floor: lift the carpets in both.
• The front crossmember under the radiator and the chassis members at the back of the engine bay.
• Front and rear suspension mounts and the front spring pans.
• Front and rear valances and the rear lip of the boot lid.
• Windscreen surround and A-posts.
• Fresh underseal over the lower body, which can hide deeper problems.

Mechanical weak spots

• Engine: look for oil leaks around the cam cover, oil in the coolant and white emulsion under the oil filler. Head gasket failure is a known problem, often after neglected cooling has silted up the radiator.
• Gearbox: second-gear synchromesh is the usual weak point; crunching or jumping out of gear means wear.
• Rear axle: whine points to wear, and Classic & Sports Car warns later differentials may last only about 60,000 miles. Goodwood advises checking the propshaft couplings.
• Suspension and steering: check for worn front wishbone bushes, other suspension bushes and wear in the steering components.
• Brakes: servos leak and calipers seize on stored cars. Factory right-hand-drive cars use twin servos, which Classic & Sports Car calls troublesome.
• US-market Series 4 cars were offered with a three-speed automatic, and Series 4 cars have power steering.

At a Mathewsons viewing

• Check the chassis number in the engine bay and on the plate against the V5C, and confirm the stated model year, engine size and left or right-hand drive match the papers and the bodywork (boat tail or Kamm tail, chrome or rubber bumpers).
• On a right-hand-drive car, ask whether it is a factory car or a conversion and look behind the dashboard and around the pedals for untidy wiring or alterations; Classic & Sports Car says factory right-hand-drive cars have twin brake servos.
• Open the bonnet: compare the carburettors or injection with the claimed model, look for oil trails down the block, cam cover leaks and creamy deposits under the filler cap.
• Lift the cabin and boot carpets for damp, rust flakes or fresh patches, and use a torch under the car on the sills, spring pans, crossmember and suspension mounts.
• Check the hood frame, fabric and rear window for tears and fit, and if staff start the car, listen for chain or tappet noise and watch the oil pressure; do not assume it will be started.

Parts, specialists and clubs

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Sources

• Buyer's guide: Alfa Romeo Spider (Classic & Sports Car), 18 February 2026
• Road test: Alfa Romeo Spider 2.0 (Motor Sport), August 1986
• The Alfa Romeo Spider 105/115: five things you need to know (Car & Classic), accessed 14 October 2026
• Book of the month: Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Essential Buyer's Guide (Hagerty UK), 20 October 2015
• Alfa Romeo Spider buyer's guide (Goodwood Classic Solutions), 26 April 2023
• One to buy: rare RHD 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider 1750 Veloce (Supercar Nostalgia), accessed 14 October 2026
• Alfa Romeo Spider buyer's guide (My Classic UK), accessed 14 October 2026
• Alfa Romeo Spider (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026