Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider recommissioning commences - Sept 2022

This all started in September 2019 when my ever understanding wife said lets go to the motor museum, now the understanding bit comes in as we were on holiday in Malta so having the opportunity to indulge in a few cars was a real holiday bonus.

A quick bus ride found us meandering around the many exhibits. Malta Museum

As a self confessed petrolhead there were lots of distractions however the group of red cars really caught my eye. What looked like original unrestored Italian beauties stopped me in my tracks.

Malta car museum

I've never really been an Alfa guy, not for any real reason, just never owned one. In fact I can't remember even being in one. My car history, forgetting the boring day to day cars is a real eclectic mix from an original Honda NSX, one of the last air-cooled Porsche 911 (933) and more recently VW based Porsche 356 replica which I finished during lock down. So finding myself nearly 3 years on as the owner of a 1964 2600 Spider, one of only 102 rhd made, I’m sort of both surprised and a little worried!

The car has been with the previous owners family since the 60’s and other than both doors needing to skins and some some dodgy sill repairs and paint job sometime in the 70’s its in completely original condition The rust problem seems to have been reduced as the car has been stored away for the last 30 years

Although the Malta trip and the instant love affair does have a lot to answer for, I'm not totally mad and having viewed the car once on my own I decided to take a good friend of mine for the second viewing. David is a genius fabricator and will be heavily involved in any restoration work needed to the body. So I really value his advice, however he said to me , “you have already mentally bought this car”. I think he was right!

Viewing over, the sills were as I had thought in need of some attention, all the floor was amazingly sound but there was evidence of filler around the front wing and rust damage to the front scoop and rear valance. But for 1964 and for a car that was rusting before it left the factory, amazing.

The car gives me a great chance to have a 2600 built from not new components but from carefully restored original materials. Whilst the rebuild will be total it will have a heavy emphasis on preservation. 

First job is to rebuild the carbs and get the engine running so we can see what we have. Once we know the health of the mechanics armed with many bags and labels I will strip the car ready for media blasting..then I will know the extent of the project.

Car arrived today, so fun starts now!!

Car been delivered today