The Alfa GTV
by Pablo Mazlumian
In 1974, I was born to my father, Jorge Mazlumian, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Little did he know that his other baby, an Alfa Romeo GTV 2000, also would be created and delivered to America that year.
After all this time, the GTV still looked pristine even though it had covered just over 110k miles in its original paint job. There was little to fix on the car, and the motor was still strong. On the dyno (how many people have dyno-tested GTVs out there?), the car made an impressive pull-91 hp at the wheels and 100 lb-ft of torque. After a swap to the more radical factory cams from the earlier 1750 GTV, the car gained about 10 more horsepower from 5200 rpm to redline, with a maximum pull of 100 hp at 5660 rpm and a peak gain of 11.7 hp and 10.5 lb-ft of torque at 5850 rpm.
Even this kind of horsepower can get you into trouble today, especially with the oversteering tendencies exhibited by this car. It's really easy to play Tommi Makkinen coming sideways out of third-gear turns at full throttle! Rest assured that wherever you turn the Personal steering wheel, the nose will be pointing there as well; just don't rely on the rear end following you.
Twenty-eight years ago, the Alfa GTV, capable of speeds up to 120 mph, was a true performer for its time, and it still holds its own today. With a weight of just 2310 lb with a full tank of gas, factory disc brakes at all four corners, full Shankle suspension with adjustable Koni shocks, and cute little BFGoodrich R1 tires, Jorge has seen 1:47 lap times at Willow Springs Raceway.
The best part of owning a GTV is some of the most memorable and joyful driving experiences you'll ever have.
The BMW 2002
by Brendan Lopez
After having spent several years sharing a Datsun B210 automatic and a Type 2 Westfalia with siblings, I looked forward to something esoteric, small, with two doors and a sporty disposition.
At the time, my choices narrowed down to an Alfa Romeo GTV and a BMW 2002. Not surprisingly, many of my 02-owning friends once confronted the same dilemma, choosing one or the other. Others flip-flopped between ownership of the two.
In the end I chose the 2002, based on the support and knowledge of my friends, not to mention the availability of parts.
My first was a Sahara-colored '74 carbureted model I found in a classified ad. It was a two-owner car with a minor dent in the rear quarter panel, had been re-sprayed from its original Tkis hue and had a tired transmission. I paid way too much.
Through the years that followed, I owned a number of Japanese cars, an SUV, an Audi and others, but I always owned at least one '02. I bought the Alpina from a friend who was the second owner (and my sister's post-HS boyfriend).
Having owned/built a number of '02s over the years, and gorging myself on every piece of literature, I've become a self-appointed authority on the subject.
Here are some things I've learned over the years, which I call "The Rules":
Rule #1: Owning and restoring a classic European car costs at least twice as much as you expect. If you want cheap and reliable, get a three- to four-year-old Honda.
Rule #2: Old cars are not daily drivers. When I was commuting in the Alpina every day, the repair bills were enormous. It was cheaper to buy a new car. And by virtue of airbags, anti-theft systems and other safety features, my auto insurance rates actually went down when I added a new car to my personal fleet.
Rule #3: Plan to get dirty. Unless you have a ton of money, learn how to do at least some of your own repairs and restoration work. Information can be gleaned from project series, even if they don't include a BMW. Banging bodies, fixing wiring and dirty work is all the same.
There are two basic types of '02. The early cars, through 1973, have round taillights and metal grilles. The later cars, 1974-76, have plastic grilles and rectangular taillights. Purists are quick to proclaim, "Real BMWs have round taillights." This sentiment is probably based more on the fact that rectangular-taillight U.S.-spec 2002s have unsightly and heavy aluminum bumpers sticking out from both ends. European-spec cars (1973-77) have the same bumpers used on '72 and '73 U.S. models and are quite attractive.
For those outside of the sunbelt, plan on finding lots of rust, or paying lots of money for a car that has been restored, or has lots of hidden/masqueraded rust. Most of the body components are available new, reproduction or used. For a while, the early metal-grille nose panels were NLA, and people were having to put later noses on early cars, sometimes going so far as to modify the later nose to accept the early grillework. Common rust areas include rocker panels, rear shock towers, spare tire well, front nose panel and along the inner edges of the hood, trunk lid and doors.
For engines, there are three basic types: single-barrel carb, dual-barrel carb and fuel injected. Of course, there are exceptions when one considers the European ti with dual sidedraft carbs or the 2002 Turbo with its fuel-injected and turbocharged engine. But, for the U.S. market, you need only consider the three basic types.
In general, the engines are stout and last a long time if well maintained. The problems you're likely to encounter are worn valve guide seals (blue tailpipe smoke on overrun), excessive blowby, cracked heads and blown head gaskets.
To do it right, you'll spend $3k-$4k on a DIY rebuild, and perhaps twice as much to have it done by a pro.
There are two basic transmissions, a three-speed automatic and a four-speed manual. There have been unsubstantiated reports of some 02s coming from the factory to the U.S. with five-speed close-ratio transmissions, but this cannot be confirmed. (If anyone has a copy of an invoice stating such, send it to the SCCA. The IT racers will love you for it.)
Your best bet for a transmission involves replacing the four-speed, or automatic for that matter, with a five-speed overdrive from a 320i (see ec, March 1993 for this conversion). Due to the specialized tools and work involved, transmission rebuilds have to be sent out to a BMW transmission specialist. Sorry, no AAMCO here.
After the bodywork and engine, the interior is where you'll spend the most money, and be most frustrated trying to gather all the needed pieces, many of which are NLA. You'll have to settle for "best used."
There were several different dashboards, and you'll have to settle for either the two-piece or the later one-piece. If you end up having to put a one-piece dash in an early car, you'll have to swap the heater controls and move the mounting location.
The two basic types of door panels are two-tone (up to '74) and monochrome ('74 and later.) If you're lucky, the door panels will be in good condition, requiring only minor repairs and cleanup. Don't count on it. (It's been long-rumored that BMW's vintage parts division will be re-introducing door panels and other interior trim. We've been waiting so long, I've not bothered to run the numbers this year.)
An owner's manual, a factory repair manual (now on CD) and a parts book (reprinted by Mobile Traditions) will prove to be indispensable.
If you have time and want to save money, get catalogs from all of the parts vendors and do some price comparisons. If you have to go to the dealer, see if they offer club membership discounts (of course, you'll want to join the BMW Car Club of America at www.bmwcca.org).
If you have a love for automobiles, don't mind getting dirty, want to learn and have something else to drive while you are learning, you might find that classic car ownership is for you. On the other hand, if you want to have something to drive 100 miles a day in stop-and-go traffic and not spend extraordinary sums of money, get a Toyota or Honda.