1969 Lancia Fulvia Berlina GTE

The Fulvia nameplate was used by Lancia for a sedan and two different coupes from the 60s until the late 70s. I'm not into the coupes. But the sedans set my fire. It's just like an Alfa sedan, except slightly more obscure. You can instantly picture them hustling a bunch of polizia to bust a Red Brigade meeting.

The styling is fantastic. It's got all the right 60s Euro sedan touches: high waistline, huge greenhouse, three-box shape, tiny taillights and tasteful slivers of chrome.

Inside is equally delightful, with a black scheme contrasting nicely with the refrigerator white exterior and looking surprisingly clean and tidy.

The Berlina GTE came along in '68 with an upgraded V4 engine, new brakes and a brake servo. Power and handling will be adequate by today's standard but feel sprightly with the stick shift, low eight and small dimensions.

The seller says this one came over in '05 and are offering another as well, but the paperwork is different. They do say its sorted and just needs a driver. They also think it's one of just a handful in the US. I've certainly never seen one for sale before.

Available here on ebay for $18,500 or the Make Offer option.

Manhattan Edition Part II: 1969 Cadillac Fleetwood

Photos taken with my iPhone

1 of 192: 1969 Iso Rivolta Fidia

Feast your eyes on this!

In the late 1960s, Italian automakers were trying to catch up with the Germans in the race for the perfect upscale executive sedan. Mercedes-Benz had already mastered this segment, but their cars still wore a conservative, upright styling that, while now timeless and classic, was to be outdone at the time. The Italians already had an edge in the supercar segment, practically inventing the wedge with Gandini's iconic Alfa Romeo Carabo in 1968.

For the Iso Fidia, they asked up and coming designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, then of Ghia, to design their flagship sedan. Iso was an edgy post-war manufacturer who created the legendary Isetta bubble car. In the 60s and 70s, they turned to performance oriented sports cars, before launching the Fidia.

Giugiaro delivered. The Fidia wears a long and low shape that is well-proportioned and balanced, especially from the side. The front is a little less graceful and more muscular with quad square sealed-beam headlights (complete with French yellow driving lamps). The greenhouse is large and inviting, and the window profile swoopy. The whole thing is very sexy and somewhat ahead of it's time, as this shape is currently being revived to a degree in the Fisker Karma.

Inside, occupants are treated to polished wood and hand-stitched leather. This is the pre-'71 update interior, so the dashboard is clearer and less cluttered. The white-on-black guages and wood-and-aluminum steering wheel are pitch-perfect here.

Like the DeTomaso Pantera the Fidia engine was sourced elsewhere and had either Chevrolet or Ford V8 engines under the hood. Pre-'73 cars such as this one feature a 5358cc Chevrolet V8 that propelled the 3,483 lb. car to 0-60 mph in around 7 seconds, which is remarkable for the time and still really impressive today. Italy didn't have any Autobahn, but a day trip away and this could be seen ripping along speed-limitless highway.

Iso only made 192 Fidia before the firm went bankrupt in 1974.

This ultra-rare survivor is found in California where the seller says it has been for the past 30 years. Cosmetically, they say it was repainted once but does have rust, cracks, and fading. Mechanically, they say 350 HO engine has been rebuilt. It's mated to a 4-speed Borg Warner transmission.

The classic car elite see sedans as less collectible, but with a Giugiaro-carved body, big V8 power and super-low production numbers, this Iso Fidia definitely bucks that trend.

Available here on ebay with 12 bids at $8,400 and reserve not met.

COTC Exclusive: 29k-Mile 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix J

This '69 Grand Prix is being offered by a collector who acquired the vehicle from Kansas and brought it over to the east coast where it currently resides. It is an incredible un-restored survivor and features the original engine and no rust or rot.

The all-new-for-'69 second generation Grand Prix was ordered by John Delorean, a GM executive at the time, and featured Pontiac's longest hood yet. However, it was lighter and smaller than its predecessor. The front features protruding corners and a distinctive angled grilled. The body shape has become known as a "coke bottle" for its gently rising and sloping profile. The rear is adorned in an integrated chrome bumper and rectangular taillights.

The seller has added a new white vinyl top and aftermarket Pontaic Mag wheels sitting on BF Goodrich tires that give the car a cool touch and nice stance.

 Inside, the immaculate interior features white seats, black dashboard and wood decals and chrome touches. It is all-original and nicely contrasts with the exterior color.

Underneath the hood is the 400 cubic inch 6.6-liter V8 engine pumping out about 265 horsepower to the rear wheels. The seller notes the car had the original plug wires and belts on it when they acquired it.

Mechanically, the seller gave the car some recent exhaust work and a tuneup. They say it runs and drives excellent.

There aren't many of the second-generation Grand Prix in this kind of condition left. The seller has always kept the vehicle safely garaged in a climate-controlled private storage facility. 

The asking price is $14,000. 

Click here to send an email inquiry about purchasing this vehicle.

All-Original: 1969 Alfa Romeo GTV 1750

I'd be surprised if this craigslist ad makes it to the end of the day.

The 1969-1971 Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 was based on the 1963-1977 105/115 Series Coupe. Their values have jumped in recent years as their numbers dwindled, rally history was recognized, and general aesthetics have gained a many an appreciative eye.

The GTV 1750 featured many improvements over previous versions. Most notable was the increased engine size. They had 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines powering the rear-wheels.

The Bring a Trailer staff love these cars, as a couple appear every month in varying condition and prices. I didn't understand the appeal until a couple days ago, when they just magically fell into place in my mind. I also saw one for the first time yesterday in dark grey-blue. Rear-wheel drive, classic styling, rally heritage. They do look great, as the boat/bathtub high-beltline Euro shape and quad-round headlights give it almost a BMW look, perhaps even better, and these seemed to have never been slapped with ugly U.S. government mandated 5 mph crash test bumpers. These were designed by Giugiaro in his pre-wedge days.

The seller states this vehicle is all-original plus a few slight performance mods. They say the delicious mustard yellow paint is original, but there is rust in the door sills. They say the floors and jack points are solid, however.

The interior looks stock and fresh with a wood steering wheel and black leather seats.

Mechanically, the seller says it runs and the engine and transmission have low miles.

Hemmings estimates a '69-'74 GTV 1750 Coupe at in fair condition to be worth $8,500, good $15,000 and excellent at $28,500, making this car's asking price of $11,500 seem fair, depending on the underbody and engine specifics.

Find it here on craigslist in Spokane, Washington for $11,500.

Tea in the Sahara: 58k-mile 1969 Porsche 912 LWB

This stunning Porsche is a 1969 912 that the seller claims has only 58,000 original miles.

The 912 was created as an entry-level model to offset the expensive 6-cylinder 911. As such, the 912 had an inline 4-cylinder engine and deleted features standard on the 911. Production lasted from 1965-69, until it was replaced by the totally different mid-engine 914.

The seller claims this is a long-wheelbase model that was owned by a Porsche Club of America (PCA) member for years, and has new shocks, brakes and tires within the last 2 years.

The also say it wears its original Sahara Beige paint, a flat military tan-creme color. It looks absolutely beautiful from the pictures, glossy, bright and striking, and very complimentary of the classic Porsche shape. Porsches look best in neutral and subdued colors.

Inside we see an immaculate interior with taught black leather seats and a clean dashboard.

The seller is mum on most aspects, but, I guess the rest of self-explanatory...with only 58k original miles, original paint and a previous club owner this is a bona fide survivor of the best order, so everything looks totally stock, well-kept and ready to go.

The engine compartment looks like you'd expect it as well: original and un-restored almost to a fault, but it looks very clean, orderly and well-presented.

The seller is asking $29,995. Hemmings values a '69 912 Coupe in fair shape at $5,375, good $9,600 and excellent $18,225. This one could possibly be categorized as "excellent", so make your decisions based on that. Nearly 30,000 were made and they are just 4-cylinders, which, depending on your driving philosophy, may or may not be a hindrance. Apparently they do get 30pmg. Handling is probably fantastic as expected.

The only lingering questions are rust and service history.

Find it here on craigslist in New Hampshire.