It’s not the reason why our heads have been turned by this 1976 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider Veloce, but it’s impossible to avoid being seduced by the prospect of returning the car to former glory. The Duetto, a graduation present for Hoffman’s character, didn’t fare too well, and was looking a little worse for wear by the time it had a petrol crisis ahead of the film’s memorable climax.

With a little artistic licence to account for the fact that this is a 2000 Spider Veloce, rather than the original and prettier Duetto, you could claim that it’s a homage to the movie car. It’s based in Bude, so trade California for Cornwall and the Golden Gate Bridge for the Tamar. A little Simon & Garfunkel playing on the Lucas Audio radio would be a nice touch.

Forget bridges for a moment, because the photos suggest that troubled waters lie ahead. As Car & Classic points out, the Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider requires extensive restoration to all panels and it looks like the engine hasn’t been touched since it was last on the road in 1987. In some pictures, it appears to have spent some time at the bottom of the Tamar.

On the plus side, the factory weld lines are still visible, the interior is original and the exterior trim is all present and correct. Just don’t expect it to be the work of a semester; this could be a full-term project. Once finished, you’ll own the most attractive car of all your parents’ friends.

At the time of writing, bidding has reached £1100 with five days to go. There’s a great future in plastics, but wouldn’t you rather have a little slice of Italian metal?

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Kicking tyres: 1993 Fiat Uno Start
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Not that we should be mentioning water in the context of a Uno; rust-proofing wasn’t a strong point of Fiat’s replacement for the 127.

Build quality is one reason to choose the post-facelift over the original. Although it lacks the purity of Giugiaro’s vision, Fiat went to great lengths to improve what was, at the time, Europe’s best-selling car. New engines, a subtle facelift, some galvanised metalwork, a plastic tailgate and a new dashboard were the highlights.

Start me up

The new fascia was a step forward in quality, but many of us mourned the passing of the old, uncluttered dashboard, complete with Citroën-style switchgear flanking the two-spoke steering wheel.

Today, Uno beggars can’t be choosers. Despite global production totalling 8.8 million, the Uno is vanishingly rare in the UK. The DVLA figures are notoriously unreliable, but there are reportedly 18 Fiat Uno 1.0 i.e. Start models on the road, with a further 95 locked up in garages, parked up on driveways or being lost to the undergrowth. Twenty-five years ago, there were 15,000 of them.

We’re not here to say that the Fiat Uno is cooler than its chief European rival, the Peugeot 205, but its rarity makes it standout. This example has also been tastefully modified using bits from a Uno Turbo, including 13-inch Cromodora alloy wheels, rear spoiler, rear arches and front fog lights. The Start decals have been removed from the rear wings.

Getting started

It looks authentic; the kind of thing a young car enthusiast would have done in the 1990s. The original buyer ticked the option boxes for metallic paint and sunroof, but make sure the latter doesn’t leak. If it does, a chat with Captain Tolley might be in order.

An official 61.4mpg from the 999cc engine is just the thing for a cost of living crisis, while a 0-62mph time of 17.7 seconds should please insurers and parents alike. With just 51,406 miles on the clock, this Uno could be the one.

Car & Classic head of editorial, Chris Pollitt, told us: “One of the world’s best-selling hatchbacks, the Fiat Uno’s unmistakable Giugiaro-penned shape is still well loved in Italy, and starting to get appreciated in all forms, including non-turbo versions, in the UK. Recently, two Uno Turbos have sold for over £15k and £26k respectively on the Car & Classic auction platform, but you can get your foot on the ‘starter classic’ ladder with this 1993 non-turbo version, offering style and substance: the Uno was, after all, European Car of The Year 1984.”

At the time of writing, bidding had reached £500 with five days to go. To us, it’s one of the most appealing cars coming up for auction on the Car & Classic website. If you pull the trigger, drop us a line and we’ll feature the car in our mag.

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