Headhunting an Alfa Romeo Montreal

I'm probably not going to be able to answer your question directly. That said, if you're interested in a Montreal, go to alfabb.com/bb/forums/alfa-romeo-montreal/ and pose the question on the Montreal board (do a search first so that some smart ass doesn't respond with a "the search function is your friend" remark). There are a few guys that are super helpful and will give the unvarnished pros/cons. Guys like IRONBLOCK, classicalfas, DPeterson3 (though Don recently sold his Montreal at auction) and others will chime in with lots of helpful advice.

I own a '72 Montreal and have owned it now for 5 years. The biggest issue that I have is that there are few "experts" out there that really know how to work on one of these engines, particularly the SPICA injection system. And I just haven't had the time to learn the complexities of tuning a SPICA, though it appears as though I'm going to be forced to do so at some point.

The car drives great when it runs. They're surprisingly quick, though maybe not by modern standards. But in 5 years of ownership, my Montreal has languished more than it's been driven due to other automotive distractions, but more often because of my kids' activities.

Another issue is parts scarcity. Occasionally, someone in the US will have some Montreal parts (e.g. Larry at Alfa Parts Exchange) or one of the guys on alfabb, though most parts will come from suppliers in Italy (Giorgio Penatti), the UK, and Germany. Perusing international eBay sites can also produce a gem part once in a while. There just aren't that many Montreals in the US/Canada so support on this side of the pond is thin.

Also, from what I understand, there are only ~3 guys in the world that are able to rebuild the SPICAs (Wes Ingram is THE guy in the US). And from what I've heard, even the arguably best supplier for repro Montreal parts, Giorgio Penatti, is getting on in age and likely will be winding down his business soon.

I do agree that the Montreal is somewhat undervalued relative to peers (though not sure I'd label the Espada as a peer). But in addition to issues listed above, as well as overblown misconceptions, coupled with solid rear axle and what is essentially an Alfa 105 chassis underneath, the lower valuation makes some sense. The engine sounds incredible though once wound up above 5k rpm.

Fwiw, I also doubt that you're going to find a sub-$100k Bora unless it's rough - in which case price + restoration would be > $100k. Even Espadas are getting up there. 308 would be a nice car, and support is much stronger than for a Montreal. A well-sorted Pantera would also be great (i.e. electrical gremlins addressed) and that engine is bullet proof and dirt cheap to maintain/repair.