1976 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Series II

1976 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Series II

"Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee!" You guessed it, MotoeXotica Classic Cars has a car that used to belong to The Champ, boxer Muhammad Ali - a 1976 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Series II. This particular car was a special purchase for Ali as there is a four page story of the purchase of this Alfa in the book "Running with the champ" and even Jay Leno posed a photo with this Spider!

Ali bought the car personally at European Imports in Lake Forest, Illinois, just north of Chicago as he was shopping for a Rolls Royce. He purchased the Alfa along with a Kelly Green Rolls Royce Corniche. Ali kept the Alfa for a while but then gifted it to the former owner, who was Tim Shanahan, who has been a close and trusted friend of Muhammad Ali and his family for nearly forty years. He retired in 2013 as regional sales manager covering five Western states for a medical products company. Author of the book, "Running with the Champ" in '76. Shanahan was with Ali when he purchased the Alfa new. According to Shanahan, Ali bought the Alfa for his third wife, Veronica Porché, who never drove the car because she couldn't drive a manual, before Ali gifted it to Shanahan in 1976. Shanahan owned the car for more than 40 years!

Finished in stunning silver with a black top, the paint and trim are excellent condition, the car just received a professional correct respray of Metallic Silver.

The bodywork on this small, Italian drop top is straight and solid, the engine bay is tidy, as is the trunk interior and contrasting black bumpers. The black folding top is in decent shape, too. This roadster rolls on Michelin MXV radials, size 185/65R14 at all four corners. The tires are in very good shape. They surround factory alloy wheels, which are in excellent condition.

Under the hood is the original 2.0L DOHC four-cylinder engine with Spica mechanical fuel-injection. Backing it is a five-speed manual transmission and a 4.56:1 differential. This Spider also has four-wheel disc brakes.

Inside, the black leather bucket seats are in great condition while the matching carpet is in good original shape. The original, three-spoke, wood-rimmed steering wheel looks great while the inner door panels, instrument panel and center console are in good shape. There is a crack on the passenger side of the dashboard. The high-mounted shifter and a Targa AM/FM stereo with cassette deck and three-band equalizer complete the interior.

The Series II Spider was known as the square tail or Kamm tail model, replacing the former Duetto. Between 1974 and 1976, the early-style stainless-steel bumpers were discontinued and replaced with black, rubber-clad units to meet increasingly stringent North American crash requirements.

Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., was an American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th Century. From early in his career, Ali was known as an inspiring, controversial, and polarizing figure both inside and outside of the ring. After retiring from boxing in 1981, at age 39, Ali focused on religion and charity. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, which some reports attribute to boxing-related injuries, though both Ali and his physician disputed the claim. As his condition worsened, Ali made limited public appearances, and was cared for by his family until his death on June 3, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Documentation includes originalIllinois registration with Ali's signature, original 1980Illinois registration, copy of photos of Ali with the car and Tim Shanahan, photo of Jay Leno with the car, Ali's book, 'Running with the Champ' and assorted paperwork.

Competition to this Alfa Romeo in 1976 included Bentley's Corniche Convertible, Excalibur's Series III Roadster and Mercedes-Benz's 450 SL.

If vehicles formerly owned by celebrities or sports figures are your thing or if you're an Italian car connoisseur, you should do yourself a favor and stop by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to check out this two oner Alfa Romeo that belonged to one of the greatest boxers in the world and then to his close personal friend.

VIN: AR115023049438

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 80,733 miles, most of which were presumably accumulated by Shanahan, not Ali. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt California title still in Tim Shanahan name. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

Note: Please see full terms and conditions listed below that pertain to the purchase of any said vehicle, thank you.

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